Click on this (IT WILL TAKE A MINUTE TO LOAD)

http://www.motherearthrecycling.net/.../demo/demo.htm

to here the load a 1/8 7018 rod puts on a 12 HP Briggs running an
alternator welder. 12 HP is about the cut off point. Now this is NOT a buzz
box on a gen. Its a belt driven car alternator working its ass off. The
sample in the photo are poor, I have done some real nice welds with this set
up.
"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 23:34:39 GMT, RoyJ wrote:

The Lincoln buzz box runs at about 25 volts while welding. If your
generator can really put out 5500 continuous, that works out to 220
amps.

No. Look at the V-A curves for buzzboxes. The OCV is about 80
volts, indicating a transformation ratio of about 0.364 : 1.
Inductive impedance in the welder reduces the arc voltage to about 25
volts, but the current ratio will still be about 0.364 : 1, which
means about 45 amps of line current at 125 amps of arc current.
The genny is rated in watts to resistive loads like lighting, but it's
limitation is really current.

Transformation ratio changes some at the higher current taps. OCV is
lower on them. So the welder might run on a 50 amp breaker at higher
arc currents, but the line current doesn't diminish much at lower arc
currents.

Further, a genny has a lot less patience than a circuit breaker. You
can run a 50 amp breaker at 25% overload for quite a while before it
trips, but that isn't true of a genny.