Cable Reels for Welding Trailer

GaryBDavis · Aug 14, 2005

I've seen a few welding trucks outfitted with hand crank cable reels for their welding leads. I've done the basic on-line searches, but don't find that many folks selling them for a decent price. I did find one company that makes them and sells direct on ebay. Still, they run $500 for a pair of them.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

MadReferee · Aug 14, 2005

Go to Harbor Freight and purchase a large capacity heavy duty air hose reel. They work just as well and usually cost less than $50.

If that doesn't fit the bill then buy a cheap one and use it as a design guide to build your own to your specs. If you can weld, you can build your own.

wroughtn_harv · Aug 14, 2005

Morning Gary.

I've got a set I made for those jobs where I don't want to move the truck or can't get access. One reel has two hundred feet on it. That's my stinger. The ground has only a hundred feet. I also have some fifty foot pieces I carry for odd situations. They all have Tweco connectors.

I used a set of eight inch boat trailer wheels and axle stubs I had extra laying around. I bolted up some aluminum discs to the faces and backs of the wheels so I could have the capacity.

They're great for putting the cable up but since I didn't build in a brake system not so great dispensing them. When you start pulling on the cable since they're ball bearing'd you end up with a pile of cable below the reel every time.

MikeIA · Aug 14, 2005

Are the reels so expensive because the wire is connected all the time, through a rotary contact in the hub?

I found this company online 10 years ago, but I've never had a project that wouls have required me to call and check prices:

Meridian Labs Rotary Contacts

I've taken wooden electrical spools apart and made them narrower, then used 2" black pipe for the axle.

Mike_C · Aug 14, 2005

>Go to Harbor Freight and purchase a large capacity heavy duty air hose reel.


Wouldn't you have the problem of the high current potentially welding the spindle (which is probably brass) such that it would not spin any more? It also may not be electrically conductive from the input fitting to the output fitting, because there may be rubber o-rings and/or poly fittings that insulate the input from the output. Unless you are just talking about using them to wind up the wire where in order to use it you would unwind it entirely then physically connect the cable to the welder, I could see many problems with this setup.

MadReferee · Aug 14, 2005

( Wouldn't you have the problem of the high current potentially welding the spindle (which is probably brass) such that it would not spin any more? It also may not be electrically conductive from the input fitting to the output fitting, because there may be rubber o-rings and/or poly fittings that insulate the input from the output. Unless you are just talking about using them to wind up the wire where in order to use it you would unwind it entirely then physically connect the cable to the welder, I could see many problems with this setup. )

I don't quite follow what you are trying to get at and furthermore, I don't see many problems at all. It all depends on how you connect the end that is first on the reel. You don't need to insulate anything at all. I have used a similar setup for my old oxy/ac hoses.

Mike_C · Aug 14, 2005

I meant that a hose reel does not have rotary contacts, such as those that MikeIA is referring to. Like a pull-down trouble light, they have contacts to carry the current while allowing the spool to turn. A hose reel does not have those.

GaryBDavis · Aug 15, 2005

I like the advice for making cable reels, but I think I'm beyond making them for this project. I need to find some good quality ones that aren't too price prohibitive and just buy them. I have to choose my shop challenges and cable reels aren't on today's list.

I'm looking for hand crank reels that have a center conductor rated for 300 amps or so. They need to hold 100' of 1/0 welding cable. Availability of replacement parts would be a good thing.

Of course, if you have cable reels for the welding leads, you need them for the cutting torch and don't forget one for the 120VAC cable. Now, you should really put all these reels in a tool box so they won't get wet and ruined when you drive down the road in the rain. Where will it ever end?

mopacman · Aug 15, 2005

The welding reels I have been around and maintaned over the last thirty five years have required a lot of maintance. They have a slip ring with brushes on them. When you are useing them the brushes set in one place on the slip ring. Under heavy curent the slip ring gets hot and the brushes burn into them. We no longer use them in our shop. We found it best to roll them up by hand.

uhmgawa · Aug 16, 2005

( The welding reels I have been around and maintaned over the last thirty five years have required a lot of maintance. They have a slip ring with brushes on them. When you are useing them the brushes set in one place on the slip ring. Under heavy curent the slip ring gets hot and the brushes burn into them. We no longer use them in our shop. We found it best to roll them up by hand. )

If a rotating contact is a "must have" one way
to make it more reliable is to add a cam-clamp
to the reel axle which is relaxed when (un)spooling
and locked shut when welding. Though this will
immobilize the reel when closed, it will allow a
reliable connection to be maintained. The contacts
here would be two large copper/brass "washers"
located on the axle and uniformly "jambed" into
contact when the cam lever is in a closed position.

