6300 watt generator for 50 amp welder?

[npaden]

I'm always checking craigslist for stuff and there is a 6300w craftsman generator with electric start on there for $600 which seems like a pretty good deal. It has a 220v outlet but it is only a 20 amp outlet. Is there anyway to work it so that I could run my 50 amp 220v welder on it or should I just forget about that idea? I had thought that would be a great option for using the welder on tractor projects so I could just take the welder to the tractor or implement instead of having to pull everything into the barn.

Thanks in advance.

Nathan

 

[petegoud]

You might be able to wire it up to run your welder, buy ONLY for extremely light welding. If you happen to crank it up over the 20 amps you'll blow it's circuit breakers if your lucky. You might even fry the whole thing. I would recommend spending a few hundred more and picking up a unit that runs off your PTO, say 12,000 watts. You'll be able to do a lot more with that setup. That together with the whole tractor/generator setup will mean it's just too large for friends to put it in the back of their pickups to borrow. A gas powered generator will also burn through fuel about twice as fast as a diesel setup.

 

[RonMar]

Well that sounds kind of weird. 6300W divided by 240V = 26A. With a 20A breaker on the 240 circuit, that generater can't even deliver it's rated output. Are you sure that isn't a 5KW generator with a 6300W surge(which would again be iffy with that 20A breaker)? Most likley, the surge load when you strike an arc would pop that 20A breaker, even on a low weld amperage setting.

 

[Racer71]

npaden,

Your not even close at 20 amps.

 

[gerard]

My votes a no. I have an 8000w surge, 6500 watt continuos generator and I tried to do what you just described with my AC225 stick welder. Now I have a 30 amp outlet on the generator, run my whole house including a 220 volt well with no problem, but the welder was asking too much. I'd be ok on some really light stuff but couldn't really use any rod greater than 3/32.

 

[texasjohn]

Well, I have a 220V Miller 175 mig welder... and a Coleman generator 5500Watts continuous, 6500 surge. 20 amp breaker on the 220V outlet.

It welds just fine for me.... I'll admit that I've not tried to crank the welder to the max and kill the generator, but so far it's done all I've needed to do. I carefully looked at the Watts/amps needed and provided at various welding voltages. As I recall when I did the calculations, max amps required at 220 volts required by the welder at max setting was something like 19.5 amps... sure, close to the breaker max... but not quite there...

There have been a couple of threads on this topic in the past... there are others that have tried, successfully, to run welders on 5500 watt generators.

You didn't say if you have a tombstone stick or a mig welder....

As you can see, others experiences vary

 

[RonMar]

A MIG is a way different animal from a Stick welder. Completely different energy delivery scheme, and can be run on considerably less power.

 

[npaden]

Per the specs this is a 6300W continuous rated with a 9000W surge.

I would be trying to use a stick welder. Sounds like it wouldn't work.

I still may end up looking at it, I currently have a 3000W pull start generator and there have been a few outages where I was out of town and the wife couldn't pull it hard enough to get it started.

 

[MUDONTHETIRES]

Nathan,

I have a 5550 watt generator with a 8550 surge that has a 120/240 volt 30 amp receptacle. With the advice of some fine folks on this website, I was able to construct a 50 amp box with a cord that has a 30 amp connector attached. See the pic below. This setup allowed me to begin learning how to weld. I now have power in my barn but before that, the generator was my only source of welding power. I have a Lincoln AC225. Although not intended for that kind of use and the 30amp breaker trips from time to time with continuous welding, it still works with low amp welding or very quick welding tasks. It's very handy in a pinch when you're out in the field and you need portable welding power.

 

[texasjohn]

npaden..... for that generator, it's a good price... and if you can beat them down, it's getting into the bargin category.... that generator, if you have the true specs, is rather pricy.... particularly for an electric start... better act, if you are going to do so... before somebody else does.

