Six Maintenance Mistakes To Avoid To Keep Your Welder In The Best Possible Shape
If welder usage is an everyday part of work tasks at your facility, it's important that your welder equipment is properly maintained. Maintenance mistakes can shorten the lifespan of a welder or even lead to safety hazards.
The following are six maintenance mistakes to avoid to keep your welder in the best possible shape.
Continuing to use connectors and cables with visible wear and damage
One of the most important maintenance tasks is to inspect all connectors and cables to check for signs of wear and tear. If connectors and cables show signs of damage or wear, it's important to replace them. Injury from electric shock is possible if a bare cable is exposed on welding equipment.
Neglecting to replace missing insulating covers on terminals
It's also important to check all terminals or other parts of the exposed electrical units of welders and welding equipment. Terminals should be protected with insulating covers to ensure the safe and efficient operation of welding equipment.
Disconnecting safety devices
Welders are typically designed with various safety devices that need to remain connected at all times when welding equipment is in use. Safety devices that need to remain connected include interlocks as well as circuit breakers.
Electrical safety devices need to be temporarily disconnected when they are inspected and serviced. Make sure that these devices are properly locked out and tagged out according to safety regulations whenever service is performed.
Using a welder without first purging gas hoses
It's important for welder operators to be trained to purge gas hoses regularly before welding equipment is used. This ensures that both moisture condensation and air are removed from gas hoses to ensure the safe and efficient operation of welders.
Neglecting oil changes
Oil is an essential fluid component of a welder. It's important to make sure that oil levels are constantly maintained when a welder is being operated.
It's also important to keep up with oil changes according to how frequently the equipment manufacturer recommends them. Make sure that the oil filter of welders is changed each time an oil change is performed.
Being unaware of the symptoms of regulator malfunctions
Faulty regulators need to be addressed before continuing to use welders. The most common signs of regulator malfunctions include leaks, increasing delivery pressure indicating creep, and a gauge pointer that is not responding properly to pressure changes.
It's important to always close the cylinder valve of your welder before the regulators are serviced.
For more information on welders, such as the Miller CP 302 welder, contact a supplier in your area.
