welder circuit

[Sberry]

Yes, a 211 falls in this class. It was explained why they still use 230 on the listing but I forget why at the moment but we use 120/240 in this country. I got to look at the IM230, don't recall the wire size. If it's a dedicated circuit, not shared with a dryer 10 can run many welders that require 50 breakers. There is allowance for it. Millions of them legal wired by masters for decades from old fuse panels in garages. They used 60 mainsput and 1 arm bandits on the feed thru taps for air comps usually 10 wire and used 10 cable from the range fuses for 50 service to a welder.

 

[Sberry]

The IM230 is a heavy machine. It requires 10 in pipe or 8 cable. It is a machine might be on my short list today. It wouldn't overheat a 10 with modest use, 035 c25 short circuit. But the 211 class mig are dandy on a 10/30. I have my small migs on 30 for their home circuits. With 12 or better wire they are allowed on up to 50 but lower breaker doesn't hurt.
No one really thinks the minimum wire of 14 is a great idea as it makes for complicated terminations at the recepts. If it's used with that it needs to be limited to 30. That's why a 10 is good. It's 2 sizes bigger than the machine requires and is listed as a size for a 6-50 recepts.

 

[arrow]

Yes, a 211 falls in this class. .

So would the Hobart 210 also reside in this domain?
I just need something that lays a good bead on 1/4" stuff w one pass.
The 120 v 140 amp welder for this thickness seems a bit wanting to me.

These welders can get pricey but I'd like to keep it in the $700-$900 range if possible.
The good welding machines even used, are commanding over a grand and more.

 

[Sberry]

The 210 is in this class. Its minimum wire is 14 on a max 30 breaker (single circuit in pipe) so it needs to be a size larger for cable and a 10 is 2 steps up, makes it an excelent circuit for that machine. I looked for giggles and the 230 is a heavy bugger, will output way more than its rating. Needs an 8 cable (10 in pipe) A 210 is a really good machine, can turn it up to do 1/4, enough to take the ripples right out. Hobart 210. Those would wet out even a bit better if the plate had been cleaned, I should have wire wheeled them after for a better view. I hadnt intended to show them like this at the time.

 

[arrow]

The 210 is in this class. Its minimum wire is 14 on a max 30 breaker (single circuit in pipe) so it needs to be a size larger for cable and a 10 is 2 steps up, makes it an excelent circuit for that machine. I looked for giggles and the 230 is a heavy bugger, will output way more than its rating. Needs an 8 cable (10 in pipe) A 210 is a really good machine, can turn it up to do 1/4, enough to take the ripples right out. Hobart 210. Those would wet out even a bit better if the plate had been cleaned, I should have wire wheeled them after for a better view. I hadnt intended to show them like this at the time.

Yeah that's what I want in a welder. Found it for $839 shipped. Thanks S.
Just bought the Miller $200 hood so I can see.
Miller Blue Rage Digital Performance Auto Darkening Welding Helmet for sale (2821) - Welding Supplies from IOC

 

[al3]

A book like this is invaluable when doing home wiring or trying to figure out thinks like adequate wire size. This one isn't expensive, and address both home, shop, and farm needs.



It walks you thru necessary thing to consider. Thinks like the length of wiring/cable run, amps required, and voltage drop/loss. Tables are simple to use. Includes provisions for things like starting motors, copper vs al wire, sheathed cable (romex, if you will) and conduit.




As a side benefit it will also explain the real world difference between neutrals and grounds, something often misunderstood.

Good luck

 

[Oldpath05]

I have two welders. Both small because of the lack of any appreciable service out to the garage. Both welders (one stick the other wire feed) are rated for 140 amps.
I have 10/2, 30 amp 220 circuitry there now.

The small, flux core wire feed I recently acquired has only a 115 plug (daughters pitched in for Christmas and did the best they could) but the 140 stick has a 50 amp terminal end.

CAN I BETTER THE MIG/FLUX TYPE WELDER THAT FITS THIS ELECTRICAL PROFILE THAN WHAT I CURRENTLY HAVE OR AM I STUCK AT 140 AMPS? Most welding done with 1/4" metal with occasional 3/8"-1/2" that the stick can handle. It was good enough to weld a 1" thick splitter wedge on w 1/8" 7018.

What is the limit to wire feed welder amperage output on a 30 amp breaker 220 circuit?

It's no longer 115 input volts, it's 120 input volts on one hot wire, 115 is on the low side, a multi-metor would show 118-121volts, standard house entrance is 240 volts to a 100-200 amp panel.

My Miller-matic 211 can run on 120 volts or 240 volts, its plugged into a 240 volt outlet on 10/2 wire, into 20-30 amp breaker. My old Miller Dialarc can run 480 but is set on 240 volts and also plugged into a 240 volt outlet on 100 amp entrance cable into a 80 amp breaker.

You small mig welder on 115- 120 volt cant be change, but if I understand you half right you want more weld heat out of it, so there is a way to get more heat out of a small mig welder by using a DC stick welder, which means you can go to a next size up mig wire. If your stick welder is a DC welder, disconnect the wire off the mig gun side, clamp the stick welder rod holder to that wire, use ground on stick welder and dont use ground on mig welder, the wire in mig welder stays hot like a welding rod so have to be careful with mig-gun placement, now you have more mig gun heat.

 

[workinonit]

I have an old Dialarc just like that that I don't use anymore. Have the tig gun as well. Mine has the water cooled option.

 

[arrow]

It's no longer 115 input volts, it's 120 input volts on one hot wire, 115 is on the low side, a multi-metor would show 118-121volts, standard house entrance is 240 volts to a 100-200 amp panel.

My Miller-matic 211 can run on 120 volts or 240 volts, its plugged into a 240 volt outlet on 10/2 wire, into 20-30 amp breaker. My old Miller Dialarc can run 480 but is set on 240 volts and also plugged into a 240 volt outlet on 100 amp entrance cable into a 80 amp breaker.

You small mig welder on 115- 120 volt cant be change, but if I understand you half right you want more weld heat out of it, so there is a way to get more heat out of a small mig welder by using a DC stick welder, which means you can go to a next size up mig wire. If your stick welder is a DC welder, disconnect the wire off the mig gun side, clamp the stick welder rod holder to that wire, use ground on stick welder and dont use ground on mig welder, the wire in mig welder stays hot like a welding rod so have to be careful with mig-gun placement, now you have more mig gun heat.

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Thanks OP (and al3 for your info)
Quite the trick there Old Path.
You are correct about wanting more heat. The puddle on the Forney Easy Weld 140 is almost non-existent. I bought a $200 Miller hood just to see it better. The Forney is prolly operational for sheet metal where you use .023 wire. Even .30 wire on 3/16th was a struggle for it.
I don't want to tell my daughters about the inadequacy of their gift for my uses as I think would be rotten of me. My stick welder produces a 10 times better bead. It was as if you had to learn to mig first to use the Forney welder in order to become a better stick welder instead of the other way around.

After seeing the quality welds of sberry's 210 Hobart, I attempted to purchase the 210 Hobart which the company said they ran out of but would give me a 190 Handler for $100 bucks off. So I took their offer of $679 for the 190.
I'm hoping that welder can produce just about the same bead as Sberry's 210 Hobart.

Anything has to be better than the Forney which you can't even use on a 220 volt circuit.

 

[Oldpath05]

I have an old Dialarc just like that that I don't use anymore. Have the tig gun as well. Mine has the water cooled option.

Yep can flip the bottom panel up on the Dialarc and hook a tig torch on. I dont really have a need for tig welding but wouldn't mind having one.