Extension Cord for welder
- Thread starter Sublifer
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undercut
Silver Member
I better get you to define "good power". I've got a multimeter if that is something that will help me with this determination. The plug is the dryer plug so it is about 40 feet away from the fuse box. All in all, about 100 feet from the fuse box to the welder. The dryer plug is connected to a 220v 30amp fuse. I won't be welding full throttle for any length of time - in fact, the welders I am looking at are no more than about 40% duty cycle at 30amp input. The human probably won't use more than 20amps at 30% duty cycle. :laughing:
Qapla
Veteran Member
We just used a 100' piece of lamp cord ... welder worked just fine ...
...............................until we turned it on and tried to use it ...
:laughing:
Just kidding ...
Make sure, if you put your own ends on your cord that you connect them properly and NEVER trim some of the wires off just to fit them into a smaller connector then the wire is designed for.
...............................until we turned it on and tried to use it ...
:laughing:
Just kidding ...
Make sure, if you put your own ends on your cord that you connect them properly and NEVER trim some of the wires off just to fit them into a smaller connector then the wire is designed for.
undercut
Silver Member
I almost had my jaw on the ground there for a moment .... :laughing:
Already looking for connectors with the proper amperage rating .... Thanks for all of your help but I gotta Google .... can't get a welder without some way to power the thing!
With the price of welder extensions cords, it might be worth finding a cheap engine-driven welder, with a bad engine, and adapting it to your tractor PTO, 3pt or trailer mounted
Bruce
From
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=47087
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Bruce
From
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=47087
More
Last edited:
sandman2234
Super Member
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What about adding longer welding leads to the welder? I went with 50' on my positive eletrode and 20' on the ground. Figured I could use a piece of angle iron (20') to extend the ground when work got to far from the tombstone welder. I think #4 copper welding leads can be squeezed into the face of a Lincoln welder. I have a bunch of two 00 welding leads but is too much to drag around for the buzzbox. I do use them with the bigger welder.
If you make up an extension cord for the welder, consider adding a 120v plug along with the 220v so you can run a grinder off the same cord, so you don't have to run an addition cord out to where your working (unless you have 120 in the shop closer)
David from jax
If you make up an extension cord for the welder, consider adding a 120v plug along with the 220v so you can run a grinder off the same cord, so you don't have to run an addition cord out to where your working (unless you have 120 in the shop closer)
David from jax
undercut
Silver Member
Extending the welding leads would be more expensive for me and I'm on a tight budget.
Yes, I've got 120v much closer so I'm OK there. I was thinking about that too!
Thanks for the ideas!
maybe a stupid idea, but I was thinking about throwing together some special ends that would use 2 110volt extension cords, unmodified to carry a higher amp 220volt power.
I imagine using hot 1 through both the hot and neutral of 1 cord, and hot 2 through the hot and neutral of the other cord, and grounds would be ground for both of them.
Id separate them like that instead of running both hots in each cord so you wouldn't fry anything if someone plugs a normal 120 volt tool into one of the cords on accident.
the best thing about this idea is you wouldn't be chopping up extension cords, and could still use them normally.
I imagine using hot 1 through both the hot and neutral of 1 cord, and hot 2 through the hot and neutral of the other cord, and grounds would be ground for both of them.
Id separate them like that instead of running both hots in each cord so you wouldn't fry anything if someone plugs a normal 120 volt tool into one of the cords on accident.
the best thing about this idea is you wouldn't be chopping up extension cords, and could still use them normally.
undercut
Silver Member
No idea should be labeled stupid if it is being presented for discussion. I hate the idea of chopping cords too. Interesting idea.
Thinking out loud here, haven't thought it out thoroughly but by combining two of the wires in a cable, you can get away from using a thicker wire by combining two thinner wires in each extension cord. You would need to make some custom pigtails that would eventually combine the two extension cords at each end, though.
