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You know what Burnback is, right? When that thing does something and it… with the wire or something? See, every welder has heard of Burnback but many of us aren’t exactly sure what it is. The main problem is that the word “Burnback” is used to describe a couple different things. For instance, certain welding machines have a “Burnback Control” setting, which adjust the amount of time that the welding wire remains electrically energized after the wire feeding has stopped. Setting your Burnback Control to the wrong setting can cause the wire to stick to your work.
The term “Burnback” by itself, however, is an entirely different problem. Burnback is when your wire burns back into your contact tip, possibly welding them together.
What to Do If Burnback Happens
First thing, accept that you’re probably going to lose the tip. Too many welders have tried scraping out the tip to reuse it, only to find it can cause a motherload of other problems. Remove the nozzle and unscrew the tip. Say a few last words, snip the wire, and throw that tip away. After that, it’s easy. Just replace the tip and reinstall the nozzle.
How to Prevent Burnback
Burnback is like listening to one of those yappy, small dogs. At first, it’s no big deal. But it gets really annoying, real fast. The best way to deal with Burnback is not to have to deal with it at all.
Burnback can be caused by a number of different factors. One of the most common is when your wire feed speed is set too low. Since wire feed speed will differ depending on material, one of the easiest ways to find out your needed feed speed is by referencing a quick guide such as the Lincoln Welding Parameters App or the Miller WeldSettings App.
Burnback can also occur if you’re too close to your work. No need to crowd that stainless steel, just backing off a bit will help you out.
If you’re still having Burnback problems, it could be from using the wrong size of tip, crappy wire, or a number of things. At this point, we suggest talking to our experts by calling 866-854-7380.
The End-All Solution
The easiest way to handle Burnback is to use a machine that deals with it for you. For instance, the Millermatic 141, 190, and 211 have “Tip Saver” tech built right into them. As soon as the tip gets shorted, these welders shut off output. Bam, problem solved.
