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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
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ARC Welder Power
I recently bought a used arc welder that runs on 230V AC, 60Hz, single
phase. It did not come with a male plug, so I purchased one (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010590.JPG). Unfortunately, the diameter of the power cord on the welder is too small to be clamped down by the male plug (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010591.JPG). Also, the female outlet I was hoping to use requires 4 prongs (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010592.JPG). Can I buy a 4 prong male plug and use it in this female outlet? If so, how would I wire it to the welder's power cord? Why is the power cord on the welder so thin compared with other heavy appliances in my home such as the dryer cable? |
#2
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ARC Welder Power
It looks like you have one of the newer 4-prong 220-240V single-phase
receptacles, and an older 3-prong plug. The 4-prong ones include a neutral, so if you have an electric dryer or stove which also requires 120V for its control circuitry it's available via one hot leg and the neutral. You should be able to buy one of the 4-prong plugs at any hardware store. Wire the two hots and the ground terminals but leave the neutral terminal disconnected. If your existing receptacle is wired correctly then the W (white/neutral) terminal is the one you'll leave empty. How many amps does the welder draw at 230V (look at the nameplate near the cord inlet)? That plug style is usually rated for 50A, but if your welder draws a lot less (20A or so) then that would explain the smaller wire. See if you can read the markings on the power cord to determine what gauge the wire is; there's always a chance that someone rewired it but used the wrong stuff. I like to open up the cover to double-check where the wires go before connecting any piece of used equipment like a welder or machine tool. You'll want to make sure that the hots and ground all go to the right places, and that the transformer taps are properly jumpered if it's configurable for multiple input voltages. Mike |
#3
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ARC Welder Power
Thanks for the advice Mike. From what I can see from the specs, the
welder draws 40 amps at max power. It looks like the power cord is probably 14 gauge. |
#4
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ARC Welder Power
Thanks for the advice Mike. From what I can see from the specs, the
welder draws 40 amps at max power. It looks like the power cord is probably 14 gauge. All the 14-gauge 3-conductor service cords I see listed are only rated for 18A. Grant's point was that the cord is sized for 40% duty cycle (40A times 40% = 16A average current). But the heat generated in the cord is a function of the current squared, so if you put through double the current you're creating 4 times the heat. That gives you 4 times as much heat 40% of the time, and no heat 60% of the time, which is equivalent to 1.6 times as much heat all the time. If it were me I'd rewire it with at least a 10-gauge SOOW cord (30A, oil resistant, outdoor rated). Mike |
#5
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ARC Welder Power
If it were me...
I would hit the local home supply store's electrical aisle for a replacement stove or dryer cord that fits the wall outlet. Both are at least 30 amp rated and a lot better than what you have. "Mike Vande Weghe" wrote in message ... Thanks for the advice Mike. From what I can see from the specs, the welder draws 40 amps at max power. It looks like the power cord is probably 14 gauge. All the 14-gauge 3-conductor service cords I see listed are only rated for 18A. Grant's point was that the cord is sized for 40% duty cycle (40A times 40% = 16A average current). But the heat generated in the cord is a function of the current squared, so if you put through double the current you're creating 4 times the heat. That gives you 4 times as much heat 40% of the time, and no heat 60% of the time, which is equivalent to 1.6 times as much heat all the time. If it were me I'd rewire it with at least a 10-gauge SOOW cord (30A, oil resistant, outdoor rated). Mike |
#6
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ARC Welder Power
You are likely to find a power cord from a dryer or stove at the
Goodwill or other thift store with the plug that will work. Dan |
#8
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ARC Welder Power
Remove the metal strain relief, turn it around, then screw it together. I
had to do this with my spot welder. The following may not make any sense, but I'll try anyway. The clamp on your plug looks like this right now: ( ) You want it to look like this: (( wrote in message oups.com... I recently bought a used arc welder that runs on 230V AC, 60Hz, single phase. It did not come with a male plug, so I purchased one (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010590.JPG). Unfortunately, the diameter of the power cord on the welder is too small to be clamped down by the male plug (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010591.JPG). Also, the female outlet I was hoping to use requires 4 prongs (see http://home.cogeco.ca/~dmikula2/P1010592.JPG). Can I buy a 4 prong male plug and use it in this female outlet? If so, how would I wire it to the welder's power cord? Why is the power cord on the welder so thin compared with other heavy appliances in my home such as the dryer cable? |
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