I'm going to make a dedicated cord, myself. I don't want any more connector losses than necessary. If you are interested in what I plan do to, let me know - don't want to bore you unnecessarily.
sandman2234
Super Member
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Hmmm, just for thought...one cord has a slightly higher resistance than the other, which leads to a restriction, or heat buildup, thereby causing more resistance in that wire than the other, which in turn causes the other one to have to handle more amperage, heating it up more, causing more resistance, amperage flips back to the other... oh heck, a person could drive themselves crazy (or in my case, crazier) trying to figure that one out from a technocol aspect. No wonder electricians make so much money, lol, as they have to content with all of our "can we do it cheaper another way" ideas.
Trust me, I understand limited budgets, but learned many years ago not to scrimp on wire when it is carrying voltage to a welder (or anything else). Do what you can with what you have, but when it comes to the right wire for the job, save up till you can do it right. That is one of the times when doing it over a second time is a bad idea, because you could be sifting the ashes of a home from an electrical fire instead of just buying a length of larger wire.
David from jax
Trust me, I understand limited budgets, but learned many years ago not to scrimp on wire when it is carrying voltage to a welder (or anything else). Do what you can with what you have, but when it comes to the right wire for the job, save up till you can do it right. That is one of the times when doing it over a second time is a bad idea, because you could be sifting the ashes of a home from an electrical fire instead of just buying a length of larger wire.
David from jax
undercut
Silver Member
I'd be a bit more concerned about the custom pigtails. The heat buildup may or may not cause a fire - given how much current is being used and the duty cycle where it might allow the cord to cool down but the pigtails would certainly be an electrocution hazard if only one cable was plugged into one side but the other side had both cables plugged in. Somewhere along the line, one end has exposed terminals. (think about it). Using two extension cords should be be considered a theoretical exercise as opposed to a recommendation.
undercut
Silver Member
The poster was wondering if he could use two extension cords but still be able to use them for conventional use. If he does that, he would need to make two pigtails, one for each side. Each pigtail would need to combine two extension cords. One pigtail to the 220v outlet. One pigtail to the welder. If one extension cord is only plugged in one end, there will be a male plug somewhere in the setup that potentially would be live and its blades exposed.
If the welder was blasting away while someone pulled the plug, yes I could see how 110 might potentially hit someone, but even then, it would only be a danger for the instant it was opened (after that, the welder would shut down, wouldn't it?), but extension cord could be as dangerous in that instant. I've been shocked before unplugging a normal cord
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
This is all foolishness. a 6/3 SO rated cord is about $ 2.80/foot at my supply house. So a 50 foot length of proper sized welder cord will cost a whopping $140.00.. This cord is heavy duty, work rated wire that can have trucks drive over it, wood fall on it, etc and keep working 24/7.
It not some patched together extension cords that can fray and crack in cold weather, or short out if someone drives over it.
This wire will last 50 years and be hassle free.
I have such a wire on my welder. It was on my old welder that finally wore out after nearly 20 years of use. i kept the wire and threw out the welder. The wire still looks new.
so lets forget about all the ways to get around the proper materials
It not some patched together extension cords that can fray and crack in cold weather, or short out if someone drives over it.
This wire will last 50 years and be hassle free.
I have such a wire on my welder. It was on my old welder that finally wore out after nearly 20 years of use. i kept the wire and threw out the welder. The wire still looks new.
so lets forget about all the ways to get around the proper materials
undercut
Silver Member
I agree. I should have known better than to get into a theoretical discussion when it comes to safety.
AmericanTractorDriver
Bronze Member
Is the local electrical distibutor also the best place for the cable ends? Any reason not to use ends compatible with normal interior (i.e. clothes dryer) 220 plugs? I purchased a used AC225 Lincoln welder and plan to replace the 6' pigtail as well as make an extension cord. Thanks!
patrick_g
Elite Member
You may pay a little more buying from a welding specialty shop but my experience with 220VAC receptacles from Lowes and the like has been marginal at best. The cheap plastic plugs and receptacles are fine for hooking up a water heater every 20 years but for extension cord use and abuse??? The best luck I have had is to use a metal J-box to enclose what was intended to be a wall mount receptacle. The receptacles intended for extension cord use (not enclosed in metal) just don't last getting dropped on the floor, stepped on etc. regardless their source.
Good luck to you on your welding adventure,
Pat
Good luck to you on your welding adventure,
Pat
