Welding on tractor

[beppington]

This seems similar to walking in an open field during lightning; Sure you might get away with it, maybe even a whole bunch of times. But you might also get zapped, & you'll never really know exactly what caused it to happen that time when it didn't before.

 

[flusher]

Well, just for the record, the tractor still works.
TSC had these box hitch reducers for under 10 bucks. I used 7018 rod and man, the stuff melts like butter. Had been using 6011 and I'm not sure if that's the whole difference, as I may have not had enough juice last time, but what a pleasure when it works right. :thumbsup:

Good looking welds. I like those 7000 series rods. I use 1/8" 7018 for vertical welds and the 7014 and 7024 drag rods for horizontal rods, all on DC+.

 

[adjusterr]

I guess it is better to be safe than sorry but I have never unhooked the batt cables prior to welding. What I do agree with is dont hook your ground to one end of the tractor and weld on the other, keep the ground as close to the weld point as possible.

 

[del10820]

You can damage the computer(s) in the new equipment and the altnator charging system. The company I work for builds bodies and aerial equipment and when we bring in a truck to install them, we unhook the batteries an install a zapet to help protect the systems. By way make sure your ground lead has good connection in side the clamp, took out the electric chain hoist power cable when the welder found a better ground that way. Also took out a computer in the company office when high frec unit lost ground when welding on a metal shop bench and grounded through the 110 outlet box back in the 5" floppy days.
Del

 

[Soundguy]

all this talk of high freq problems makes me appreciate my plain old crackerbox much more every day.

soundguy

 

[jonyyuma]

You can damage the computer(s) in the new equipment and the altnator charging system. The company I work for builds bodies and aerial equipment and when we bring in a truck to install them, we unhook the batteries an install a zapet to help protect the systems. By way make sure your ground lead has good connection in side the clamp, took out the electric chain hoist power cable when the welder found a better ground that way. Also took out a computer in the company office when high frec unit lost ground when welding on a metal shop bench and grounded through the 110 outlet box back in the 5" floppy days.
Del

Yeah, and the guy says" I've done hundreds of these and thats never happened before"" . Or " If it screws up then you can bring it in"... :confused2:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have welded on trucks and equipment without disconnecting the battery and got away with it, but since it is so simple to disconnect the ground, why not do it.
This is similar to the issue of arcing the bearing on motors, compressors etc. I have been in the business of welding and construction for 40 years and have heard the same thing about bearings arcing all my life but have never actually seen one arced or met anyone who has seen one get arced. But we take the precautions of grounding directly beside the weld when we weld on anything that has a bearing on it. I seriously doubt that you could arc a bearing unless you were trying to weld on the shaft of a motor and grounded on the frame and forced the arc thru the bearing. Since electricity seeks the path of least resistance, it is going not going to jump a gap when it can go directly to the electrode via solid steel

 

[Soundguy]

depending on how good the ground at that rusty painted piece of frame, vs that shiney tight bearing I think is the issue.

but yeah.. in general.. good clean ground near the arc and you are ok.

soundguy

 

[Jay4200]

Any truth to the rumor that it can fry the electronics?

No. Total myth.

Good luck generating any substantial voltage across your 0.000001ohm frame with a wimpy 100A weld current. All of the voltage drop is right at your grounding clip. A rusty connection for the ground clip is all the better.

JayC

 

[Mace Canute]

Since electricity seeks the path of least resistance, it is going not going to jump a gap when it can go directly to the electrode via solid steel

Not true. Almost everybody believes this, but what should be said is electricity seeks all paths of resistance. The amount of current that flows through each path is determined by each path's individual resistance.