We all know the mass clamp but few have understood the great importance that takes in a good welding process.
We know that the welding is nothing but a short circuit in which an electrode is merged by means of the current delivered by the welding machine.
The greater the higher current will be the thickness that we will be able to weld.
So far everything is quiet. But how many controls that the mass cable and related clamp is always able to transmit the welding voltage uniformly and adequately?
From one of our survey carried out over the years it emerged that the component of a welding machine, indifferent whether TIG, MIG or MMA, which is subject to greater maintenance is the mass cable.
Let's take a step back and verify that types of mass clamps are normally used.
There are those with "clipper", those with "screw clamp" and magnetic ones. However, from what we could notice by visiting our customers, they do not lack those "craft" mostly made to ... "hook".
The latter are very convenient to be moved easily from one point to another of the artifact however sin of a fundamental defect: the contact surface does not allow sufficient passage of current.
Undersaluting this aspect causes a higher current request to the machine with the consequences that are easily imaginable: greater absorption, greater overheating, greater wear, lower life of machinery over of course, to the lack of result that derives from it.
Another fundamental point is the connector, ie the panel socket in which the mass cable is inserted. An imperfect adhesion does not allow a good passage of current with the consequences we talked about.
What we recommend is to always check the state of wear of the connectors, the clamp and the cable, if it is too rigid means that it is "cooked" so it should be replaced. Let us not forget that there is a ratio between power and section / cable length, usually in the machine instruction booklet it is reported. If we do not hold the rule that the minor is the length and the greater the section (without exaggerating) the better the passage of the current.