wiring for welding

[Inspector507]

The picture is on this post. Now that I look at it and google the 6-50R one they look to be the same. So no range plug.

Yes that is a welder plug, a NEMA 6-50P which mates to the NEMA 6-50R that welders should be using.

 

[patrick_g]

Yes that is a welder plug, a NEMA 6-50P which mates to the NEMA 6-50R that welders should be using.

Ah, Yup! That is what comes on the Lincoln Buzz boxes. I think I recall they are rated for up to 250 volts and 50 amps so they are "T H E T H I N G" for your application.

Basement door to the outside. Good deal. Fan... good deal.
Wiring you can take with you.. Good deal.

Depending on the length of the wiring run you still don't want to cut the "ampacity" too close.

I have started a few fires in my time while welding and witnessed several others. The guy in the dark helmet looking through a glass, darkly, doesn't have a clue that he has started a fire. Once I was standing in a grass fire my sparks started and didn't know it till the heat built up enough to make an impression. I am reminded every time I look at the "customized" cord on my MIG.

Sounds to me like you have the situation scoped out for getting started. Go for it but BE SAFE.

Pat

 

[KubotainNH]

Yeah, I started some leaves on fire once before. They were under the ramp to my shed, that'll get the adrenaline flowing. I now have an auto-darkening helmet so when I pause I can actually see stuff. Very good investment.

 

[gemini5362]

I have one of the cheap autodarkening helmets from Harbor Freight, they are about 49.95. I use one of the expensive ones that we have at work they are 150 + to be honest I cannot see any difference between the two except the harbor freight helmet you can adjust the darkness intensity with a knob.

 

[patrick_g]

I have one of the cheap autodarkening helmets from Harbor Freight, they are about 49.95. I use one of the expensive ones that we have at work they are 150 + to be honest I cannot see any difference between the two except the harbor freight helmet you can adjust the darkness intensity with a knob.

I have had two of them. I loaned one of them to a friend a few years ago. I have the battery operated kind rather than the solar powered kind. Eventually you have to change the batts (a couple AAA) but not very often so it is no big deal. I get a few years out of a change. It is adjustable from #9 to #12 and is about a #4-5 when in the light state.

I have only two minor complaints:

1. if you turn it off to try to use it for a #4-5 for plasma cutting the LCD does not "play nice" and soon gets all mottled. It snaps back into proper condition as soon as it is switched on but I wish its "off" state were more stable.

2. If you want to leave the helmet on for protection for a bit of grinding the sparks cause the unit to darken, then it relaxes back to its clear state then a spark will darken it and so forth. Not ideal.

I guess a good thing would be a flip up window with protective glass that stayed in place. You'd have the best of both worlds, protection with a good view for grinding and then when you lowered the auto unit back down you'd have automatic welding protection.

Pat

 

[KubotainNH]

Hmm, I think mine is a Hobart. It has 2 adjustments, one for darkness and one for sensitivity I think or maybe it's speed of darkening. I never tried it for grinding but I may have to just for curiousity sake. Mine has solar cells that charge the batteries. It's so much better than my flip up.

 

[2manyrocks]

Usually an auto welding helment is not used for grinding because its too expensive to mess up by grinding with it.

I figured the wiring part of this discussion would finally come to a conclusion. What worries me is that arc welding generates a lot of fumes and a fair amount of sparks. So I'm not a fan of welding inside a basement. At least with an arc welder, you can weld outside although I'm not sure what else you have outside that might catch fire. For me, I see better outside to weld anyway. I've read where some people say they won't leave an area where they've welded for at least 30 minutes just in case a spark got behind something and could start a fire.

The poster who cautioned about not welding around gas or other flammable items makes a good point, too.

 

[patrick_g]

Usually an auto welding helment is not used for grinding because its too expensive to mess up by grinding with it.

Any GOOD welding protection type filter such as the auto darkening unit or gold plated glass for TIG or whatever should be itself protected by a protective cover. These clear protective covers take all the abuse of sparks and are changed out when they interfere with a good view. With a disposable protective cover over your auto-darkening unit there is no particular reason not to use it for grinding except the reasons I listed in my previous post.

Regarding the adjustments on auto-darkening units. None have adjustable switch times (how long they take to get dark.) Faster is ALWAYS better. The adjustments are shade (darkness) and delay time (the time the unit stays dark after it no longer detects welding.)

One curious thing I have noted is that sometimes if I point the unit toward the sun it will "flutter" switch back and forth between dark and light several times a second. Doesn't hurt anything and it always resumes normal ops again when not aimed at the sun.

Pat

 

[Highbeam]

I bought the wire for my second welder plug installation, different houses, just last night. The code allows small wire but I choose to exceed code and use 6 gauge wire on a 50 amp circuit. This not only exceeds code but allows me to use 50 amps someday should I decide to add a subpanel, an air compressor, or something else to the circuit. 10 gauge wire is about a third of the cost per foot and I bought a roll of that too for running a 30 amp generator backfeed circuit. Lots of copper in the truck.

 

[patrick_g]

The code allows small wire but I choose to exceed code and use 6 gauge wire on a 50 amp circuit. This not only exceeds code but allows me to use 50 amps someday should I decide to add a subpanel, an air compressor, or something else to the circuit.

The peace of mind from a safe and efficient installation is a GOOD THING and easy expandability without obsoleting a (just barely meets code) installation is actually more economical of your time as well as $. Like you I don't want to have any, "it probably won't catch on fire" circuits that won't support any likely upgrades. I have watched this same sceanario a couple times... Get welder, jury rig the power, get a bigger welder (didn't buy enough welder the first time) re-jury rig the power, etc. Lather rinse repeat. In the effort to "save money" it turned out as much or more money was spent, more time was wasted, and the final result was still a jury rig.

How do projects go so wrong? A little bit more every time, never taking the time or spending the $ to do it well so you get to do it again.

Pat
Pat