powering a barn with a generator

   / powering a barn with a generator #1  

andrewj

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Feb 26, 2005
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South Carolina
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JD 5105
hi folks. What size generator would I need to run mimimal lights (one 75 watt bulb at night) and a welder that runs on 220? I just don't want to run power out to the shop....I feel like this very question may evoke wild laughter, so go ahead, have fun! But amid the humor, help me to understand how I can weld away from the house without running power. thanks.
 
   / powering a barn with a generator #2  
How big a welder. Just because it runs on 220 you need to know the ampeage. my 8500 watt generator will run about a miller 210 mig welder
 
   / powering a barn with a generator #3  
andrewj said:
hi folks. But amid the humor, help me to understand how I can weld away from the house without running power. thanks.

Well, one way you can do this is to purchase a Generator/Welder. I just purchased one of these

Honda EW171 Generator - Honda Industrial Generators

but there are others. I saw some Gentec Diesel units sell over the weekend - looked interesting as well. There are others by Miller Lincoln.
 
   / powering a barn with a generator #4  
Well there you go,,gen/welder,,,,set up for stick,,get one that put out dc current as oppsed to ac welding current,,[both will have ac plug ins],,,,now if you are wanting to mig,,,,well,,thats kinda a guessing game,,or better yet,,mystery,,[running a mig off generator,,the man said his 8,500 watt would run a mig 210,[think that means about 210 amps?],,,but,,if thats the case,,you probably don't need that big a mig welder,,you need one that will run about 120-130 amps,,,at about 60 percent,[or more] duty cycle,,best thing to do is talk to a welding supplyer,,tell them all this,,see what the say,,don't believe you need that big a generator to mig with,,but that tricky,,lotta varables as they say,,main thing is if the seller says yes,,than if it don't,,you should be able to get your money back,,,,,now,if you just want to stick weld,,,easy,,,,thingy
 
   / powering a barn with a generator #5  
I weld with my Lincoln AC225 220 volt stickwelder (tombstone) and have power to run flood lights at the same time. The floods are either 500 watts each or 2-250 watt elements, I can't remember but way more than a light bulb and the pair is fed by a single 110 volt plug.

I spent many evenings one winter welding material onto the grousers of my old bulldozer in the pitch black except for the floodlights providing light. Those rows of 7018 weld material lasted way longer than anyone thought they would in my clay soils. I was using more than 125 amps of AC current since the rods were 1/8" and the cold grousers were 1/2" thick. Grousers are the little cleats that give dozers grip, as they wear out the tracks slip so you add material or replace the pads and since I am cheap and needed welding practice I welded mine up.

I popped the breaker on my generator a few times when I was in production mode which means it became pitch black but the breaker cooled and I reset it and went on with welding.

I still use that Coleman 5500 continuous/6850 surge generator with an 11 HP tecumseh engine that I purchased for 500$ a few years ago. It's loud and sucks gas but seems to pull through nicely. Welding with this generator is admittedly different than when using grid power since the generator barks and loses a few rpm when you strike a big arc. You will get good at maintaining the arc despite the surge effect after a little practice.

A bigger genset is always better and a pakaged welder/genny might be the perfect ticket for you but I suspect you have a desire to stay low cost since if you had money rolling out of your ears you would probably just run power to the shop.
 

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