Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size

   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #1  

bucktaker

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Hello All I just purchased a used Lincoln ac/dc 225 with long leads, 60lbs of 6011 rods and a 25 ft ext cord.

I am not a welder just a diy'er who got tired of using my neighbors ac225 Cant pretty weld but I can make my repairs work.

I didnt think much about it when I tried it out a the PO place he had it plugged in with the ext cord to his wall plug. I bought it and drove away
I looked at the ext plug and it was a 20 amp connector so I bought a 20amp breaker and plug for my garage...wired it up with some heavy wire ( maybe 2-0) struck a small arc and called it good.
Was thinking about a project I have at another house I own and was thinking how could I use the welder there and thought I could use the dryer plug with a pigtail to match my welder.Now I read it supposed to have a 50 amp service???? will it work on the dryer circuit?


I will change my primary connection point to 50 amps but will it work on a 30 or 20 amp circuit?

Any real experience on what they will run on?

Thanks
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #2  
at less then max output, it will draw less than max input.

So if it needs 50A input at 225A output, then it might need 25A input at 112A output.

Also, breakers won't trip right away when you reach their current limit.
You have some time, but not much.
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #3  
at less then max output, it will draw less than max input.

So if it needs 50A input at 225A output, then it might need 25A input at 112A output.

Also, breakers won't trip right away when you reach their current limit.
You have some time, but not much.

what he said ^^
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #4  
I have an older (transformer) 250 amp ac/dc machine, first tried it in the 30 amp dryer outlet - popped the breaker every time I stuck a rod.

Got a longer cord, changed plugs, plugged it into the (50A) stove outlet in the kitchen - no more pops, wife wasn't happy :confused:

Added a 70 amp breaker to the box, ran a circuit (# 6 wire) to the front of the garage, installed a triple outlet - one for 5 horse compressor (real horses, not toy ones), one for stick, one for wire/plaz/tig (only one at a time, duh)

Can be welding when compressor kicks in, breaker does NOT care.

Power outage - unplug compressor (generator is only 8kw, compressor pops breaker on genny), plug in "suicide cord", backfeed house (main breaker off, of course) genny keeps food cold, water pump works, wife happy again (likes to read, darkness NOT a virtue)

Life is good :D ... Steve
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size
  • Thread Starter
#5  
i have a suicide cord "Y" for parraling my two Honda 2000i generators so i understand.

Ok so sound like I can do this at the lake house with either the dryer outlet or the oven

i will try it here on the 20 to and a 30 to see if I can weld 1/4 angle which is what my project will be there.
Thanks
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #6  
You can do 1/4 angle using 3/32" rod, probably around 100 amps OUT - this should keep INPUT amps below 30 amps, UNLESS you tend to spend a lot of time "un-sticking" the rod (as I used to) -

Where my first setup used to crap out was either continued use of 1/8" 7018 on 3/8" material, or ANY attempt to run 5/32" (this was with the 30 amp dryer outlet)

Pretty sure you can get away with a 30 amp for what you wanna do... Steve
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #7  
You can do 1/4 angle using 3/32" rod, probably around 100 amps OUT - this should keep INPUT amps below 30 amps, UNLESS you tend to spend a lot of time "un-sticking" the rod (as I used to) -

Where my first setup used to crap out was either continued use of 1/8" 7018 on 3/8" material, or ANY attempt to run 5/32" (this was with the 30 amp dryer outlet)

Pretty sure you can get away with a 30 amp for what you wanna do... Steve
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #8  
I have owned several 225A AC/DC and 225 AC welders over the years. They all come with a 30A 220/240V 3 wire cord. That works in a dryer outlet. The combination of the 30A input and the low duty cycle of those type welders can be limiting when you are running at 225A max output and 5/32 rod or 3/16 rod like I do often. I found changing out the cord to a range cord and upping to 50A breaker I solve a lot except the duty cycle. The poster above using a 70A breaker on # 6 wire has great potential to set the wire/cord on fire before the breaker trips when operating long term at max output. #6 is only rated for 50A. 70A requires #4 or #2 which is not readily available in a SO cord arrangement. I have my current 225A AC/DC welder set up with a 50A cord and have a short piece made up with a 50A receptacle and a 30A plug so I can use it where 50A is not available.

Ron
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size #9  
I would run it on a 50 amp service. A 30 amp breaker will have smaller size wire and you don't need to burn your house down just cause you wanted to finish your project. You also don't want to be stuck using small electrodes for everything. What's the sense of having a 125 amp or better welder if you have to use it below 100 amps? If power is a problem, get an inverter. Then you could run on a 30 amp breaker all day long.
 
   / Lincoln Ac/Dc 225 breaker size
  • Thread Starter
#10  
just checked the rods I got with the welder 1/8 6011 unopened 50lb box with a open can of misc rods. So I will be using 1/8 rods.

I will try to find some reason to test it here to see how it runs on 20 and 30 amp service.

If had done my homework a little better maybe I would have gotten the inverter but for 175.00 and like new I think with 60lb rods, and long leads. I did alright. I weld maybe once or twice a year. I also have a hobart handler mig which I never seem to use.
 
 
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