Improving your welding?

[Scooby074]

Do you not have 240 at work and in your house?

To add a 240 receptacle at home, assuming a "reasonable" length of wire to run between the panel and the plug, would cost under $150, likely under $100. To me it seems penny wise pound foolish to have a very good 240v welder there and not be using it to its potential.

As to welding in the woods from a generator, well that is the one great advantage to these dual voltage units, but I wouldnt make a habit of welding anything 3/16" or above from a 120v welder, doubly so if it will be "interacting" with the public.

Realistically in 120v mode, its an under 3/16" welder. Miller rates them as such.

 

[k0ua]

Do you not have 240 at work and in your house?

To add a 240 receptacle at home, assuming a "reasonable" length of wire to run between the panel and the plug, would cost under $150, likely under $100. To me it seems penny wise pound foolish to have a very good 240v welder there and not be using it to its potential.

As to welding in the woods from a generator, well that is the one great advantage to these dual voltage units, but I wouldnt make a habit of welding anything 3/16" or above from a 120v welder, doubly so if it will be "interacting" with the public.

Realistically in 120v mode, its an under 3/16" welder. Miller rates them as such.

I ran two 240 volt receptacles in my house for less than $100, including the one outside was a weatherproof housing and including the breakers. Of course the wire lengths were very short as they were both near the breaker box. I realize if your breaker box was already full or the wire lengths were long that would raise the price some, but there are such things as double breakers to free up space in a box. If I had a 120/240 volt capable machine I for darn sure would have 240 volts available somewhere to make the most of the machines capability's.

 

[k0ua]

Do you not have 240 at work and in your house?

To add a 240 receptacle at home, assuming a "reasonable" length of wire to run between the panel and the plug, would cost under $150, likely under $100. To me it seems penny wise pound foolish to have a very good 240v welder there and not be using it to its potential.

As to welding in the woods from a generator, well that is the one great advantage to these dual voltage units, but I wouldnt make a habit of welding anything 3/16" or above from a 120v welder, doubly so if it will be "interacting" with the public.

Realistically in 120v mode, its an under 3/16" welder. Miller rates them as such.

I ran two 240 volt receptacles in my house for less than $100, including the one outside was a weatherproof housing and including the breakers. Of course the wire lengths were very short as they were both near the breaker box. I realize if your breaker box was already full or the wire lengths were long that would raise the price some, but there are such things as double breakers to free up space in a box. If I had a 120/240 volt capable machine I for darn sure would have 240 volts available somewhere to make the most of the machines capability's.

 

[Sodo]

My breaker box at home is full, cant add any more circuits. But I can get 220 if slightly motivated. At work, I weld in 2 locations, one is 75ft from the panel, the better location is 125 ft. "In the woods" is where I do 75% of (recent) projects, I have a 10hp (5000W) which maxes out at 1/4" (on 220v). I'd need a 9000w (estimated 15HP?) generator to weld (at full power). 220v costs a lot of money, possibly as much as the machine ($2000?). I would like to have 220v but it doesn't make a lot of sense (yet).

I do not believe that many members weld (often enough) over 1/4" to justify the outlay to ADD 220v. Certainly some do. But this is the reason the MFRs saw a market for 120v welders and the reason people want to buy them. 3/16" is significant material. As I repeat, the bucket and FEL structure on my Kubota B2710 is all 3/16" plate with 1/4" here and there. My car trailer (that I haul a mini-excavator & tractor on) is made of 3/16" and 1/4". Very very few members take on projects larger than those examples. Hence my assertion that 220v should not be a "stopper" for someone who has a desire to weld.

Members who are already certain that their projects will exceed 1/4" material have to get 220v machines, and if they don't have 220, need to add that cost to the eqpt list. My guess $500-$2500 for hiring out & much less for the DIY electricians.

 

[k0ua]

Sodo have you considered putting in 2 double breakers to free up a double slot to put in a 240 volt breaker?

 

[Jim in ICT]

Arc, I think that the majority of us have the ability to sift through some of the BS that is posted and differentiate good advice from bad. Keep it up - for my money, you and Shield Arc are on the right track. I do have to admit to a bit of amusement in the past couple of weeks' posts. Some folks just won't let it go.


"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think that you're a fool than to open it and remove all doubt" - Mark Twain

 

[CNC Dan]

.....

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think that you're a fool than to open it and remove all doubt" - Mark Twain

Might not be from Twain:

Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt | Quote Investigator

But it is still one of mt favorite quotes.

 

[Jim in ICT]

Careful, Dan, you may get us off topic. You know what happens then!


I'd always heard it was attributed to MT, like you it's one of my favorites.

 

[KubotainNH]

Like most everything, there's arguments to both sides. To the Arc's point, if I'm making something that needs to be strong and is thick metal I get out the 220v stick welder. I'm not great at it but after 10 or 15 minutes of practice I can get some strong beads down but they may not look super. To Sodo's point, 99% of my needs fall into the 1/8" or thinner range and the wire feed makes quick work of it. I started building a bull bar type piece to bolt to my trucks plow frame so I wouldn't bang my knees so often and it would look a bit better. (I take the upper frame off in the summer but leave the lower part on) I started building this with my 220v stick but got so frustrated I put it aside for a year or 2. Along came some sheet metal work I needed to do on a car which pushed me to buy the 110v wire feed box that was on sale. After a bit of of practice I was getting some decent stitch welds going and seeing some body work come out way stronger and nicer than bondo. I eventually grabbed that bull bar and finished it up easily with the small unit. Final point, I like hearing from all sides and will pull the info I need out of a posting. I'd would rather pass on the bickering.

 

[lostcreekranch]

If I was rich!

Air Vantage® 650 Engine Driven Welder

Whoa baby!

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