I've been messing around with TPO welding lately, and honestly, I found that even at around 950°F it sometimes felt too hot, especially on sunny days. Had a couple seams get shiny and brittle on me. Dialing back to around 900°F and slowing down slightly helped a lot. Agree 100% about dirty nozzles though—learned that the hard way. Keeping things clean made a bigger difference than tweaking temps constantly.
Had a similar experience myself—950°F felt good at first, but on hotter days it definitely pushed things too far. I remember one afternoon the seams started looking glossy and brittle, just like you described. Dropped down to around 880-900°F and slowed my pace slightly, and it made a noticeable difference. Totally agree about nozzle cleanliness too... learned that lesson after wasting half a day troubleshooting weld issues only to realize the nozzle was gunked up.
"Dropped down to around 880-900°F and slowed my pace slightly, and it made a noticeable difference."
Yeah, I've found that sweet spot around 880°F myself, especially on sunny days. But I'm curious—do you guys adjust your temps much based on the thickness or brand of TPO you're using? I've noticed some brands seem more forgiving at higher temps, while others start acting up sooner. Wondering if it's just me or if anyone else has seen this too...
But I'm curious—do you guys adjust your temps much based on the thickness or brand of TPO you're using?
I've actually noticed the opposite, weirdly enough. I tried welding around 880°F once, and it felt like the TPO was getting gummy way too fast. Dropped down closer to 840-850°F and things smoothed out nicely. Could've been the brand I was using (can't remember offhand), but thickness definitely played a role. Thicker sheets seemed more forgiving at higher temps, while thinner stuff got tricky real quick. Maybe it's just my technique, but lower temps saved me some headaches...
Interesting, I've always wondered if brand really makes that much difference or if it's mostly marketing hype. I've stuck around 850°F myself, but honestly never paid much attention to thickness—maybe I should've? Now you've got me thinking... could the gummy issue be more about welding speed or airflow rather than just temp alone? Seems like there's always another variable hiding somewhere.