If you actually seek a larger electic start generator, I predict you will either pay a LOT more $$ or wait a long time for a bargin to come along.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Nathan,

I have a 5550 watt generator with a 8550 surge that has a 120/240 volt 30 amp receptacle. With the advice of some fine folks on this website, I was able to construct a 50 amp box with a cord that has a 30 amp connector attached. See the pic below. This setup allowed me to begin learning how to weld. I now have power in my barn but before that, the generator was my only source of welding power. I have a Lincoln AC225. Although not intended for that kind of use and the 30amp breaker trips from time to time with continuous welding, it still works with low amp welding or very quick welding tasks. It's very handy in a pinch when you're out in the field and you need portable welding power.

This is my experience as well. I have a Coleman 4kW. It will power my 220A stick welder for light stuf but leaves you wanting more. If you can get the full 30Amps that should be available from a 6.3kW continuous you should able to power 1/8" 6011 rods quite well.
larry

 

[npaden]

I got a reply from the guy and he says the 220v outlet is a 30 amp outlet.

I need to decide or it is going to be gone. He's not budging on the price, it retails new for $1,200 and is only 1 year old with 1 year of warranty left on it.

 

[pat32rf]

We use a 6kw Onan to power my tombstone when we need to fix a gate or such. By making your cord (welder outlet) so it plugs into the 30amp 110/220 4wire outlet you get that little bit extra in current over the 20 amp 220v outlet. This amounts to about a 30% increase. Sure, we use a little lighter rod with more passes but it works great. If we go to a heavier rod we can trip the breaker, especially on hot days but it beats trying to cart the project back to a shop, welding it, returning it, then finding out it don't quite fit.
I'd say go for it. You probably will get more use out of the electric start for the household than field use anyway. Its not like you will be doing field repairs every day or production welding with it.

 

[texasjohn]

It's a deal. It's in good shape. You need it. It will do the occasional welding you need. You won't regret it.

Go ahead and get it... price is right.

 

[RonMar]

I got a reply from the guy and he says the 220v outlet is a 30 amp outlet.

I need to decide or it is going to be gone. He's not budging on the price, it retails new for $1,200 and is only 1 year old with 1 year of warranty left on it.

30A sounds more like it for that KW rateing Just looked at your website link, Nice log home!

 

[Eagleview]

I'm always checking craigslist for stuff and there is a 6300w craftsman generator with electric start on there for $600 which seems like a pretty good deal. It has a 220v outlet but it is only a 20 amp outlet. Is there anyway to work it so that I could run my 50 amp 220v welder on it or should I just forget about that idea? I had thought that would be a great option for using the welder on tractor projects so I could just take the welder to the tractor or implement instead of having to pull everything into the barn.

Thanks in advance.

Nathan

I did not know you could buy a stick welder that small . Do you mean 150 amp ? If so you will require a 7.5 KVA generator .

 

[npaden]

50 amps is the input rating. It has a 230 amp output rating.

Not exactly sure how that works but that's what it says!

P.S. - Looks like I'm getting the generator! Thanks for those who helped talk me into it!

Anyone want to buy a used 3,000w pull start generator?

 

[Eagleview]

Sorry , i forgot you guys where not 240 volt ac like us . But still ive never heard of a welder needing 50amp supply , our biggest single phase welders require 15amp supply .

 

[SPYDERLK]

Sorry , i forgot you guys where not 240 volt ac like us . But still ive never heard of a welder needing 50amp supply , our biggest single phase welders require 15amp supply .

Those must be small MIGs or something. 3600Watts wont do any heavy welding. 50A , 230VAC primary current is typical for 220A output on stick welders
larry

 

[Eagleview]

Those must be small MIGs or something. 3600Watts wont do any heavy welding. 50A , 230VAC primary current is typical for 220A output on stick welders
larry

My WIA 240 volt AC 160amp (output) stick welder is 15 amp input . I burnt out a new 5500watt generator trying to weld 1.5mm shed purlins together . I had to buy a new 8000watt generator to run it . I have since bought a 12000watt generator which powers it just right . Buy the time ive finished a 3.2mm rod it is (the rod) starting to glow red hot and the penetration is very good . The caracteristics must all be different with our 240 volt Ac compared with your 110? volt Ac .