Wire Feeding Issues in Welding: Causes and Solutions

Many attributes contribute to sound and high-quality welds in MIG welding. One essential part of MIG welding is wire feeding. If the wire smoothly runs through the feeding mechanism, liner, and gun, you should expect optimal results.

But welders occasionally encounter wire-feeding issues. A clogged gun, wire tangling, kinking, or bird nesting is never a good sign, and it can cause downtime, wasted consumables, and poor-quality results.

In this article, we will discuss wire-feeding issues in welding, explaining the leading causes and possible solutions. So stay with us as we unravel the mystery called wire feeding in MIG welding.

Troubleshooting Wire Feeding Issues
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV0kkLls3Io&t=1607s

Parts of Wire Feeding System in MIG Welding

MIG welding uses a welding wire that serves as both electrode and filler metal. MIG wires come in spools, which you mount inside the wiring compartment of the welder. On its journey from the spool to the weld, the wire passes through a wire feeding system, liner, and contact tip on your MIG gun.

Source: https://weldguru.com/mig-welding/

A wire feeder is an automated system that feeds the wire. You set the desired wire feed speed, and the system unspools the wire at the given rate. This system comprises drive rolls and a tensioner to provide a smooth feed. 

The drive rolls turn and guide the wire into the liner. The tensioner applies pressure to the wire, making sure it runs straight. It also prevents the wire from unspooling by letting it run loose.

The wire next reaches the liner, which guides it from the welder to the MIG gun contact tip. Finally, it passes through the contact tip and reaches the weld.

If chosen or tuned incorrectly, each part can cause wire-feeding issues. So, let's explore the leading causes of wire-feeding issues in MIG welding.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGwC41224RU&t=779s

Leading Causes Of Wire Feeding Issues in MIG Welding

Each part of the wire feeding system, welder, or MIG gun that is in contact with the MIG wire can potentially create feeding issues. Wire feeding issues can include a complete breakdown, in which you press the trigger, but nothing happens.

Complete Wire Feeding Failure
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2qMwdB-3G4&t=4s

However, more commonly, your wire hardly gets to the top of the MIG gun; it gets tangled or ends up birdnesting inside the compartment. Poor feedability can create an inconsistent arc and contaminate the weld. Besides inferior welding results, poor wire feed also increases downtime and wastes consumables.

Thus, troubleshooting and addressing the feedability is crucial for MIG welding. Wire feeding issues are commonly caused by:

• Poor wire feeding system

• Wrong or worn-out drive rolls

• Incorrect tension

• Wrong size or type of liner

• Worn-out contact tip or diffusor

• Poor-quality welding wire

• Long MIG gun leads

Let's further explore each and offer solutions.

MIG Welding Aluminum
Photo by @snapterz2 (TikTok)

Faulty Wire Feeding System

If you press the torch trigger and nothing happens, it is a sign of a faulty wire feeding system or motor. To troubleshoot the wire feeding issues, open the wire compartment and press the trigger. If the drive rolls are not moving at all, it can be a sign of:

No Response When Pressing Torch Trigger

• Feeder relay malfunction or a broken relay

• Broken control lead

• Poor adapter connection

• Improper guide tube installation

Regardless of the specific cause, the primary sign of a poor wire feeding system is a complete malfunction or inability to feed the line. These are severe issues that will prevent you from welding until you solve them.

Unlike some other defects, you can't get away with quick repairs and short welds. Instead, you will have to check the system or call a support line. Here are some things you can do to deal with this issue.

Short-circuit the MIG gun to inspect the wire feeding system.

How to Deal With a Poor Feeding System

Broken relay or control leads are severe issues that require a complete replacement or a trained technician to solve. You will have to call your welder's manufacturer support for the solution or carry the welder to a repair shop.

One way to avoid the hassle is to buy high-quality welding equipment with a solid, full-metal feeding system and drive rolls. We suggest the YesWelder DP200 Dual Pulse MIG Welder, which has a powerful motor and a solid feeder built to last.

YesWelder DP200 Dual Pulse MIG Welder

If you use a gun adapter to connect the MIG torch to the feeding system, make sure it is secure and supported by your welder. A poor adapter connector can cause complete feeder malfunction, so check it out or replace it if necessary. Failing to install the guide tube properly can also obstruct the wire feed.

Wrong or Worn-out Drive Rolls

Drive rolls turn and guide the wire through the wire feeding system and into the liner. They come in different groove sizes and types, and if chosen poorly, they can cause feeding issues.

Firstly, the size of the groove can be too large or too small to fit the line. For example, using a .035" roll to feed a .024" wire can cause the wire to tangle as it bounces from side to side of the groove. Conversely, a .035" wire can overflow the .024" groove, causing it to bird nest or poorly reach the liner and feed.

