Running Welders off Generators

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I have a Generac 10000EXL that I have owned since 1999. It is not the XP series which is much newer than mine.

It is interesting that if different volt meters are hooked up to an outlet at the same time you can get different voltage readings because different volt meters calculate/measure voltage differently. Thus I know the waveform is not pure.

That is very interesting, never tried that before. Do they read the same when plugged into the same house outlet?

....I'm gonna have to start trying that now

 

[nova3930]

That would be frustrating to the point of pushing the welder down a hill and lighting it on fire....:mur:

Oh it was. I'm no master welder, not by a long shot, but prior to I could always strike and weld metal with a 6013. The things are darn near idiot proof even if they don't penetrate well.

But I was in the position of having broken my skid steer forks in the middle of the land we were clearing for our new house, with no power and had to get them back together. After fighting with it for a hour, the neighbor moseys over and informs me that he's got a nice Millermatic 252 MiG and oh BTW he welds professionally at the United Launch Alliance rocket plant up the highway and would be happy to weld them up for me. :mur:

I promptly carried the forks across the street to his place and let him go to work while I went for an after-the-job-is-done 6 pack. :drink:

 

[Big Barn]

I promptly carried the forks across the street to his place and let him go to work while I went for an after-the-job-is-done 6 pack. :drink:

That without a doubt is the best welding post I've read today

Terry

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

That without a doubt is the best welding post I've read today

Terry

Me too
:drink:

 

[nova3930]

LOL, I'm not too proud to admit when it's time to pay the man rather than fumble through as an amateur, even if payment is a frosty adult beverage.

 

[Furu]

That is very interesting, never tried that before. Do they read the same when plugged into the same house outlet?

....I'm gonna have to start trying that now

Yes down to the 0.1 volt decimal point. As was explained to me it is because of the method of measurement. Cheap voltmeters vs not so cheap voltmeters.

V (rms) vs V (pep) Cheap AC voltmeters will just measure the peak voltage, and scale the reading as if it were a perfect sine wave. More to it than that but that is the general idea.

I also find on my Honda Inverter generators EU2000I that they read the same voltage on each(because it is a pure sine wave)

 

[dragoneggs]

Great topic Furu! I am also wondering what I can manage with my Honda EU3000iS which I use for backup power to the house for the essentials. I have a mechanical interlock so I can directly feed my service panel. Absolutely love this generator and it can be paired with another for a total of 6000watts. Dang expensive but by far the best generator I have used. Wondering if anyone has an idea of material thickness I could weld with 3000watts and 6000watts??? Oh and yes it is only 110v as far as I know.

 

[Soundguy]

Buzz boxes are real power hogs when it comes to Inrush Current.

Check out what Lincoln says about running their version off a generator:

I have a 12.5k northern tool pto generator mounted on a carry all / platform, and have had my hobart 235XL AC mounted with it when I was building the farm up before we had power run out here. I used to to weld on gates and such or power up the well. Never tried high settings.. but 6011 at 100a or so and on 1/8 rods ran just like it was on line power. I realize much of that has to do with the tractors governor ability to maintain rpm stability under load too... and not so much the generator itself or the welding machine..e tc.

just tossing that out as an observation of what i have experienced on my farm for light welding and water pump / power tool usage ( skill saws, 1/2" drills, etc.. ), and not a endorsement of any other specific suitability for use.. etc.

 

[Sodo]

Great topic Furu! I am also wondering what I can manage with my Honda EU3000iS which I use for backup power to the house for the essentials. I have a mechanical interlock so I can directly feed my service panel. Absolutely love this generator and it can be paired with another for a total of 6000watts. Dang expensive but by far the best generator I have used. Wondering if anyone has an idea of material thickness I could weld with 3000watts and 6000watts??? Oh and yes it is only 110v as far as I know.

I think 3000iS has a 230v outlet. Miller Tech said to weld 3/8" with the MultiMatic200 I'd need 7200W. I don't know how the 211 would behave. My pair of Honda EU2000i can weld on the 3/16" preset, but the generator overspeeds to get it going - tells me it's over the limit. I suspect with a single 3000iS you will be in the 14ga range maybe more(?) On 6000W it sounds like you might get to 5/16. A 2nd 3000iS is a lot of money, and another 76 lbs too but they are quiet!

 

[jwmorris]

I have ran my maxstar (inverter welder) off of two different generators, the way I made sure they were close enough to 60 cycles was hooking one leg of the power from the generator and another leg off of "land" power, going to an incondesent light bulb.

If the cycles are off the light will "pulse" when they are balanced it will function as normal.

Adjust the speed of the engine and go "high" and "low" then set in the middle.

It worked for me and I didn't have to get out an oscilloscope.