Home Improvement/DIY Projects

Chocolate Lab

Chocolate Lab

Kuato Lives
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
28,948
UncleMilti said:
Glad you got it figured out. Normally it’s the outlet and normally an electrician will take everything apart and test the wires exposed bypassing the outlet.
So what’s the plan…you going to run 10ga from the breaker to a new outlet for the welder?
Click to expand...
Yep, that's what he did. Really, I could have done that, but it's okay, at least I got an expert's diagnosis on the low amp question and a little education.

And the wires were/are 10 ga, but they should be at least 8 for 50 amps, and at that length of run they shouId be a 6. He showed me where in the shop how far from the breaker he thought 8 would work, and I could run a closer outlet, but I probably won't do anything. Like my dad said, they did a lot of welding back there the way it is now and never had a problem with the breaker tripping or anything, just have to crank the machine 50 or so amps higher than what it should be. :lol It's already a good setup with a couple of welding tables and everything in a nice open area. Unfortunately the breaker is in a terrible location way back in a corner of the building and even if I ran 8 somewhere closer it would be kind of an awkward place. I probably should learn to weld decently first anyway.

That said, I might end up doing it anyway. You may see me asking how to figure out that ancient breaker box here in a few weeks or months. :lol Thanks for asking.
 
Last edited:
roughneck266

roughneck266

DCC 4Life
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Messages
2,827
Chocolate Lab said:
Yep, that's what he did. Really, I could have done that, but it's okay, at least I got at expert's diagnosis on the low amp question and a little education.

And the wires were/are 10 ga, but they should be at least 8 for 50 amps, and at that length of run they shouId be a 6. He showed me where in the shop how far from the breaker he thought 8 would work, and I could run a closer outlet, but I probably won't do anything. Like my dad said, they did a lot of welding back there the way it is now and never had a problem with the breaker tripping or anything, just have to crank the machine 50 or so amps higher than what it should be. :lol It's already a good setup with a couple of welding tables and everything in a nice open area. Unfortunately the breaker is in a terrible location way back in a corner of the building and even if I ran 8 somewhere closer it would be kind of an awkward place. I probably should learn to weld decently first anyway.

That said, I might end up doing it anyway. You may see me asking how to figure out that ancient breaker box here in a few weeks or months. :lol Thanks for asking.
Click to expand...
Probably be cheaper to buy a newer inverter machine anyway. Likely allow you to use a much wider array of rods, which, in turn will allow you to weld better. Heck you can find Millers on FB marketplace all the time way cheaper than running a #6 cable 50 feet.
 
Chocolate Lab

Chocolate Lab

Kuato Lives
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
28,948
roughneck266 said:
Probably be cheaper to buy a newer inverter machine anyway. Likely allow you to use a much wider array of rods, which, in turn will allow you to weld better. Heck you can find Millers on FB marketplace all the time way cheaper than running a #6 cable 50 feet.
Click to expand...
Very true. I like the idea of using this old machine, but no point in spending hundreds of dollars to use it. It is nothing short of shocking how expensive wire is now. Just 25 ft of 8/3 is over $100.

Since you're here, is DC really that much easier/smoother than AC? I have to admit, a part of me likes the idea of doing it the older/tougher way first like people used to have to do.
 
roughneck266

roughneck266

DCC 4Life
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Messages
2,827
Chocolate Lab said:
Very true. I like the idea of using this old machine, but no point in spending hundreds of dollars to use it. It is nothing short of shocking how expensive wire is now. Just 25 ft of 8/3 is over $100.