Roll type or shape also affects feeding. Drive rolls can be U, V, grooved, or knurled. Grooved rolls properly feed solid wire. However, flux-cored or aluminum wires are soft, and using regular grooved rolls can cause feeding issues, wire tangling, or jamming.

Source: https://unimig.com.au/troubleshooting-mig-wire-feeding-issues-in-your-welder/

Worn-out drive rolls can also cause feeding issues. Long-term use rolls cause friction, which can damage the grooves, creating an inconsistent gap. The wire can get damaged or tangled as it leaves the rolls.

How to Solve Drive Rolls Feeding Issues

To solve the feeding issues caused by drive rolls, make sure you use the correct size and type for the MIG wire you will be using. Most drive rolls today are double-sided, meaning they support various wire sizes. When switching the size of the wire, turn the drive rolls around.

0.8/0.9mm V-Groove Drive Rolls

Each roller side has markings. Thus, when installing the new spool, make sure your roller can support the wire size you are using. Today, most rolls will feed the standard sizes of MIG wire: .024", .030", and .035".

Additionally, make sure the drive roll type supports the wire type. You can run the solid, mild steel MIG wire with ordinary, V-grooved rolls. But be cautious when MIG welding aluminum. Aluminum wire is soft, and it requires U-grooved rolls. U-rolls are smooth and prevent marring the surface, deforming, or mashing the soft aluminum wire.

Knurled rolls have small "teeth" that sink into the soft flux-cored wire and prevent tangling or jamming. But keep in mind that knurled rolls can damage the solid wire. Their teeth may cause shavings to break off the wire. Those shavings can clog the liner and negatively impact wire feeding. So, make sure you switch back to grooved rolls when using the solid wire after the flux-cored wire.

Use the Correct Knurled Rolls for Different Wires
Source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iN2q2MbMods

Incorrect Tension

Even if you choose the right sized and shaped drive rolls, you can encounter wire feeding issues if your tension is incorrect. You can adjust the tension by turning the small knob on top of the wire feeder.

Using too much tension can damage and deform your wire. The deformed wire will feed poorly, and the wire debris can clog the liner, causing severe jam and wire-feeding issues.

Meanwhile, using too low a tension will cause the wire to slip. The wire can unspool itself from the spool and cause birdnesting. Additionally, the wire won't properly run through the rolls and into the liner, causing jams, tangling, and burnback.

Too low tension can cause the wire to slip, unspool, and lead to birdnesting.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MduH4WjXfJU

How To Set The Tension Correctly

Adequately adjusting the tension can solve the wire feeding issues. To do so, always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and installation guides. The guides often include the recommended tension for the wire type and size, so make sure you follow them.

If there are no instructions, you can adjust the tension manually. Start by releasing all tension and feeding the wire into the block of wood. Increase the tension as you hold the trigger and look for the wire slipping. Once the wire stops slipping, increase the tension by one half-turn past wire slippage. Today, tensioners are marked by values, so make sure you remember the value of the given wire size and type.

Adjust the Tension Manually
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MduH4WjXfJU

Remember to adjust the tension each time you change the rolls. Adjusting the tension can be time-consuming for beginners, but once you get familiar with your machine, dialing in the correct values will take you no time.

Wrong Or Damaged Liner

After leaving the rolls, the wire runs through the liner. The liner guides the wire from the feeding mechanism through the leads and into the MIG torch. Liners vary in length, size, and material. Using the wrong size or type of liner can cause feeding issues, the most common of which are wire jamming, tangling, or poor feed into the tip.

A liner that is too small won't feed the wire. The wire won't be able to pass through it. Meanwhile, a liner that is too large for the MIG wire can cause feeding issues. The tip of the wire can bounce off the sides of the liner, causing kinking, tangling, and jamming.

Also, be sure to trim the liner to the correct length. Using a liner that is too long or too short is not acceptable. It will cause various feeding issues combined with poor arc stability.

Trim the Liner To the Correct Length
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP2yUUivcic

Most common liners are made of steel and designed to run various steel and stainless steel wires. However, you will need a different type when feeding soft aluminum wire. Feeding aluminum wire with steel liners will cause contamination, drag, wear, and poor feeding.

Finally, debris in the liner can cause feedability issues. You can contaminate the liner when trimming and changing it by using low-quality wire, applying too much pressure, or using knurled rolls on solid wire.

Proper Liner Trimming
Source: https://www.binzel-abicor.com/US/eng/media/ebooks/mig-gun-maintenance-guide/

How To Solve Liner-related Wire-feeding Issues

Liners are typically long-lasting, but you should check them as a part of periodic maintenance at least once every six months. Look for liner debris, damage, or kinking, as it can obstruct and affect the smooth wire feed. If needed, you must replace the liner.

