If amperage remains constant, what happens to the deposition rate when using flux-cored wires and increasing the stick-out?

• A. Decreases
• B. Increases
• C. Remains the same
• D. Fluctuates

Answer: (B)

When amperage is held constant, increasing the stick-out raises the arc voltage, which adds more arc power. That extra power heats the filler metal at the wire tip more, melting more wire per unit time and transferring more material into the weld pool. So the deposition rate goes up. Keep in mind that too long a stick-out can make the arc unstable and affect weld quality, but the immediate effect on deposition rate with constant current is an increase due to higher arc power melting more wire.