The alternative is to punt on the rotating contact
and to locate a female dinse connector on an
outer side of the reel close to its periphery.
Connection can be made by a shrouded male
dinse plug. The shroud sleeve functions to
remove any potential excitement when the male
is disconnected and live. The shroud can also
serve to prevent rotation of the reel when engaged
by acting as an obstruction relative to the reel frame.

MikeIA · Aug 16, 2005

Just for fun I called Meridian Labs and asked about the cost of their MC-250 rotary contacts. (250 amps, single conductor)

$1900 each /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The pleasant fellow on the other end of the line assured me that they are very nice.

Gravy · Aug 16, 2005

Gary,

A lot depends on how often you will be using it. If the use will be infrequent, and you're...ummm..."thrifty" like me, I can think of a simple approach.

Get a cheap hose reel. Wind the cables with the inside ends hanging out a bit. Use appropriate quick connectors. Unwind the cables as far as you might need them, then connect to the welder and get to work. Unplug from the welder before rewinding.

If you need to use it a lot, you're probably better off buying whatever the pros use.

Gravy

BobG_in_VA · Aug 16, 2005

Anyone know what happens when you put a high amperage/voltage wire in a perfect/near perfect circle???? thats why real welding trucks don't use the air hose windups, but mearly drape them in a sort of an "oval". That's all I will say but you won't catch me using a circular welding cable holder for my Trailblazer. BobG in VA

fractal · Aug 17, 2005

( Anyone know what happens when you put a high amperage/voltage wire in a perfect/near perfect circle???? thats why real welding trucks don't use the air hose windups, but mearly drape them in a sort of an "oval". That's all I will say but you won't catch me using a circular welding cable holder for my Trailblazer. BobG in VA )

I am even worse. I wont' use an extension cord on a cord reel. I always take the entire cord off the reel and lay it on the ground, not perfectly coiled. The pattern is not as important as the spacing between the wires. A tightly wound coil of wire on a cord reel is a disaster waiting to happen.

And yes, I have seen melted gobs of wire and insulation on "cord reels". Just not mine.

bobodu · Aug 17, 2005

I fully agree with unwinding the extension cord all the way!!
Can't get the wife to understand...have taken to winding the cord with the male end first.

GaryBDavis · Aug 17, 2005

I'm guessing you guys are referring to the heat build up that a tightly wound cable can generate. One of the welding cable reel manufacturers had a note in their literature saying you should always unreel all the cable to prevent heat build up.

For the cable itself, I found a USA manufacturer that will sell directly to the customer. I'm getting 200 feet of 1/0 shipped to my door for less than $250. They are including my name on the printing stripe. They were even kind enough to send me a sample to check out before I ordered.

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm just going to make some ovals to manually wrap my cables on. Either that or just store them in the tool box.

MikeIA · Aug 17, 2005

( I'm guessing you guys are referring to the heat build up that a tightly wound cable can generate. One of the welding cable reel manufacturers had a note in their literature saying you should always unreel all the cable to prevent heat build up )

Also what is being referred to is the inductance created by having cable carrying high current coiled in a circle. I think you can avoid it somewhat by coiling the cable in your toolbox in a "figure eight" pattern ( also avoids introducing a twist in the cable so that it uncoils neatly)

GaryBDavis · Aug 17, 2005

That and it probably makes for a good electro-magnet. I do have a thing for rolling up my cables nice and neat. I have several nicknames for being like that. No one can help me put up my tools because everything has to be put back just right - especially the hoses and cables.

My new 1/0 welding cables come in tomorrow and I'll play with them to see if I like the way they roll up manually. If they are as nice and flexible as I think they will be, I'll probably just punt on the reels.

GaryBDavis · Aug 17, 2005

Whether I decide to use cable reels or not, I’d like some advice about storing the cables and hoses in or outside of a tool box. Most of the farmer’s welding trailers around here have simple hose and cable racks to manually wind up the cables on. Although I’ll be storing the welding trailer in a barn, it seems the cables and hoses would last longer if they were inside a tool box. I can make whatever size I need. I was thinking of a vertical cabinet with a front access door – kind of like my old school gym locker.

Decision, decisions…

One of the funnier/sadder things I’ve seen was a welding trailer going down the road with about 50 feet of a lead dragging the ground. The rod holder or ground clamp had long since disappeared and a frayed cable danced around on the pavement. A cabinet would help prevent that.