When replacing a liner, pay attention to its diameter, length, and materials. This will help you avoid most wire-feeding issues. Here are some practical tips.

Choose a liner one or two sizes larger in diameter than the wire. You can go up to two sizes larger on larger wires without affecting the wire feed, while you'll need a one-size larger liner for a .024" wire. The exact size liner could also work, but you should never buy a smaller one.

Choose a liner one or two sizes larger in diameter than the wire.
Source: https://www.binzel-abicor.com/US/eng/media/ebooks/mig-gun-maintenance-guide/

Pay attention to the length. Straighten the gun and remove the nozzle, contact tip, and gas diffuser. Remove the old, and feed the replacement liner through the gun using short strokes to avoid kinking. Once you have the length right, trim the liner to a 3/4″ stickout. Remove any burr that may obstruct the wire feed, and connect the holding nut.

A steel liner is acceptable for most mild steel or stainless steel applications. However, when MIG welding aluminum, you will need a graphene or Teflon-coated liner. The Teflon or graphene coating will smoothly feed the soft aluminum wire without kinking or tangling, producing high-quality welding results.

How to Change a MIG Torch Teflon Liner

Worn-out or Damaged Contact Tip

A contact tip is an essential part of a MIG welding gun. It transfers the current to the wire to create the arc. However, the contact tip is a consumable that wears out over time.

If you fail to replace a worn-out contact tip, you'll encounter various wire-feeding issues. During the service, the small hole on the contact tip can deform or get contaminated, leading to poor feed and wire damage.

Additionally, burnback can severely influence the wire feed. Burnback is a MIG-only issue in which the wire fuses with the contact tip. Once the wire burns back, it clogs the nozzle and contact tip, causing unrepairable damage. Although you can clean or file the tip, the leftover residue will make it more likely that the wire will burn back again.

Nozzle and Contact Tip Clogging
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWieTM0PKqI

Changing Tip Can Solve Wire Feeding Issues

Contact tips are consumables that will eventually wear out. Therefore, you should regularly inspect them. Look for signs of keyholing or spatter buildup, as this can cause burnbacks, poor wire feeding, and contamination. The simple solution to contaminated or worn-out contact tips is to replace them entirely.

As noted, you can file or clean the tip, but if there is any leftover residue, it will cause a burnback again and again or damage and kink the wire as it passes, causing unstable results or contaminating the weld. When changing the contact tip, always use the correct size and type for your MIG gun and wire.

Changing the Contact Tip
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGwC41224RU

Poor Wire Quality

Although the American Welding Society classifications dictate the composition of MIG wires, not all wire manufacturers produce the same quality product. Cheap, off-brand MIG wire can differ in diameter throughout its length or have poor lubrication and a peeled coating.

Besides affecting the quality of the weld, low-grade wires can also impact the wire feed and cause feeding issues. Inconsistent diameter and poor lubrication can cause various feeding issues.

The solution to this wire-feeding issue is simple: Always buy your wire from a trusted supplier. YesWelder offers a broad line of quality-tested and reliable MIG wires, such as YesWelder ER70S-6 mild steel wire. The wire is stored in a strong box and vacuum-sealed package to provide proper lubrication and smooth wire feed.

ER70S-6/10LB-0.9 .035" 10LB Spool Carbon Steel Solid MIG Welding Wire

Long MIG Gun Cable

The longer the path wire has to travel, the higher the risk it will kink, tangle, or bunch. Keep that in mind when using extremely long MIG gun leads.

Long leads are great for mobility, especially if you have a heavy-duty welder that is hard to move around the workshop. However, as the wire passes through long cables, it can get contaminated, tangled, or kinked. Also, the wire-feeding motor needs higher torque to keep the wire running, which can eventually damage it.

To address this issue, limit the length of MIG gun cables and make them as straight as possible. If you must use cables longer than 10 feet, you can use lube pads. Lubrication pads provide extra lubrification to the wire, smoothing the feed. They are helpful with wires with a poor cast, excessive helix, rusty surfaces, and long cables. However, extra lube can clog the liner, so be cautious when using lube pads.

When feeding soft or hollow wires, such as flux-cored or aluminum wire, the path should be as shortest as possible. Use a spool gun when MIG welding aluminum to provide the required high feeding speed without affecting the feedability and causing feeding issues.

MIG Welding Aluminum with Spool Gun
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XgIVbJNeiU&t=108s

Summing Things Up

Instead of a standard conclusion, we compiled an overview table of causes, signs, and solutions for the most common wire-feeding issues.