Solar AC/DC Welder

[George2615]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will try Northern, Century, and Lincoln sites for further info.

Bob E, That Century looks identical to mine.

Happy G, I did once see a pic of a guy welding using a solar array connected to a bank of batteries and an inverter.

 

[k0ua]

Why bother with the inverter.?. just hook up to 36 volts of your battery bank and put a stick in the stinger and strike your arc.. You can weld with two batteries at 24 volts, but 3 at 36 volts are better. Easier to strike the arc.

 

[George2615]

Lincoln already replied to my Email.
Now have manuals in hand. Thanks again.

 

[George2615]

Wired it up Monday after work and made a few test welds. Welder works like a charm. Welded great so I made up a cart to roll it around. Best $50. I ever spent.

 

[BukitCase]

George, considering you got probably $300 worth of leads in the deal, you could have tossed the welder in the trash and STILL came out - not that you'd ever DO that of course - my older Solar has lasted me 40 years so far, cost me $250 back in the '70's, and only came with 10' and 15' leads.

Deal ain't the word for it, but it RHYMES ...Steve

 

[k0ua]

Wired it up Monday after work and made a few test welds. Welder works like a charm. Welded great so I made up a cart to roll it around. Best $50. I ever spent.

Man, you did good.

 

[George2615]

Thanks guys. For the price I paid at the flea market I really didn't expect the welder to work (It's buyer beware at those types of sales) but I knew I could get my money back on the cables. This will save a lot of time from having to roll out the big welder.

 

[lilranch2001]

When I saw "solar" in the title my first thought was oh no here we go with a welding 3/8" plate with a solar powered welder thread :laughing:

I was going to comment I would never own a solar welding machine, I would throw it in the river
I would only have a wind powered welding machine

 

[wawajake]

I was going to comment I would never own a solar welding machine, I would throw it in the river
I would only have a wind powered welding machine

yes but then we would have Sodo telling us that he can weld in a breeze the same or better than in a hurricane.......and then we would need to test the wind with brain farts ......and someone would be full of hot air...etc etc

 

[Colonel Monk]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will try Northern, Century, and Lincoln sites for further info.

Bob E, That Century looks identical to mine.

Happy G, I did once see a pic of a guy welding using a solar array connected to a bank of batteries and an inverter.

Yeah, truth is, nobody ever welded anything strictly WITH solar unless it was a MAJOR installation - even then, you are generally drawing that much power off the battery bank. Welding with batteries? Of course!! Sure, you can use just batteries, but it's sure not as easy to dial in the proper voltage, and it will change as you weld and the batteries deplete.

I've got a 2000W continuous Magnum Energy Inverter/Charger in my RV, and it would power a small wire feed no problem, for short bursts of time, say 5-10 minutes. I would not use it for that unless I had to, but it could do it.

Just sayin....

That's a nice old Arc Welder, I swear with all the great old ones around I don't know why anybody would buy a NEW arc welder. I guarantee you the transformers in the old welders are way better than the new ones. Mig welding sure is simple though - I'm planning to add one to my shop for everything but the big welds.