need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries

A.J. Venter wrote:
need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries


I did just that with my Lincoln crackerbox. I found four gigantic
diodes, from a surplus military aux. gen set. They were rated at 400
amps each. I created a full wave rectifier and located it in the top of
the crackerbox where there was space. Rerouted the output from the
transformer to feed the bridge. Placed plug ins for both AC and DC, and
put plugs on the cables. Now I can use AC or fully rectifiec DC and can
burn some very big electrodes easily. I burn 3/16 7018 with out any
effort, something I could not do easily before on AC. And on DC the weld
is very smooth.

Good luck.

George Vigneron

Check the back issues of Home Shop Machinist or Machinists
Workbench. They had a good article with part numbers/sources on
this.

GmcD

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:38:59 +0200, "A.J. Venter"
wrote:

need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries

since we are on this topic, I have a box full of suitable diodes and can
easily make a diode bridge. I do a fair amount of welding (for a home
owner) almost all of it at about 180 amps, making welded faceplates for wood
lathes. So my question to the group - will I see some benefit from making
my AC welder into DC? I get good welds now, but faster, better, easier is
always good, and I've never used DC.

bill n

"F. George McDuffee" wrote in message
...
Check the back issues of Home Shop Machinist or Machinists
Workbench. They had a good article with part numbers/sources on
this.

GmcD

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:38:59 +0200, "A.J. Venter"
wrote:

need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries

Thanks for the info but i am from South Africa and we do not get those books
here.
I shall appreciate it if you can give me more info
"F. George McDuffee" wrote in message
...
Check the back issues of Home Shop Machinist or Machinists
Workbench. They had a good article with part numbers/sources on
this.

GmcD

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:38:59 +0200, "A.J. Venter"
wrote:

need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries

See if there is a golf cart in the junk yard - maybe forklift...
The electric chargers are built in. That would give you a good set of
high current diodes.

Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



william_b_noble wrote:
since we are on this topic, I have a box full of suitable diodes and can
easily make a diode bridge. I do a fair amount of welding (for a home
owner) almost all of it at about 180 amps, making welded faceplates for wood
lathes. So my question to the group - will I see some benefit from making
my AC welder into DC? I get good welds now, but faster, better, easier is
always good, and I've never used DC.

bill n

"F. George McDuffee" wrote in message
...

Check the back issues of Home Shop Machinist or Machinists
Workbench. They had a good article with part numbers/sources on
this.

GmcD

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:38:59 +0200, "A.J. Venter"
wrote:


need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries





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If you have a weld schedule that works for your application using an AC
rod, you won't see much of any real benefit. On the other hand, if you
need a higher strength weld, less spatter, or are dealing with an alloy,
then DC may be helpful.

DC will give the same weld rate as AC so it is not faster. AC has more
spatter but if you machine it after welding, no big deal. DC tends to be
a bit easier to get nice welds, again, no great difference unless you
have some ugly position or fitup issues.

william_b_noble wrote:

since we are on this topic, I have a box full of suitable diodes and can
easily make a diode bridge. I do a fair amount of welding (for a home
owner) almost all of it at about 180 amps, making welded faceplates for wood
lathes. So my question to the group - will I see some benefit from making
my AC welder into DC? I get good welds now, but faster, better, easier is
always good, and I've never used DC.

bill n

"F. George McDuffee" wrote in message
...

Check the back issues of Home Shop Machinist or Machinists
Workbench. They had a good article with part numbers/sources on
this.

GmcD

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:38:59 +0200, "A.J. Venter"
wrote:


need plans to convert ac welder to dc
thanks andries

RoyJ wrote:
If you have a weld schedule that works for your application using an AC
rod, you won't see much of any real benefit. On the other hand, if you
need a higher strength weld, less spatter, or are dealing with an alloy,
then DC may be helpful.

DC will give the same weld rate as AC so it is not faster. AC has more
spatter but if you machine it after welding, no big deal. DC tends to be
a bit easier to get nice welds, again, no great difference unless you
have some ugly position or fitup issues.

Question: I vaguely recall reading that DC welding could cause hassles
with magnetic fields deflecting the electrons in the arc. Is that
valid? Is it limited to ferrous materials? Maybe it was just somebody
trying to sell an AC welder

Bill