Miller 211 keeps shutting off while welding. What's wrong?

[Tuske427]

Hi:

New member here, and I have a Miller 211 auto set welder. It's maybe a year old, and now while welding it just shuts off. The temp light is not on, I don't believe I'm touching the tip of the welder to my work piece, but it just shuts off. I can turn it back on right away then continue welding, but it shouldn't do this, and it, of course, disrupts my bead.

Any thoughts as to why it would do this?

Thanks!

[eecervantes83]

Check your extension cord. if your using one. It could be shorting out. Causing the machine to reset it self. I had a loose wire screw in my extensions plug. Causing your same problem.

[Steve83]

Define "shuts off". Does the fan stop? Does the light go off? Does the trigger stop working if you release & re-squeeze it? What exactly does it take to "reset" - just the switch on the machine?

An extension cord fault would trip the house breaker - it wouldn't affect the machine, other than killing power to it.

[eecervantes83]

Steve I'm no electrician. To explain it any better. But that's what it did. it "trip" the power switch on my 211. I knew it was the cord because any movement and it happen.

[Tuske427]

Define "shuts off". Does the fan stop? Does the light go off? Does the trigger stop working if you release & re-squeeze it? What exactly does it take to "reset" - just the switch on the machine?

An extension cord fault would trip the house breaker - it wouldn't affect the machine, other than killing power to it.

The welder turns itself off during use. The power switch moves to the off position and the welder shuts down. just as if I turned the machine off, only it is doing it itself.

I can immediately turn the switch back on, and the welder powers up/ everything works fine again. Until it shuts itself off again...

This will do it when I have the welder plugged directly into the wall, or use of an extension cord. doesn't matter.

[Steve83]

Sounds like an internal fault to me - I'd take in for repair.

[Renagade]

Let us know what you find out in case it happens to someone else

[metal-doctor]

Had a 211 doing the same thing & turned out the guy had the drive roll tension too tight. It would weld about an inch & then cutout. Criuser told us to back off drive roll pressure & it now works perfect. Worth a try.

[Meltedmetal]

Working from eecervantes83's suggestion-you might want to check for loose/overheated connections in your power cord and if not in the machine side of things(plug and internal connection point) check or have an electrician check the terminals in the outlet and at the breaker. Good luck.Keep us posted.
Meltedmetal

[cope]

The welder turns itself off during use. The power switch moves to the off position and the welder shuts down. just as if I turned the machine off, only it is doing it itself.

I can immediately turn the switch back on, and the welder powers up/ everything works fine again. Until it shuts itself off again...

This will do it when I have the welder plugged directly into the wall, or use of an extension cord. doesn't matter.

Sounds like the switch may be bad.