Fluxes high in silica can rob the weld metal of chromium and add silicon.

Fluxes that are low in silica produce very

little chromium loss. Some fluxes are designed to include metallic chromium in the flux particles, and this chromium
is added to the weld metal so that a chromium increase may occur.

The extent to which chromium loss or gain takes place is determined by whether the flux is high in silica, low in
silica, and/or contains metallic chromium. The flux manufacturer should be consulted concerning this effect for a
given flux.

The extent of interaction between flux and wire is influenced by the ratio of flux melted to wire melted. The higher
the flux: wire ratio, the greater the effect can be with either high silica flux or with flux containing metallic chromium.

Certain welding conditions increase the flux: wire ratio. Beginning from a given condition, flux: wire ratio is
increased by increasing voltage, decreasing wire feed speed (current), or decreasing electrical stickout. Only
fluxes low in silica and free of metallic chromium are nearly immune to effects of varying flux: wire ratio.