110 MIG Power cord

[kneedeep]

I read somewhere that installing a larger size power cord on small 110 MiG welders will increase the weld time.

Can a 15' 10/3 extension cord wired in to the unit as the power cord damage it? I just about always use the extension cord to weld small stuff or tack up work to be stick welded. The power cord is a 12 GA about 6' long.

:confused3:

 

[Arc weld]

As long as you use a sufficient size of power cord, it won't make a difference. Running a length of extension cord is more likely to reduce the already limited output of a 110 volt welder. Duty cycle is duty cycle, a cord has nothing to do with duty cycle.

 

[kneedeep]

Thanks
No need to wire the extension cord if it does more harm than good

 

[Gary Fowler]

Your extension cord should be rated to carry what ever the breaker size is. Longer that about 25 feet might need to up the wire size a bit to compensate for the loss of voltage. Larger isn't going to hurt a thing, too small will starve the machine for energy but not likely harm it like it would an electric motor. Running them on a long underrated cord will burn them up pretty quickly. Does your machine have a cooling fan? If so low voltage to it could be cause for it running slower and not cooling the machine properly.

It is always a good idea to consult electrical charts for up-sizing cords more than 25 feet in length. Electricity is similar to water running thru a pipe, the longer the run, the more resistance it encounters and the less pressure (voltage on wire)

 

[ThomasH]

I read somewhere that installing a larger size power cord on small 110 MiG welders will increase the weld time.

Can a 15' 10/3 extension cord wired in to the unit as the power cord damage it? I just about always use the extension cord to weld small stuff or tack up work to be stick welded. The power cord is a 12 GA about 6' long.

:confused3:

I would look at the specs of your unit and go from there. The lighter consumer oriented welders are commonly wired with a shorter and undersized cord. The assumption is that such a short cord won't effect the output much, and is cheaper. I would size a cord around specifications, and the length (up to 25 feet or so) won't effect the size. Having one plugged into an extension cord can have a significant effect however, depending on how good the connections in the plugs and receptacles are. This is why most operators manuals that I have seen tell you not to plug the welder into an extension cord if you can plug it directly into the wall.

So yes, having a longer cord is a better alternative to an extension cord, and a 10 gauge cord may be warranted to help deal with the inrush current when starting the weld. You didn't state what model your unit is, and whether it was inverter or transformer based. Inverter units try to keep the output energy stabilized when the voltage sags by drawing more current on the input size, so a larger power cord helps with this.

 

[dragoneggs]

Your extension cord should be rated to carry what ever the breaker size is. Longer that about 25 feet might need to up the wire size a bit to compensate for the loss of voltage. Larger isn't going to hurt a thing, too small will starve the machine for energy but not likely harm it like it would an electric motor. Running them on a long underrated cord will burn them up pretty quickly. Does your machine have a cooling fan? If so low voltage to it could be cause for it running slower and not cooling the machine properly.

It is always a good idea to consult electrical charts for up-sizing cords more than 25 feet in length. Electricity is similar to water running thru a pipe, the longer the run, the more resistance it encounters and the less pressure (voltage on wire)

As Gary said, bigger than necessary won't hurt... other than your wallet. Undersized at a minimum will cause heat and loss of efficiency. Worse of course is burning up something. Distance is a big factor. Look at power loss vs. distance.

 

[BethelHntr]

When I ran my old 110v lincoln on any extension cord big or small it just didn't weld right, It lost what little power it had in the first place.

 

[radioman]

I read somewhere that installing a larger size power cord on small 110 MiG welders will increase the weld time.

Can a 15' 10/3 extension cord wired in to the unit as the power cord damage it? I just about always use the extension cord to weld small stuff or tack up work to be stick welded. The power cord is a 12 GA about 6' long.

:confused3:

Forget the first statement you made. you cant get something out of nothing. The 110 mig is already has its limits and there is no way to increase the limits with a larger cord. If it did, everybody would be doing this. You can however, use a larger wire then the cord the 110 mig already has to keep the extension cord cooler. It can handle the amperage without heating up so much from less resistance.

For what you are doing now using 10 wire on your 110 mig 12 wire over 15 foot long is fine. Its not like you are maxing out the duty cycle all day long so you can put your mind at ease and not worry about it any more.

 

[Sodo]

Your machine has a 12ga cord, 6 feet long. (I think) You are asking if exchanging to a thicker 10ga, but longer (15 foot) cord for portability reasons could be detrimental to performance.

Here is an analysis from an internet voltage drop calculator showing both cord configurations that you mentioned. Voltage at the end goes from 119.6v to 119.4v with the 15 foot cord, so miniscule it probably couldn't even be measured in real usage. If a 15ft cord makes your tool more useful, for a .2v difference, just do it.

IMHO, changing the cord is extra trouble that you couldn't possibly notice the benefits from. I have a 15-foot 12ga "RV cord" that I use often and have never noticed the difference (between "ext cord", & "direct"). I weld often with generators that are slightly undersized, and often need all the power I can get. Using the ext cord (or not) is not noticeable. And this is extended, in ADDITION to the 6 foot cord on the machine. A 12ga "RV cord" is a pretty hefty cord though it's about 1/2" diameter. I have not tried welding at full power with garden-variety extension cords but have often welded thinner stuff (like 1/8" etc) with garden-variety ext cords.

I don't think anybody can notice the difference in fractions of 1%. You certainly won't damage anything.

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EDIT: The 3rd part of the (new) pic shows the effect of added 12ga ext cord 15feet long for a total of 21 feet. The voltage drops from 120v to 118.67 (minus 1.33v) when welding at a full 20A, which is ONLY when you have the machine set for FULL POWER.