Q. Which wire feeder best suits my needs?

Cobramatic or Cobramatic II? The Cobramatic is designed for the hands-on manual welder. The Cobramatic II is also designed for the hands-on welder but also lends itself for automatic operation when equipped with the proper optional kits.

Q. Will any of my Cobramatic MIG welding guns fit any Cobramatic wire feeder?

Yes. All welding guns currently manufactured by MK Products, Inc. will work with any currently manufactured Cobramatic wire feeder. Exceptions include, connecting the Python and CobraMAX torches, which require the Gas Control/Trigger Latch Kit (P/N 005-0674) to be installed into the Cobramatic wire feeder.

Q. What sort of adjustments does the wire feeder need?

There are only two settings required in the wire feeder: The center spindle nut for spool drag and the slave motor drive roll tension. Both of these adjustments can be found in the wire feeder owners manual or inside the lid of the wire feeder.

Newer versions of the wire feeder (Model 150-005) eliminated the need for these adjustments.

Q. Does the wire feeder require special drive and idler rolls for different sized wires?

No. The wire feeder comes ready to use with any size wire from 0.030" to 1/16". There are no special drive or idler rolls needed .

Q. How do I connect my wire feeder to my existing power supply?

There is a interface relationship between what the wire feeder requires from the power supply, and what the power supply requires from the wire feeder. Because of the many different power supplies that can have a wire feeder connected, plJune 20, 2007de gives instructions on connecting not only wire feeder, but MK spool guns, external contactors, and other weld control components. It is available at no cost from MK Customer Service.

Q. Can I load any size wire spool into the wire feeder?

Any 12" standard spool will fit the wire feeder.

Q. What is PosaStart? When do I need to use it?

PosaStart is the slow run-in wire speed needed to counteract the high amperage arc start when the wire touches the work. Once the arc has been established, the wire speed is automatically changed from the slow run-in speed to the preset welding speed. PosaStart MUST be used with a CC power supply to provide arc initiation and may be used with a CV power supply to help eliminate burn-back at arc strike.

Q. What are Closing Contacts?

Most, if not all, welding power supplies used for MIG welding utilize closing contacts to energize the welding wire. In order to "close" the contacts in the welding power supply, the circuitry in the wire feeder control simply ‘completes the loop’ and closes the contactor.

Q. What options are available for my Cobramatic? Cobramatic II?

There are various options and kits available for both these wire feeders, some enhance the feeder itself and others aid in interfacing with other manufacturer’s power supplies.

Cobramatic:
P/N 005-0674 Gas Purge/Trigger Latching
P/N 005-0675 Water Pressure Switch

Cobramatic II:
P/N 005-0253 Water Pressure Switch
P/N 005-0166 Front Panel Wire Speed Pot
P/N 005-0190 Volt/IPM LED Meter
P/N 005-0196 Timer Kit

Interfacing Kits:
P/N 005-0614 ESAB 450I
P/N 005-0254 Lincoln PW 450 120VAC
P/N 005-0315 Lincoln PW 450 42VAC
P/N 005-0316 8', 14P ‘S’ Clocked: Miller, Thermadyne
P/N 005-0658 25', 14P ‘S’ Clocked: Miller, Thermadyne
P/N 005-0608 8', 14P ‘X’ Clocked: Lincoln
P/N 005-0659 25', 14P ‘X’ Clocked: Lincoln
P/N 005-0630 Thermal Arc Ultra-Flex 19P

Q. Can I use my old "S" clocked gun on the wire feeder?

Yes, but it is advisable to modify the 7-pin connector on the end of the welding gun to match that of the wire feeder. All wire feeders and welding guns currently manufactured by MK Products, Inc. are 7-pin "W" clocked. The kit for this conversion is P/N 005-0163.

Q. After using the wire feeder for a while the slave motor gets hot, is this normal?

Yes. The slave motor is designed to stand heat build-up, especially if it stalls. This type of motor is also called a stall motor.

Q. Why do the fuses (F1 & F3) on the Main Board keep blowing?

F1 is related to the 24VDC motor circuit. Check motor leads, wires and relevant connections. Replace motor and/or gun if necessary. The higher torque-lower voltage motors in the new Prince guns, use more amperage at start up. This increased amperage may or may not cause the fuse to blow. It is recommended to change the existing AGC 2A 250V fuse (P/N 151-0001) with fuse 3AG 4A 250V (P/N 151-0043). F3 is related to the 120VAC circuit. Isolate slave motor, brake solenoid, 120VAC contactor and relevant connections. Repair and/or replace faulty components as necessary.

Q. What is the 120VAC external contactor?

When do I need it? The MK200 attaches easily to any Cobramatic wire feeder or WC-1 control box. It’s a secondary contactor that is used in conjunction with welding power supplies that are not equipped with contactors. The MK200 may also be used with other wire feeders that provide a 120VAC contactor signal.

Q. Why doesn’t the brake solenoid come back down after the trigger is released?

There may be some residual magnetism left in the solenoid coil assembly once the trigger has been released. This magnetism is just enough to hold the solenoid plunger up against the pull of the spring. Replacement of the solenoid assembly is recommended. User the following as a guide in determining which solenoid assembly is required: 005-0647 Kit Brake Sol Assy, 42VAC, Plastic Door Cabinet 005-0648 Kit Brake Sol Assy, 115VAC, Plastic Door Cabinet 005-0649 Kit Brake Sol Assy, 42VAC, Metal Door Cabinet 005-0650 Kit Brake Sol Assy, 115VAC, Plastic Door Cabinet

Q. When using 030 or 035 aluminum wire, I have to put the Wire Selector switch in the all other wires position, is this right?

No. The slave motor in the wire feeder should have enough torque to push the wire up any length gun conduit, without stalling. Remove the front panel assembly from the front of the feeder. Check the R1 resistor across the top of the PC board*. It should be a 300 Ohm, 5W resistor (P/N 113-0058). If not, remove existing and replace with proper value. If this problem still exists after replacing the resistor, check gun conduit for dirt, metal shavings and any other type of blockage. *This applies only to Cobramatic and CobraMig 260 wire feeders.