[MotoEngineering]

Hi Guys I'm a very experienced Aluminium welder 30 years, TIG ASME9 Coded, but this has me pulling my hair out, need help badly. I'm welding 4 inch flex 3003, 1/16 wall Aluminium tube to 4inch 1/8 wall 6061 end caps. I'm getting dirty welds. Pure Argon, brand new torch parts, 2.4mm white tip electrode (zirconated). No 7 ceramic cup 15cfh. 200hz with 65/35 balance.
4043 filler rod. Failed helium leak test. Takes a good few seconds before I can get a shiny pool Don't know why it's so hard ??? Please any help ? Thanks in advance

[tweake]

do a test weld on the separate parts. see if one comes up dirty. you may have fake or contaminated material.

[Bigjimlitt]

Turn up your balance a bit and try it, may have to play with the balance settings to find the sweet spot.

[BillE.Dee]

Base material not what its supposed to be or contaminated. Filler dirty. Shielding gas ? Do you have another tank to swap out and try? Is the solenoid operating properly ? Not saying you're bad, just giving some places to look.

[VA-Sawyer]

If you can get 4943 filler rod, I would try a bit of that.