Esab Rebel 205 Inductance settings for MIG

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In this video, I experimented with the Esab Rebel 205 inductance settings.

I have been experimenting with inductance settings on MIG welders for quite a while now.

To start with, I can tell you that mig welding machines can be very different and weld very differently.

One might have a super soft arc, the other has a harsh crisp arc.

If a mig welder has an Inductance setting,  that can really help you dial in the type of arc you like.

Other Video pages on MIG Welding

Vertical Uphill 3g Welding test with downhill Root

3g plate with Uphill Root

Miller Multimatic 220 Uphill Mig Techniques

What is Inductance?

the term "short circuit mig" means that the way the metal transfers into the weld puddle is in a short circuit.

There is an arc between the tip of the wire and the puddle for a moment, and then the wire actually melts into the puddle as it fuses in a short circuit condition.

As the wire is short circuiting, the amperage rises to a point where the wire blows like a fuse and creates an arc again.

As the wire continues to feed, it short circuits again ...and again...and again.

This only takes a fraction of a second and happens up to 200 times per second.

Inductance controls how quickly the amperage climbs during the short circuit.

with a low inductance, the amperage rises very quickly and this can cause a violent arc along with excessive spatter.

With high inductance, the amperage rises slower and this can provide a puddle the wets out better because the arc time is longer and the arc is less violent.

low inductance usually provides a narrower bead with a crisper arc

high inductance usually makes for a wider bead and softer arc

Both have there place but its nice to be able to adjust it.

High Inductance and low wire speed

The most practical application i have found for Inductance settings is for vertical welds where you want to reduce wire speed and still maintain a smooth and spatter free weld.

I set up a lap and tee joint on 11 ga steel and welded vertical uphill using an inductance setting of 100% using the Esab Rebel 205.

Using .030" er70s6 wire

19.5 volts

190 inches per minute

I would not normally use such a low wire speed with 19.5 volts and .030" wire but I wanted to show what a difference a high inductance setting makes with super low wire speeds.

Factory recommended settings for 11 ga steel on the Rebel 205 for a flat or horizontal fillet weld using .030" wire are 19.5 volts and 300 inches per minute.

I reduced the wire speed all the way down to 190 for vertical uphill welding and set the inductance to 100% and it worked great