Miller Machine Remotes FAQs
Foot, fingertip, hand and wireless controls, plus extension and adapter cords, for this maker's TIG power sources.
Why will my pedal only work with the torch switch in 2T mode?
A foot pedal holds the arc on for as long as you press it, so it behaves like a 2T (press and hold) trigger. Many makers state that the pedal needs 2T and will not work in 4T, and that you create the ramp-up and ramp-down yourself with your foot rather than relying on the machine's slope timers. Some designs do still allow a start current or upslope to be set on the machine, so this varies.
If your pedal does nothing, or the arc starts and stops oddly, check that the machine is set to 2T and that the remote option is selected. Your manual shows the exact menu or switch position for your model.
What is the difference between a current-and-contactor control and a contactor-only switch?
A current-and-contactor control, such as a foot pedal, fingertip control or hand control, does two jobs: it starts and stops the output and it varies the welding current. A contactor-only switch, for example a push-button or rocker switch fitted near the torch, only switches the output on and off. The current is then set on the machine's front panel.
Contactor-only switches suit repetitive tack welding or jobs where one current is used all the time. Choose a current-and-contactor control when you need to change heat as you weld. Some rocker switches have a maintained position, which latches the output on, as well as a momentary one.
How do the remote and panel selector switches on the machine work?
Many TIG power sources have separate switches, or menu settings, that choose whether the output current and the output on/off are controlled from the front panel or from a remote. Maker manuals describe one switch for the current source and a second for the contactor. With no remote connected the contactor switch normally sits in the on position, and with a remote connected it is moved to the remote position.
If a newly fitted remote has no effect, these switches are the first thing to check. The labels differ between models, so follow the wording in your own manual.
How should I check my remote's cable and plug before use?
Before each use, with the equipment disconnected, look over the whole lead. The HSE's guidance on portable electrical equipment lists fraying, cuts or heavy scuffing, a damaged or loose plug, tape used to join leads, coloured wires visible where the cable enters the plug, and burn marks or staining as signs of trouble.
If you find any of these, take the remote out of use until a competent person has repaired it or it has been replaced. Do not carry on with a damaged lead. Pedals on a workshop floor take a lot of knocks, so check the cable where it leaves the pedal body as well as at the plug.