Most welder for my 5000W generator?

[3RRL]

I have the same Lincoln as Highbeam and can vouch for what it can do. My Generac 5550 Wheelhouse came with 25 amp fuses and only one blew all the time...it was just bad, the other never did. But I changed them out for 40amp anyway. I have done all kinds of welding on the property...standard and OP and have had great success with the Lincoln. As a matter of fact, it was Highbeam's post about the Lincoln 225 that made me buy one.

 

[Soundguy]

AC welding is done at 25 volts, so 25 volts at nearly the max setting of 200 amps is only 5000 watts. .

Hmm.. I have seen other ac units that weld at higher.

My smaller ac welder welds at 32-36v.. Will have to check the hobart I had been looking at.


Soundguy

 

[Highbeam]

The typical 5000 watt type generator will come with a twistlok 4 prong recepticle to supply 220. I made a 6 foot long pigtail that has a male twistlok on one end and the 50 amp female receptacle on the other which plugs right into the lincoln. All from parts from the Home Depot. I did not want to change the Lincoln's plug since many other items like plasma cutters and other welders use the same style. I would be happy to post a pic of the pigtail. I also replaced the Lincoln's power cord with a 30 foot long version using the same heavy cord I used for the pigtail.

As far as 25 volts vs. 32-26 I will admit that I have not put a meter to the lincoln while welding. I asked a professional welder that question and 25 was his answer. Even if the welding voltage was 40 volts and most welding being done in the 120 amp max range, that's only 4800 watts. If welding smaller stuff like 1/8" or 1/4" I would not expect to go above the 90-110 amp output from the welder.

Welding remotely with my generator at high amp settings I had to get used to some generator surge. When you pull max generator output all of the sudden as when you strike the arc at max welder output, the generator's governor has to command more fuel and there is a little lag then surge in power delivery. You've got to be pretty good with maintaining the arc to prevent the surge from snuffing your arc. This is not a problem on more typical welding but noticable on the 225 amp settting as used when cutting with the arc welder.

 

[BarryinMN]

I rescued an ancient Miller AEAD 200 Onan 2 cylinder gas powered welder. It has a 4800W AC generator or the 200 amp AC/DC welder.

I looked on Ebay before fixing it up for value and they were around $200 or so.

Some new cables and a battery along with cleaning up the carb and it runs like new. I took the wheelbarrow style transport hardware off and mounted it on a 4 wheel industrial wagon. My last step is to weld a frame around it to contain all the rods, cables, grinders, clamps, etc that go with it. Kind of heavy 30"x60" wagon but can be pulled with a lawnmower if necessary.