Help! Learning to weld

[CNC Dan]

well I see both hot wires from the outlet connecting to a single incoming wire. In other words there's two outlets connected on with one incoming wire so is three wires under one wire nut. There's no way in the world you can have 240 that way I'm not sure how you're reading it.

I see three black wires entering the box. One is a ground and goes to a wire nut, allong with a bare copper wire that goes to the box screw, and another short black wire that goes to the outlet ground connection.

The other two black wires go to the remaining outlet connections, as they should.

I would try turning the breaker off and on a few times. Or check the connections at the outlet and circuit breaker. A lose connection can pass enough current to get a voltmeter reading, but not enough to feed your welder.

 

[k0ua]

I've tried welding on DC+/- and AC with no luck.. I'm going to call the shop tomorrow and see what they say, I will also try to test it at a friends place to see if there is something weird with my supply.

This would be extremely unlikely, BUT, if you had a very high resistance in your supply lead/leads then you could measure the voltage just fine but when you turned the welder on and attempt to draw an amount of current the voltage would drop to a very low value and not be able to power up the welder.

Again by measuring inside the welder for supply voltage with it turned on would also diagnose this possible, but very unlikely situation.

 

[k0ua]

learning to weld may be the easier part

and keep an eye out for auto darkening helmet. its amazing how much weld quality increases in relation to good helmet

I felt my welding competency increased about 100% when I bought an auto-darkening helmet.

 

[newbury]

Why not call the repair shop back and ask THEM again what could be wrong or get them to show you it works, maybe offer to pay for a half hour lesson?

/edit - and OP - DO not talk to the welding shop about "dual phase" UNLESS your in the center of Philadelphia and supplied by PECO. The REST of the US is on either single or three phase power. Two-phase electric power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[CNC Dan]

can you put the put the plug partway into the outlet, and reach the prongs with your meters probes?

If you can, see if you get 240v with the welder turned on, and off.

 

[dsparks1024]

I originally tried doing this, I hooked each probe one to each hot and plugged the cord in as far as I could, I only read 60V across them, the switch was on if I remember. I just assumed this was because they prongs were not making a good enough connection, could this be an issue?

 

[k0ua]

I originally tried doing this, I hooked each probe one to each hot and plugged the cord in as far as I could, I only read 60V across them, the switch was on if I remember. I just assumed this was because they prongs were not making a good enough connection, could this be an issue?

I would definately take the cover off, and measure the supply leads with the welder fully plugged in and the welders power switch turned on. This is your next step.

 

[CNC Dan]

I originally tried doing this, I hooked each probe one to each hot and plugged the cord in as far as I could, I only read 60V across them, the switch was on if I remember. I just assumed this was because they prongs were not making a good enough connection, could this be an issue?

Ah Ha!

Check the tightness of all screw connections. At the outlet, at the plug, at the breaker, and any other connections.

Does the plug feel firm in the outlet?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I never asked if you were using a Digital or Analogue meter. Sometimes you can get erroneous readings with a digital meter. I was working in a factory last summer doing my security stuff when their in house electrician was getting all flustered. He kept getting voltage on a line that he was sure he turned off. I noticed immediately that another circuit occupied the same conduit. I told him to shut that one off as well and as I expected, his readings went away! He seemed so dumbfounded by it all (the induced voltages that is) and I couldn't believe he had been an industrial electrician for decades!

As for your issue. I would be trying to put another load on that receptacle, or at least take an old (edison) light bulb and put the leads into or onto the receptacle live to ground, each side, not accross both or your bulb will POP.

 

[k0ua]

I never asked if you were using a Digital or Analogue meter. Sometimes you can get erroneous readings with a digital meter. I was working in a factory last summer doing my security stuff when their in house electrician was getting all flustered. He kept getting voltage on a line that he was sure he turned off. I noticed immediately that another circuit occupied the same conduit. I told him to shut that one off as well and as I expected, his readings went away! He seemed so dumbfounded by it all (the induced voltages that is) and I couldn't believe he had been an industrial electrician for decades!

As for your issue. I would be trying to put another load on that receptacle, or at least take an old (edison) light bulb and put the leads into or onto the receptacle live to ground, each side, not accross both or your bulb will POP.

That is not a bad idea.. and would help to answer the high resistance supply lead remote possibility too, since the bulb would draw some current.