• Use extreme caution when fueling gasoline or
diesel engines.
• Replace components only with authorized
replacement parts.
Wire Feeders
Most of the feeders use 110V ac power which is
provided to the machine by a connection in the power
supply. If this connection is used, the wire feeder is
turned on or off when the power supply is operating or
not operating.
Wire feeders that are installed on push-pull systems
or in hand-held guns use 24V dc motors for precision
drive of the wire and safety of the welder.
Types of Wire Feeders
The basic types of wire feeders used for GMAW
include:
• Push-type. This method is used to push the wire
from the spool to the welding gun. A standard
feeder is shown in Figure 3-11.
• Pull-type. This method is used to pull the wire
from the supply spool to the drive rollers in the
welding gun. Refer to Figure 2-20 for an example
of a pull-type gun.
• Push-pull type. This method is used to push the
wire from the wire feeder to a set of drive rollers
mounted in the welding gun. This type of system
is used for welding with soft or small-diameter
wires, since these wires may buckle in the cable
liner if pushed long distances. A unit of this type
is shown in Figure 3-12.
• Spool gun type. This type of unit has a spool of
wire located on the welding gun. Since the size of
the wire supply spool is small, the amount of
welding is limited. A spool gun is shown in
Figure 3-13.
Wire Feeder Controls
The number and types of controls included in the
wire feeder will vary depending on the use of the feeder
and the amount of wire feed desired. See Figure 3-14.
32 Gas Metal Arc Welding Handbook
Figure 3-11. Wire feeders of this type are called push-type
feeders because they push the wire to the welding gun.
(Miller Electric Mfg. Co.)
Figure 3-12. Push-pull systems work extremely well with soft
wires, even when the wire must be moved a considerable
distance from the wire feeder. (MK Products, Inc.)
Drive roller and motor
in gun body
(pull system)
Drive roller and motor
in wire feeder
(push system)
Figure 3-13. The trigger activates and stops the welding
sequence, while a rheostat mounted on the gun controls the
wire speed. (Tweco-Arcair, a Thermadyne Company)