FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below you will find answers to many of the most “frequently asked questions” regarding the RWII, 12 to 36 volt (12 volts on thin sheet metal), DC Powered MIG Welder / Spool Gun. If you have any additional questions, call us at (800) 843-0763 between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM EST on weekdays. We hope this information will help you to obtain the highest level of satisfaction from your RWII.
1.) How long of welding duration time will I get out of a pair of batteries before I will need to recharge them? Many factors will determine the length of acceptable quality welding duration time, with the primary factors being the type and size of batteries used and the type of welding being performed. The thicker the metal being welded, the greater the amperage draw needed to obtain satisfactory results, which drains the batteries at a faster rate. The size and amp hour ratings of the batteries used will determine the total amount of power available and thus the total welding time available. We typically recommend group 31 size marine deep-cycle batteries as a power source for the RWII. A fully charged pair of these batteries will normally yield a minimum duration of about 45 minutes of welding time. Light duty welding operations on thinner metal can offer welding duration times of 4 hours or more.
2.) What type of batteries and charger should I buy, and what type of maintenance do I need to perform on the batteries? We highly recommend the purchase of two good quality, 12 volt deep-cycle marine / RV batteries ranging in size from group 24 up to group 31. Vertical posts capped with wing-nuts for easy power connections to the RWII offer the most secure connections. Auto batteries, and other batteries not designed for deep-cycle discharging and recharging, will perform well but may not last as long. It is recommended to use chargers with 10 or 20 amp recharge settings and automatic shut-off circuits when the batteries have been fully charged. A 10 or 20 amp recharge setting will normally allow the batteries to fully recharge overnight without putting undue stress on them. With a 24 volt charger you will not need to disconnect and reconnect the batteries. With a 12 volt charger you can charge both batteries at the same time in parallel. Maintenance of the non-sealed, lead-acid battery types normally used for deep cycle applications requires checking the fluid level in each cell chamber about once a week and replenishing the cells to the “full” level with distilled water as needed. Basically the larger the batteries the longer the weld time.
3.) Does the trigger control power to the tip? The trigger activates wire feeding and gas flow only, and does not control power feed to the tip. The tip is “hot” whenever the RWII is connected to a live power source. The mating red plastic connectors in the RWII power cable are designed to be quickly pulled apart to “de-power” the welder between uses without having to actually disconnect the cables at the power source.
4.) Does the wire feed speed control knob adjust the amperage level fed to the electrode? The wire feed speed control knob directly affects amperage based upon the speed and physical volume of wire being fed to the bead. The amount of wire fed to the bead is directly proportional to the ultimate amperage level delivered to the weld. The diameter of the feed wire will also affect the total amperage level delivered to the welding bead. The larger the wire the hotter it will burn as with the faster the feed rate the hotter the weld.
5.) I’ve got two 12 volt batteries under the hood of my truck/jeep/tractor/etc. Can I hook up the RWII to these batteries with the motor running and battery cables still connected? No, it is not recommended as batteries are normally wired in 12 volt parallel for these applications (except 24V farm equipment) and the RWII prefers a minimum of 18 volts for welding metal thicker than thin sheet metal, which means the two batteries must be wired in series to yield 24 volts. Leaving the batteries connected to the vehicle’s electrical system while you’re operating a RWII may cause severe damage to the vehicle’s electrical system components. Many auto parts stores sell “quick disconnect” battery terminals which come in handy for these types of situations. Please isolate the batteries electrically from the vehicle when welding, and especially when welding on the vehicle itself with flux-cored wire as flux core is a ground positive wire.
6.) Can I connect the RWII to my Miller / Lincoln (etc) Arc or MIG Welder to use as a “spool gun” attachment? The RWII includes an AC/DC power supply to power the wire feed mechanism. It is only needed when connected to CC/stick welders and was specifically designed for these types of applications. While using the AC/DC Power supply provided, the RWII can safely be used with all DC output welding machines. Do not connect the RWII directly to constant current welding machines without the use of the AC/DC power supply.
The power supply must be connected in the same polarity as the arc current. The use of the power supply is not needed when connecting to CV (ie. constant voltage) machines or batteries.