Arc Welder Breaker

[aczlan]

I would love to, but it's a little big for me to do and the cost of getting it replaced is stoping us, but if you want to stop by and take care of it, let me know.
View attachment 421643

I'll swing by next time I am in the area (might be a while though)...
What kind of breakers does it take?

Aaron Z

 

[buickanddeere]

Cable and breaker rated for 125% of the name plate 240V current .

 

[Dftodd]

This actually answered some of my questions as well. Was given an old montgomery ward stick welder a couple weeks ago. Started looking in the subpanel that's in the garage to see what was in it. Breaker for 220 that isn't being used is only a 30amp. Started looking at the subpanel a little more closely and probably gonna have to suck it up for an electrician. The picture posted of the panel looks like like it was taken in my garage :shocked: already had to have half the breakers replaced and the subpanel looks worse. Plus no shut off. Was just piggy backed off the main breaker on the main breaker box

 

[pohorsky]

This actually answered some of my questions as well. Was given an old montgomery ward stick welder a couple weeks ago. Started looking in the subpanel that's in the garage to see what was in it. Breaker for 220 that isn't being used is only a 30amp. Started looking at the subpanel a little more closely and probably gonna have to suck it up for an electrician. The picture posted of the panel looks like like it was taken in my garage :shocked: already had to have half the breakers replaced and the subpanel looks worse. Plus no shut off. Was just piggy backed off the main breaker on the main breaker box

If it wasn't for the distance between us, I'd swear the same guy installed both. The guy that installed ours piggy-backed off the main lugs 400 amp, but didn't run the same size wire to the sub-panel. I just double checked, and the wire is #8, not #6, so I guess I'll pop a 40 in there. The breakers are Challengers, which are also the famous Zensco breakers I'm told. Here is the inside of the panel, including the fried section of the buss bar.

 

[Dftodd]

The former owner of my house had a son who had a "handy man" buisiness. He currently isn't allowed to have a buisiness licence and wasn't very handy. Knew just enough to butcher the job. Was crawling around the attic and got shocked. Found an open splice going to some lights. No wires nuts, tape or junction box. Just bare wires twisted together. Ended up having to cover every square inch of attic space and having to fix a total of eight such connections.

Original breaker box in my house is an ITE. Got lucky though and it just takes square D breakers you can get anywhere. Sub panel is a GS. Looking af the wiring diagram it can be wired two different ways. One of which is with a main breaker which takes up the top left two spots. Might get lucky and be able to get an electrician to just wire in a proper main breaker and swap the 220 breaker to a 50 amp Sub panel is next to the main breaker box, so he can update the wiring to the panel with a two foot piece with out trouble

 

[pohorsky]

My parents house was the worst job I ever saw for wiring (done before they bought it). The electrician must not have had enough wiring, so whenever there was a long run he just tied it to another circuit and then pulled it out when he got near the box. Scary, but we never had to reset a tripped breaker!:laughing: Of course you had to shut down the house completely to change a switch or outlet.

 

[dstig1]

I don't know that type of panel, but it looks like an awful design to me. I like Siemens, and Square D are decent too. Replacing a panel isn't hard if you plan ahead. Label everything first. Loosen everything you can to save time before you call for the electric co to shut it off (early in the day). Then work like mad until you are done and inspected and get it back on late in the day. Have plenty of flashlight batteries charged up, or even better, an extension cord from a neighbor if there is one close by for some lights. Or even a generator, if you have one. Replacing a panel is pretty much a 1 for 1 job. You know exactly what you need before you start. Heck you could even preload the new panel with breakers and label them with tape if you really wanted to. You would have to get a permit for this as the electric co won't light up the new panel without an inspection (at least around here). But that allows you to talk with the inspector ahead of time to see what you have to do that might be different from what you have in place now.

 

[notme]

the 30 will do you fine, there usually rated around 47 amps at wide open current output. which you will never use! as long as you stay with 3/32 or 1/8th rod as most people do around the house you have no reason to ever crank the welder up that high. keep your eye out for that elusive 40 amp brkr and If u can find it at a fair price buy it and snap it in, but till then weld away worse case scenario youll pop your breaker

 

[buickanddeere]

If it wasn't for the distance between us, I'd swear the same guy installed both. The guy that installed ours piggy-backed off the main lugs 400 amp, but didn't run the same size wire to the sub-panel. I just double checked, and the wire is #8, not #6, so I guess I'll pop a 40 in there. The breakers are Challengers, which are also the famous Zensco breakers I'm told. Here is the inside of the panel, including the fried section of the buss bar.
View attachment 421698View attachment 421699

The supply cables to a pony panel only have to be 1/3 the ampacity of the main panel if they are 10ft or shorter. Eg a 30amp sub panel needs to be supplied with 66amp or higher rated conductors.