Any precautions-electrical system-when welding on tractor?

[duffer]

My logic says why take a chance. Disconnect both battery terminals, turn on your lights to deplete any current in the system, and you shouldn't have any problems. Fuses, or otherwise.

 

[scootr]

I have welded on every tractor I've owned without disconnecting the battery. I'm not telling you what you should do.
I'm just stating my experience.

 

[5030]

Shortest path (stinger and ground close togethe)r and remove the battery cables.

 

[wisconsitom]

I reckon all things considered, we'll just disconnect the battery, simple matter that it is. FWIW, this particular job will consist of tacking the thin connector strap on u-bolts to top surface of Norse 250 skidding winch safety cage. I like the idea of using grounding clamp to hold this, or these-we might do more than one-in place while welding on.

 

[hosspuller]

LouNY has already mentioned ... beware of the welding current passing through bearings or pivots. You don't want a spot weld in any of them.

 

[2manyrocks]

Don't want welding spatter to burn a hole in a hydraulic hose, either.

 

[strantor]

If your tractor has a computer then it would be a good idea to disconnect it. I don't think it would hurt to disconnect the battery too, but neither do I understand how it could help. Is it to prevent damage to the battery itself? If so, it's worth pointing out that the battery is the most robust electrical component on the machine; even more stout than the wires that connect to it. Or are we thinking that the battery completes a circuit, so removing it is like opening a disconnect and preventing current from flowing in any circuit?

There are only two ways I can conceive that welding could damage electronics:

1. By raising the electrical potential of one ground higher than that of another ground, causing current to flow through electrical circuits in ways that it isn't intended to flow. And I think that would happen whether or not the battery was connected. The best way to prevent that is to place your ground clamp as close as possible to the area being welded.

2. By inducing high frequency EMI into wiring harnesses. This also is possible with or without the battery connected. The best way to prevent this is to keep ground lead and welding lead as far as possible from any machine wiring, and if you must cross a wiring harness with a welding lead, do it at 90 degrees, never running alongside a harness.

 

[JJT]

Why not take the winch off, weld your hooks and remount the winch? For me, that's far easier than screwing around with the battery and worrying about what if's.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Hey all, we're going to weld some hooks onto a 3-pt. skidding winch that lives on the rear end of my tractor. This amounts to a few tacks really. Question is, should one disconnect the battery or anything when welding on what amounts to a part of the tractor, given it's all continuous from an electrical standpoint.

Or am I overthinking this, like I usually do?

Mainly be sure you are grounded to and welding on the same piece of metal.