Scorch/melt on ground clamp

[Willl]

I wouldn't do anything to it.

Couple months from now it'll be some ugly clamp on the end of a ground cable.

Ain't that how they all end up ?

 

[joshuabardwell]

I wouldn't do anything to it.
Couple months from now it'll be some ugly clamp on the end of a ground cable.
Ain't that how they all end up ?

Sure, sure. But if this keeps up, it'll burn through the copper braid entirely.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

The braid is not required, but it is there to push the clamps capability over the 200 amp mark. I find the clamps a little too small though they don't get really hot at higher amps...Anything I need that is higher amp gets a larger clamp. They are cheap enough. The cause of the arcing is as was said earlier, poor contact on both sides...or lets just say the strap was getting better contact than the other contacts were.

 

[Willl]

If I had a nickel for each time I had to tack weld the end of my ground lead to what closely resembled some kind of copper lug to my work.....I'd have about $1.25.

They're 'consumable' items.

 

[firemanmike69]

If I had a nickel for each time I had to tack weld the end of my ground lead to what closely resembled some kind of copper lug to my work.....I'd have about $1.25.

They're 'consumable' items.

I just welded a stud to a piece of plate, I bolt my ground to it and tack it on to what I'm welding

 

[bikerdib]

I use the same clamp as Shield Arc on all my welders. I also took my O/A torch and a brazing rod and coated a 2X2 inch area on the table where I usually clamp the ground, that is if it isn't clamped directly to the piece I'm welding, which I prefer to do.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The cause of the arcing is as was said earlier, poor contact on both sides...or lets just say the strap was getting better contact than the other contacts were.

Right. The bottom of the table top is painted, so one jaw was not getting good contact. I bet if I had put the clamp on upside down, it would have been no problem, since the jaw with the wire would have been on top.

No big deal... I just thought it was funny.

 

[Willl]

No big deal...

You wish. Were not done with you yet.

I suspect some miss abuse with your ground clamp.

Looks like a left hand clamp to me. What's up with that ?

 

[Shield Arc]

Back in the good ol days of 400 plus AMPS wire feed work, we used these all the time.
Airgas - TWE9210-1150 - Twecoｮ Model GC-600-50 500 Amp C Clamp Style Ground Clamp

 

[gwdixon]

Back in the good ol days of 400 plus AMPS wire feed work, we used these all the time.
Airgas - TWE9210-1150 - Twecoｮ Model GC-600-50 500 Amp C Clamp Style Ground Clamp

I've always had good luck with this kind of ground clamp.
Tweco Copper Ground Clamp - GC 200

Harbor Freight has one that works well and is a bit less expensive. (On sale now...but what isn't at HF.:laughing I bought 3 for my machines and they work just fine. The pivot point appears to be copper or brass as well to allow full current to both jaws.

400 Amp Welding Ground Clamp

Sometime the large C-clamp style can be found on eBay but are nearly as expensive as new.