Since you're here, is DC really that much easier/smoother than AC? I have to admit, a part of me likes the idea of doing it the older/tougher way first like people used to have to do.
Click to expand...
It is smoother and easier to weld for me. AC limits the kinds of rods you can use. Here on the rig, we dont weld anything with AC anymore. Most of the rods we use here, are used specifically because they aren't as bad about contamination, though. We use a lot of +P+ out here because it basically doesnt care if there is rust still there, it will burn right through it and you can still get a decent weld with it. If you want to use Low Hydrogen like 7018, it will work much better with DC than it does with AC as well. You welds will be prettier without a doubt. Keep in mind, this is all stick welding I am referring to. We do have a MIG machine here, and as far as easy to get pretty goes, that is definitely the way to go. I can teach a retarded baboon to weld with a good MIG machine. lol Of course there is flux core, but I haven't ever used any, too much splatter from what I have see.
 
Chocolate Lab

Chocolate Lab

Kuato Lives
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
28,948
roughneck266 said:
It is smoother and easier to weld for me. AC limits the kinds of rods you can use. Here on the rig, we dont weld anything with AC anymore. Most of the rods we use here, are used specifically because they aren't as bad about contamination, though. We use a lot of +P+ out here because it basically doesnt care if there is rust still there, it will burn right through it and you can still get a decent weld with it. If you want to use Low Hydrogen like 7018, it will work much better with DC than it does with AC as well. You welds will be prettier without a doubt. Keep in mind, this is all stick welding I am referring to. We do have a MIG machine here, and as far as easy to get pretty goes, that is definitely the way to go. I can teach a retarded baboon to weld with a good MIG machine. lol Of course there is flux core, but I haven't ever used any, too much splatter from what I have see.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I found a big box of old 6011s, which is mostly what we used because it would burn through rust, corrosion, dirt, whatever. I did get some 7018 ACs to try but never even got to them before my machine acted up.

And same here, I'm really only interested in stick welding. That's all I was familiar with from seeing it on my grandpa's rural places and on the construction sites. My dad bought a Miller wire welder for sheet metal in probably the mid 2000s or so but I'm not interested in that. I'd just mess around making some weight equipment, stuff like that, nothing that needs to be too pretty anyway.
 
UncleMilti

UncleMilti

This seemed like a good idea at the time.
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
18,692
roughneck266 said:
Probably be cheaper to buy a newer inverter machine anyway. Likely allow you to use a much wider array of rods, which, in turn will allow you to weld better. Heck you can find Millers on FB marketplace all the time way cheaper than running a #6 cable 50 feet.
Click to expand...
Yeah those inverter welders are nice. I bought a little HF mig welder to do Resto work on a 67 C10 I’m building and it’s an inverter. My main unit is an ESAB and it has to be plugged in no more that 20 feet from a 220/240 outlet. So it’s limited on where I can use it. Also have a big Miller TIG unit, same thing it’s gotta be 10-15 feet from the outlet.
 
roughneck266

roughneck266

DCC 4Life
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Messages
2,827
UncleMilti said:
Yeah those inverter welders are nice. I bought a little HF mig welder to do Resto work on a 67 C10 I’m building and it’s an inverter. My main unit is an ESAB and it has to be plugged in no more that 20 feet from a 220/240 outlet. So it’s limited on where I can use it. Also have a big Miller TIG unit, same thing it’s gotta be 10-15 feet from the outlet.
Click to expand...
ESAB sure makes a good welder though. I use a little Miller 140 at home. Works fine, it's cheap, and it will run on 110 or 220 although it's noticeably better on 220. Little thing weighs almost nothing too. I had a Lincoln Tombstone for years, AC only, I probably burned at least half a ton of 6011 rods with that little thing, but it would give you a hernia trying to move it around. lol
 
Chocolate Lab

Chocolate Lab

Kuato Lives
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
28,948
roughneck266 said:
I had a Lincoln Tombstone for years, AC only, I probably burned at least half a ton of 6011 rods with that little thing, but it would give you a hernia trying to move it around. lol
Click to expand...
There are some pretty cool videos on youtube of guys picking those up off the side of the road, out of fields, paying 20 bucks for them, whatever, and fixing them up to work like new again. They're almost indestructible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom