In article , Gary Coffman wrote:
On 7 Nov 2003 08:35:13 -0800, (Mark) wrote:
....
I'm not an electrician but I have wired up my electrical box in my
garage but doesn't a 20 amp breaker on a welder seem low? The outlet
is a 50 amp outlet and I had planned on running 4AWG wire to it with a
50 amp double pole circuit breaker switch. Can this still be used
without doing any damage to the welder?

Yes. According to Code, the service panel breaker must be sized to
protect the premises *wiring*, not the load. With #4 wire, a 50 amp
breaker meets that criteria.
....
Also, the 4AWG wire I have is solid copper instead of stranded. Is
one better than the other?

Solid is better for the terminations used for circuit breakers
and outlets. Stranded really should only be used with terminals
designed for use with stranded wire (full crimp preferred). Gary

there are terminations for stranded wire, used by electrical
contractors. they look like just a barrel, they are crimped
on. code used to allow use of solder, too.

a co-worker almost got fired from GE when he connected main
power to a computer with stranded wire at a test station and
got a strand shorted. they had frayed out and were a bit
difficult to insert. they said he should have known that
the wires s/b crimped or solderd. no one else seemed to know.

--Loren