MIG Welding Wire Speed and Voltage Chart
A MIG welding wire speed and voltage chart pairs wire diameter and material thickness with feed speed and voltage: four ER70S-6 wires compared, and how to read the chart.
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A MIG weld that spatters, stubs or burns through usually comes back to the settings: the wire speed and the voltage have to match the wire and the metal. A MIG welding wire speed and voltage chart is a table that pairs a wire diameter and a material thickness with a wire feed speed and a voltage setting. The chart itself is in the welder’s manual, and the wire is the other half of the match: the wires below are the wire side of that chart, and the guide explains how to read the chart from what each listing states.
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Below: what the chart is, how to read it, and the gear itself.
ARCCAPTAIN MIG Welding Wire ER70S-6 .030" 10LB x 1
A 10 lb spool of ER70S-6 solid MIG wire, 0.030 in, with smooth feeding, a stable arc and low spatter, and TUV certification.
Pros
- TUV certification stated on the listing
- Smooth feeding and a stable arc, per the listing
- Low spatter with clean weld beads
- Meets industry standards, per the listing
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- No shielding gas is stated
- No material thickness range is stated
- The listing does not state a spool material
YESWELDER MIG Welding Wire
A 10 lb spool of ER70S-6 solid MIG wire, 0.035 in, on a strong ABS spool, for use with 100% CO2 or 80% Ar and 20% CO2.
Pros
- Shielding gas stated: 100% CO2 or 80% Ar and 20% CO2
- Highest combination of manganese and silicon deoxidizers, per the listing
- Strong ABS spool, durable and anti-fragile per the listing
- Suited for sheet metal on high current without burn through, per the listing
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- No certification is stated
- No material thickness range is stated
- No wire feed speed is stated
PGN ER70S-6 .030" Solid MIG Welding Wire
A 10 lb spool of ER70S-6 solid MIG wire, 0.030 in, with silicon and manganese deoxidizers for low-spatter single-pass and multi-pass welding.
Pros
- High levels of silicon and manganese deoxidizers
- Low spatter on single-pass and multi-pass welds
- Suited for T-joints, butt welds and lap welds
- Packaged with care to prevent tangles, per the listing
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- No certification is stated
- No shielding gas is stated
- No wire feed speed is stated
ATLASWELDER Solid MIG Welding Wire
A 10 lb spool of ER70S-6 solid MIG wire, 0.035 in, evenly wound and vacuum-sealed, for all-position mild steel work.
Pros
- Evenly wound to prevent tangles and bird-nesting, per the listing
- Vacuum-sealed to keep moisture out until use
- Handles mild steel with light rust or mill scale, per the listing
- All-position wire for shop and home projects
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- No certification is stated
- No shielding gas is stated
- No wire feed speed is stated
MIG welding wire speed and voltage chart: what it is
A MIG welding wire speed and voltage chart lists settings by wire diameter and material thickness: for each wire size and each thickness, it gives a wire feed speed and a voltage. On a MIG welder, wire speed is the feed rate of the wire and voltage sets the arc length. The listings here do not publish speed or voltage figures, so this guide prints no settings chart of its own: the chart to use is the one in the welder’s manual, matched to the wire diameter below.
How to read the chart
| Wire | Diameter | Spool | Shielding gas | Suited for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGN ER70S-6 | 0.030 in | 10 lb | Not stated | Single-pass and multi-pass; T-joints, butt and lap welds |
| ARCCAPTAIN ER70S-6 | 0.030 in | 10 lb | Not stated | Mild steel fabrication |
| YESWELDER ER70S-6 | 0.035 in | 10 lb | 100% CO2 or 80% Ar, 20% CO2 | Sheet metal, construction, farm implements, tanks, truck bodies |
| ATLAS ER70S-6 | 0.035 in | 10 lb | Not stated | All-position mild steel work |
Read the chart by wire diameter first: the chart lists settings by wire diameter, so the diameter on the spool decides which row to read. Then match the shielding gas: only the YESWELDER listing states a gas, 100% CO2 or a mixture of 80% Ar and 20% CO2, so check the gas the listing names before ordering.
Then check the thickness the chart row covers. None of the listings here states a material thickness range, so the thickness side of the chart comes from the welder’s manual, not from the wire listings. Do not guess a setting from the wire alone.
The gear: MIG welding wire for the job
Each wire below is the wire side of the chart: pick the diameter the chart row calls for, then set the speed and voltage from the welder’s manual.
Handling MIG wire safely
The ATLAS listing states its spool is vacuum-sealed to keep moisture out until use, and the ARCCAPTAIN listing states TUV certification for the wire. Follow the welder’s manual for ventilation and protective gear, and keep the spool dry until it goes on the machine.
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FAQ: garage tools
What is a MIG welding wire speed and voltage chart?
It is a table that pairs a wire diameter and a material thickness with a wire feed speed and a voltage setting. The chart is in the welder’s manual, and the wire diameter on the spool decides which row to read.
What wire diameter do I need: 0.030 in or 0.035 in?
It depends on the chart row for the job. Two wires here are 0.030 in and two are 0.035 in, all ER70S-6 solid wire on 10 lb spools. The YESWELDER listing describes its 0.035 in wire as suited for sheet metal on high welding current without burn through.
What shielding gas does ER70S-6 use?
The YESWELDER listing states 100% CO2 or a mixture of 80% Ar and 20% CO2. The other listings state no shielding gas, so check the listing for the gas it names.
Does ER70S-6 work on rusty or oily steel?
The YESWELDER listing describes its wire for general shop applications with poor fit-up or rusty, oily plates, and the ATLAS listing describes its wire for mild steel with light rust or mill scale. The PGN and ARCCAPTAIN listings state no rust tolerance.
Is MIG wire sold by weight or by length?
By weight, per these listings: all four wires here come on 10 lb spools.
Related: best MIG welding machine, the MIG vs stick welder for home garage guide, our engine and shop equipment hub and the welding cable size chart. Also see our best welding table for MIG welding.
