Extension Cords; Selecting The Welding; Install The Welding Wire - Craftsman 196.205680 Owner's Manual

EXTENSION CORDS
For optimum welder performance, an extension
cord should not be used unless absolutely
necessary. If necessary, care must be taken in
selecting an extension cord appropriate for use
with your specific welder.
Select a properly grounded extension cord
that will mate directly with the ac power
source receptacle and the welder power cord
without the use of adapters. Make certain that
the extension cord is properly wired and in
good electrical condition. Extension cords
must fit the following wire size guidelines:
0-25 ft. requires #12 gauge
Do not use an extension cord over
25 ft. in length.
SELECTING THE WELDING WIRE
This welder uses only four inch spools of
0.030 inch (0.8mm) or 0.035 inch (0.9mm)
self shielding flux-core wire. Steel from
18 gauge up to 3/16 inch thick can be
welded with this wire.
NOTE:
Metal thinner than 18 gauge cannot be
welded with this machine. Attempting to do so
will cause burn through (blowing holes) in the
metal you are intending to weld.
If a spool has developed heavy oxidation,
the only solution to the problem is to discard
the spool of wire.
If you have an oxidized spool of wire, do not
discard it until you have unspooled a few
turns of wire to see if the wire further down
on the spool is in usable condition, if not, -
discard the spool.
INSTALL THE WELDING WIRE
Electric shock can kill! Always turn the
POWER switch OFF and unplug the welder's
power cord from the ac power source before
installing wire.
1. Remove the nozzle and contact tip from
the end of the gun assembly.
2. Remove the spindle cap from spindle.
3. Unwrap the spool of wire and then find
the leading end of the wire (it goes
10
.
through a hole in the outer edge of the
spool and is bent over the spool edge to
prevent the wire from unspooling) BUT
DO NOT UNHOOK IT YET.
Place the spool on the spindle in such a
manner that when the wire comes off the
spool, it will look like the top illustration in
Figure 4.
Wrong Way
Figure 4. Proper Wire Installation
5. Insert the spool retaining tab into the
spool shaft. The tab will lock into place,
prohibiting the spool from coming loose
during operation.
6. Use a wire cutter, cut the bent end off the
leading end of the wire so that only a
straight leading end remains.
7. Hold the tension arm up off the drive
roller and insert the leading end of the
wire into the inlet guide tube. Then push
it across the drive roller and into the gun
assembly about six inches.
8. Line the wire up in the outside groove of
the drive roller, then allow the drive tension
arm to drop onto the drive roller.
9. Tighten (turn clockwise) the tension adjusting
screw until the tension roller is applying enough
force on the wire to prevent it from slipping out
of the drive assembly.
9. Let go of the wire.
10. Plug the welder's power cord into the ac
power source. Adjust the HEAT selection
switch, on the front of the welder, to either
of the two heat settings.
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES!
To reduce the risk of arc flash, make certain
that the welding wire, when it finally comes
out of the end of the gun, does not touch the