Welder Extension Cord

[ToolBoxTavern]

Buddy of mine had a 50 foot 8/3 gauge wire and gave it to me. I put a male plug on one end and two female plugs on the other. One for the welder and the other for the plasma cutter. Of course you cannot use both units at the same time.

Does anyone see a issue with this?

 

[KennyG]

Looks like a real good idea to me. Just be careful how you restrain the wire where it enters the receptacle boxes. They really aren't designed to have movement and you need to be sure you aren't getting any unseen abrasion or wear on the insulation. Personally, I would rather have non-metallic boxes because of the potential for getting a hot short to the box itself. If this is a three wire 220 circuit, the boxes may not be grounded to protect you.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

Looks like a real good idea to me. Just be careful how you restrain the wire where it enters the receptacle boxes. They really aren't designed to have movement and you need to be sure you aren't getting any unseen abrasion or wear on the insulation. Personally, I would rather have non-metallic boxes because of the potential for getting a hot short to the box itself. If this is a three wire 220 circuit, the boxes may not be grounded to protect you.

So would it work if I ran a short jumper wire from the ground on the plug to a screw on the box?

 

[J_J]

What source are you plugging the #8 extension into? It would have to be a #8 also, with an 80 A breaker.


Here is a voltage calculator.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/voltagedropcalc.html

Your cable will carry the current, with a slight voltage drop.

On my Lincoln Pro-Cut -55, they state 60 amps input current at 208 v. at max cutting amps.

Output cutting amps at 25-60A

Breaker size 80 A, and #8

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/assets/servicenavigator/lincoln2/SVM140A.pdf

Page A2

 

[grsthegreat]

Personally Ive done the same thing in the past, but i have the female plugs on back to back steel boxes with the individual receptacles. Even though most welders are rated at 50 amps, if you ever put a tester to them in operation the 50 amp pulse only last for a second, then they drop to about 30 amps on average.

Another thing you can do to make it even easier is to have the same 50 amp male cord on both welder and plasma cutter. Just replace one of them. Then you only need 1 receptacle. Theres no law that says you cant increase the cord and plug size on th plasma cutter. YOU simply have to have the cord rated for the plug (in this case #6 wire and a 50 amp male plug).

 

[deereman75]

he could plug that thing into a 115v 15 amp circuit if he wanted to, you can always use a wire thicker then needed, but never thinner. I used to have my welder plugged into a 30 amp circuit, with a 25 foot 4/3 cord, thats way better than the 10/3 needed, much less voltage drop.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

What source are you plugging the #8 extension into? It would have to be a #8 also, with an 80 A breaker.


Here is a voltage calculator.

Voltage Drop Calculator

Your cable will carry the current, with a slight voltage drop.

On my Lincoln Pro-Cut -55, they state 60 amps input current at 208 v. at max cutting amps.

Output cutting amps at 25-60A

Breaker size 80 A, and #8

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/assets/servicenavigator/lincoln2/SVM140A.pdf

Page A2

Thanx for the links.

I have a 100 amp sub panel with a dedicated 50 amp breaker that this will be plugged into. I also intend for the females ends to be mounted on the cart and the box, female ends and male ends of equipment to never move.

O and I am pretty sure I have to go look but to the sub panel and from the breaker to the plug I think is #6 wire....maybe #4, but for sure #6. I don't remember. Been a while since we put it in.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

Personally Ive done the same thing in the past, but i have the female plugs on back to back steel boxes with the individual receptacles. Even though most welders are rated at 50 amps, if you ever put a tester to them in operation the 50 amp pulse only last for a second, then they drop to about 30 amps on average.

Another thing you can do to make it even easier is to have the same 50 amp male cord on both welder and plasma cutter. Just replace one of them. Then you only need 1 receptacle. Theres no law that says you cant increase the cord and plug size on th plasma cutter. YOU simply have to have the cord rated for the plug (in this case #6 wire and a 50 amp male plug).

My female plugs are back to back. I bolted boxes together. The welder and plasma come with the plugs that I need already. I set boxes to match the tools.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

he could plug that thing into a 115v 15 amp circuit if he wanted to, you can always use a wire thicker then needed, but never thinner. I used to have my welder plugged into a 30 amp circuit, with a 25 foot 4/3 cord, thats way better than the 10/3 needed, much less voltage drop.

Thanx for the reply.

 

[J_J]

he could plug that thing into a 115v 15 amp circuit if he wanted to, you can always use a wire thicker then needed, but never thinner. I used to have my welder plugged into a 30 amp circuit, with a 25 foot 4/3 cord, thats way better than the 10/3 needed, much less voltage drop.

If your welder doesn't draw more than 30 A, he is OK, but I think he is talking about a larger welder and plasma cutter.

Did you see the Lincoln data sheet for the Pro-Cut -55?


ToolBoxTavern,

How many amps does your welder and plasma cutter draw at full potential?