KEROSENEDRVR
Bronze Member
Is there any reason to be concerned about welding hooks on a loader bucket without first disconnecting the tractor's 12v battery? I'm not sure if the electrical system could be damaged...
Welding/Tractor=Question
- Thread starter KEROSENEDRVR
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Soundguy
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KEROSENEDRVR said:
Technically, you shouldn't have a problem. For the most part.. electrons are lazy.. they like to take the past of least resistance.. thus your electrode and ground clamp will be swapping electrons... just make it easy for them to do so and you will be ahead of the game.... locate your ground as near the work as possible, and do clean/grind the area the where ground clamp goes.. make sure to not have a bearing or bushing/pivot between work and ground clamp.
For safety, i like to pull the wires / plugs off my alternator, but I've never disconnected a battery. i welded in a new floor to my loader bucket just this past week.. left battery hooke dup entire time.. just pulled wire to alt.. Afterwards i reinstalled wire. She started up fine and charged yesterday so i take that as a good sign.
Soundguy
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I prefer to disconnect the battery cables just to avoid a problem of some kind. That is when I remember to do it. But I'm not sure exactly WHAT problems could occur. On the other hand, I have welded MANY times without disconnecting (when I forgot to disconnect) and I have not had any problems either way. Soundguy gives good information about making sure your welder ground is as close to your weld as possible, on a clean bare metal surface.KEROSENEDRVR said:
weldingisfun
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There is always the possibility of damage to an electrical component. Take the extra five or ten minutes and disconnect. Do a time/cost analysis: The value of your ten minutes as compared to the out of pocket expense of replacing an electrical component. Only you know how much you can afford.
KEROSENEDRVR said:
It depends on the tractor. An old tractor like Soundguys, would have no problem. The alt is the only risk and that is dern slight.
If you have a new tractor with the fancy pants computer controlled everything, then I would pull the battery connections. Those you can blow from spikes, still not likely but an expensive learning experience.
jb
AndyMA
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My dealer fixed a crack in my backhoe bucket without disconnecting the battery on my TN75D and he had to replace my tractor's computer. On New Holland TN's, the manual says to disconnect the battery for all welding.
Andy
Andy
Bird
Epic Contributor
I think you should disconnect the battery to be safe, and if I ever do it again, I think I will, but I welded brackets onto the bucket on my B2710 front end loader without disconnnecting the battery and did no damage. While I think the chance of damage is small, I just wasn't thinking or I'd have disconnected mine.
DieselPower
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Is there any reason to be concerned? Yes. Anytime you weld on something you should disconnect the battery. I have seen alot of ECM's, radio's and other electrical components destroyed over the years because someone didn't disconnect the battery's. I have even seen people weld on the back of a tractor trailer's trailer and had it fry the ECM on the truck that was 90 feet away from what they were welding. It's alway's safer to just unhook them and be done with it. It may save you from a uneeded expensive repair.
slowrev
Elite Member
Never hook the Ground clamp on the other side of a bushing or bearing from where you are welding. It might appear to do no damage but it will burn spots on the bearings and cause them to fail early if nothing else.
Don't weld where the current could go thru the braid of a hydraulic hose.
Just an additonal tip or two.
Don't weld where the current could go thru the braid of a hydraulic hose.
Just an additonal tip or two.
AlanB
Elite Member
OK folks I will bite in here.
If you want to protect an electrical component, you unplug that component. I am not buying into that if you disconnect the battery, your computer will be safe. Your battery will be safe, all other components are still "in the loop, for stray voltages.
Welding wipes out electircal components by sending electricity through places that was not intended, or in amounts not intended. Good clean grounds, close to your work, with straight metal between the two points, will do more to prevent this then anything else in my opinion.
Also, if you are Tigging with HF then there are all sorts of interesting things that have the potential to happen.
If you want to protect an electrical component, you unplug that component. I am not buying into that if you disconnect the battery, your computer will be safe. Your battery will be safe, all other components are still "in the loop, for stray voltages.
Welding wipes out electircal components by sending electricity through places that was not intended, or in amounts not intended. Good clean grounds, close to your work, with straight metal between the two points, will do more to prevent this then anything else in my opinion.
Also, if you are Tigging with HF then there are all sorts of interesting things that have the potential to happen.