Power Options For Welding

Downunder Bob said:
So that's how those cheater boxes work, and it also explains why we can't use them here in Downunder. Our singe phase lime voltage is 240v and we don't split it to make 110 opposite phase. We get our 240v 1Ph by splitting the 3 ph to neutral so all we get is 3x240v
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Yup, pretty simple really. I'd happily trade for 3 phase though. :)

I forgot to mention with my extension cord, it's a 12G that I cut the ends off of and wired for 220V without neutral. It works well for most 220V stuff as they usually don't use 110V, so don't need the neutral. So it's hot/hot/ground using 220V connectors on the ends so there's no doubt what it is. I don't use it as much these days as I have a 220V outlet in the garage now.

I'm seriously considering running a subpanel in the garage. Between shop tools and an EV I have a lot of power needs in there.
 
When I lived with my parents I had a Lincoln 150 amp mig welder. The garage was detached about 20’ from house and had a 20a circuit ran to it. It was a direct buried line about 12” deep. If I remember it might have been 12g.
I had the garage light up like it was day light out when the door was closed. I did a lot of car detailing and needed great lighting. Anyways in the long run I had the circuit overloaded! In the winter when snow was on the ground. When I was done welding or working in the garage for the hours and hours I use to be able to do. When I would go outside you could see a melted snow line of exactly where the line was buried.
Luckily I had a union electrician friend that help me run a 50a sub panel to the garage for the plasma machine that I got at the time.
Learned a lot from those times and one thing I was very lucky for is that I hadn’t burned the parents house down.
 
When you say you want to weld 1/2" material with the welder, I'm taking you mean in a single pass? You can always do it with multiple passes.

I personally like to weld thicker material with multiple passes. It takes longer, but I find I'm better able to control distortion and I don't have to turn my welder all the way up, which has other benefits, such as not hitting the duty cycle as quickly.
 
What on heaven's green earth are you building that requires 1/2 inch steel? I've built dune buggies, large welding tables, trolley for a 500 pound overhead hoist, patio furniture , stools, tables, you name it. Thickest I can recall using is 3/8 most times under 1/8 inch.
Use your welder, when you someday run up against a limit you can't work around you will know it is time to upgrade.
 
1/2 single pass requires mucho amps and huge machine,thick stuff I weld multiple root welds and face weld top
 
My GOD your a renter!! Don't mess with the wiring. Get a generator that will give your 30 amps @ 240v. A welder at 30 amps needs a 10ga wiring. Listen to the responders before you do so much damage to yourself or your landlord.
DBQ49er
 
That cheater box looks kind of dodgy to me. You aren't in Silicon Valley, but you're close. It is possible to get 50 amps or more with a ghetto set of jumper cables. Note that this will eventually get you a visit from authorities, but my neighbors are sly and get away with it all the time. As for welding 1/2" thick steel, that is sufficiently rare that you can enlist a friend for help. There are maker spaces around where you can do this. I did a 2" thick full pen weld just to give it a try. I toasted one stinger and a set of gloves. You only need to do this once to get it out of your system.
 
Reality check ...WHY????

Been tinkering with lots of things for 40 years.

Have bobcat and made many attachments and many odd things.

Never have had to weld up 1/2 plate...

Welded many things and have tripped the 20 amp 240 breaker with the stick welder but never with the miller 185 wire welder.

For what you likely will be working on where you are what you have will do 99.999% of your needs.

Multi pass will fill in where needed.

If you really feel the need for large work then start saving for a self contained engine welder and do not waste time or money with stand alone generator

Generators are cheap on the used market but motor welders are as well

Just passed on one for about $250.00.

Have one in the yard we got for free...and still have not done anything with it after 10 years...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
 
Don't burn down your (landlord's) house. The claims inspector will make sure you don't get a dime if some of those wiring schemes are detected in the ash pile after the fact.

I have owned big welders that are harder to move than a knee mill, and run them off of 30A with room to spare. That eastwood should run from the dryer outlet (220v) for all it's rated for without an issue. If you need to weld 1/2" structural steel, you are best off using a different process (SMAW). It takes some wild settings and gas mixes to do that with a true industrial-rated GMAW machine.
 
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