MIG Welding Settings Chart: Wire Speed and Voltage by Material

Getting your MIG welder dialed in correctly is the first step to making quality welds. The right combination of voltage and wire feed speed varies by material type, material thickness, wire diameter, and shielding gas. This reference guide gives you starting point settings for the most common MIG welding situations — bookmark it and adjust from there.

Important: These are starting points, not absolutes. Variables including machine brand, cable length, contact tip condition, base metal cleanliness, and ambient temperature affect ideal settings. Always run a test bead on scrap before welding your actual workpiece.

How to Read These Charts

Voltage determines arc length and penetration profile. Higher voltage = wider, flatter bead.

Wire feed speed (WFS) in inches per minute (IPM) determines amperage and deposition rate. Higher WFS = more amps = more heat = more penetration.

The relationship: Voltage and WFS must be balanced. Too high WFS relative to voltage causes stubbing and spatter. Too high voltage relative to WFS causes a wide, flat bead with possible burn-through on thin material.

Adjusting from the chart:

• If the bead sits too high (cold): increase voltage or decrease travel speed
• If there is burn-through: reduce voltage, increase WFS, or increase travel speed
• If excessive spatter: adjust voltage up or WFS down slightly

Carbon Steel Settings (ER70S-6 Wire, 75/25 Ar/CO2 Gas, 15-20 CFH)

0.023” Wire (Best for 24–18 gauge thin sheet metal)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Approximate Amps
24 gauge (0.024”)	13–15V	100–150	40–55
22 gauge (0.030”)	14–16V	130–170	50–65
20 gauge (0.036”)	15–17V	150–200	60–80
18 gauge (0.047”)	16–18V	175–225	70–90
16 gauge (0.062”)	17–19V	200–260	80–105

0.030” Wire (Best for 16 gauge–3/16”)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Approximate Amps
18 gauge (0.047”)	15–17V	120–160	60–80
16 gauge (0.062”)	16–18V	150–190	75–95
14 gauge (0.075”)	17–19V	175–220	90–110
1/8” (0.125”)	18–20V	220–280	110–140
3/16” (0.188”)	19–21V	280–350	140–175

0.035” Wire (Standard Production Wire, 3/16”–1/2”)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Approximate Amps
1/8” (0.125”)	18–20V	160–210	110–140
3/16” (0.188”)	19–21V	210–270	140–175
1/4” (0.250”)	20–22V	260–320	165–200
5/16” (0.313”)	21–23V	300–380	190–230
3/8” (0.375”)	22–24V	350–440	220–270
1/2” (0.500”)	23–26V	380–480	250–300

0.045” Wire (Heavy Production Welding)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Approximate Amps
1/4” (0.250”)	21–23V	150–200	165–210
3/8” (0.375”)	22–25V	200–260	210–270
1/2” (0.500”)	24–27V	260–340	270–350
3/4” (0.750”)	26–29V	350–440	350–430
1” (1.000”)	27–30V	420–500	420–500

Carbon Steel — 100% CO2 Shielding Gas Adjustments

Using 100% CO2 instead of 75/25 Ar/CO2 requires adjustment:

• Increase voltage by 1–2V (CO2 has a higher ionization potential)
• Expect more spatter — CO2 produces an aggressive arc

Most shops prefer 75/25 for spatter control, but CO2 is less expensive and provides deeper penetration.

Stainless Steel Settings (ER308L Wire, 90/10 Ar/CO2 or Tri-Mix Gas)

Tri-mix gas (90% He / 7.5% Ar / 2.5% CO2) is preferred for stainless short-circuit transfer — it produces a more stable arc and cleaner bead than 75/25 on stainless.

0.030” ER308L Wire

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Notes
18 gauge	16–18V	140–180	Stainless needs higher voltage than steel
16 gauge	17–19V	170–210
1/8”	18–20V	210–260
3/16”	19–21V	260–320	Consider multi-pass
1/4”	20–22V	300–380	Multiple passes required

Stainless Steel Tips

• Low heat input — Stainless retains heat and sensitizes in the HAZ if overheated. Keep travel speed up.
• Interpass temperature — Allow to cool below 350°F between passes
• No CO2 above 5% — Higher CO2 causes carbon pickup and reduces corrosion resistance
• Purge back side of pipe and tube welds with argon

Aluminum Settings (ER4043 or ER5356 Wire, 100% Argon, Spool Gun or Push-Pull)

Important: Aluminum MIG requires a dedicated liner and drive rolls. U-groove drive rolls are required to avoid deforming the soft aluminum wire. Push-pull gun systems are necessary for runs over 6–10 feet.

