Ground clamp is hot

[oliver28472]

My welder is just inside an open barn. Welded fine yesterday but today after a good rain I was getting set up to weld outside again. Started getting a tingle from the ground clamp after I turned on the welder. It is an old AC welder. How can I check my receptacle to see if it is wired properly? It is a three prong, 220 volt, almost like a dryer plug.

 

[yelbike]

Take a picture of it. I'll try and help. Likely a faulty or missing ground.

 

[oliver28472]

Sorry for the crappy quality but maybe you can tell enough. I think it's suppose to be two hots and a neutral??

 

[Soundguy]

might even be insuficient ground depending on how / where wired from.. how sub panel is run.

gloves wet?

 

[oliver28472]

Not wearing any.

 

[yelbike]

I had to laugh about the gloves!!!:laughing: PPE is always good!!

Very hard to see from that picture. It looks fairly old. Grounding code/standards have changed for the better over the years. Without seeing the whole installing, its hard for me to pin point the problem.

Is there a ground wire in the cable running from the panel to the welding receptacle? If so make sure the connections are good and solid. If there is no ground, well you could change the cable, but thats of no value useless the panel is properly grounded. Is the panel grounded?

 

[yelbike]

Two hots and a neutral? Likely not, is two hots and a ground.

 

[oliver28472]

I am sure the panel WAS grounded but now that you mention that, it was slightly moved a couple years ago. I will have to check that tomorrow. As for the ground from the panel to the receptacle, don't know, will check that too. Thanks.

 

[Lawnman TX]

You are dealing with an A/C welder ... the ground is as hot as the electrode holder.

Always wear gloves:mur:

 

[lwalsh]

Lawnman is correct, the input power ground has nothing to do with welding ground. If they were common you would have a problem.