0.035” ER5356 Wire (Push-Pull Gun, 100% Argon at 20–25 CFH)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Notes
1/8”	18–20V	200–260	Clean aluminum, preheat not required
3/16”	19–22V	260–320
1/4”	21–24V	300–380
3/8”	23–26V	360–440	Preheat helps on thick sections
1/2”	24–28V	420–500	Preheat 200–250°F

Aluminum MIG Tips

• Higher voltage relative to steel — Aluminum has higher thermal conductivity and requires more energy
• Faster travel speed — Move faster than on steel to avoid burn-through
• Start cold — Aluminum builds heat quickly. Reduce amperage at the start and increase as the part heats up.
• Forehand (push) technique — Always push on aluminum; dragging creates porosity
• Clean immediately before welding — Use stainless steel wire brush dedicated to aluminum, then acetone wipe

Flux-Cored Wire Settings (FCAW)

E71T-1 Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored (75/25 Ar/CO2 or 100% CO2)

Flux-cored wire typically runs at higher voltages than solid wire of the same diameter:

0.035” E71T-1C Wire (100% CO2)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Position
1/8”	19–21V	200–260	All positions
3/16”	20–22V	250–320	All positions
1/4”	21–24V	300–380	Flat/horizontal preferred
3/8”	23–26V	350–450	Flat/horizontal

0.045” E71T-1C Wire (100% CO2, Flat/Horizontal)

Thickness	Voltage	WFS (IPM)	Approx Deposition (lbs/hr)
3/16”	22–24V	200–260	8–12
1/4”	23–26V	250–320	11–15
3/8”	25–28V	300–380	14–18
1/2”	26–29V	350–440	16–20

Self-Shielded Flux-Cored (FCAW-S, No Gas)

Self-shielded flux-core generally runs at slightly higher voltages than gas-shielded. Specific settings vary significantly by manufacturer — always check the wire manufacturer’s data sheet.

General range for E71T-11 at 0.035” (all-position):

• Voltage: 16–19V
• WFS: 150–250 IPM

Polarity Quick Reference

Wire Type	Polarity
ER70S-6 solid wire	DCEP (electrode positive)
Stainless solid wire	DCEP
Aluminum solid wire	DCEP
E71T-1 gas-shielded FCAW	DCEP
E71T-8 self-shielded FCAW	DCEN (electrode negative)
E71T-11 self-shielded FCAW	DCEN

Check your wire’s data sheet before welding — self-shielded wires vary. Using wrong polarity on self-shielded wire causes severe porosity and erratic arc.

Troubleshooting Common MIG Settings Problems

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Wire stubbing into puddle	Voltage too low, WFS too high	Increase voltage
Burn-through on thin material	Too much voltage or too-slow travel	Reduce voltage, increase travel speed
Weld bead too convex (sits high)	Voltage too low, or travel too fast	Increase voltage
Wide, flat bead, excessive penetration	Voltage too high	Reduce voltage
Heavy spatter	Voltage/WFS imbalance or dirty metal	Balance settings, clean metal
Porosity	Contaminated metal, wrong gas, or bad wire	Clean metal, check gas flow, replace wire
Arc going out	Worn contact tip or loose connection	Replace tip, check connections

Equipment Recommendations

To make the most of these settings charts:

• Auto-darkening helmet: Lincoln Electric Viking 3350 — shade 9–13, excellent optical clarity
• Welding pliers: Lincoln Electric Welpers — for contact tip changes and nozzle cleaning
• Contact tips: Keep spares in your wire diameter. Replace when worn.
• Nozzle dip: Weld-Aid Nozzle Dip — prevents spatter buildup

The settings in this guide give you a solid starting point. Run a test bead, evaluate the result, and make small adjustments. Once you find the right settings for a given material and thickness, record them — building your own settings library for your specific machine is the fastest way to produce consistent results.