Wards Powr-Kraft 230amp stick welder

California · Mar 7, 2005

Anybody recognise this? I just got it and have a lot of beginner's questions!

The plate indicates it will pull as much line current as a Lincoln AC-225 (50 amps) and output AC only. Low range ends at 175 amps. High range is up to 230 amps and that terminal says 'E6013 Electrodes Only'. Would that mean lower starting voltage?

Lots of questions: What thickness will it weld if run from a 30 amp outlet? If I don't set the slider past mid-scale will that still trip a 30 amp breaker as it starts?

Can you throttle this thing down to weld exhaust pipe?

Can you cut with it? What is the carbon arc good for?

And most important, is this as good a welder as a modern AC unit? The windings look huge. Its heavy, well over 100 lbs.

Next step planned is to dig out my old Lincoln 'Arc Welding Lessons for Home or Shop', buy a modern auto-darken hood, and see how to adapt from this strange 50 amp plug to my outlet. It may be simpler to put a clothes dryer cord on it.

Any advice welcome!

Deerlope · Mar 7, 2005

I have had and still have one of those for over 40 years. Doing exhaust pipe will be a little tricky if not impossible. A carbon arc is good for heating and not cutting. I have welded 1/8 up to 1/2" very well. I do think that mine is a little older. It will run on a 30 amp circuit, how long depend on where you got it set. Mine has always been on a 50 amp. It will run any AC rod up to 3/16" straight poliarity very well. At the time I bought mine it was said that 20th Century was making them for Ward's. Does yours have a cooling fan in it? The windings are heavy and that is 1 reason they last a long time. You don't have to stick with 6013 rod, any mild steel AC straight politarity will do.

California · Mar 7, 2005

Yes, it has a cooling fan. I see 'Model 66W' so that could be the first year for this model.

Deerlope · Mar 7, 2005

I think that I bought mine aroud 65 or66, The slide on mine is just a knob that is loosened, slide then tightened. I done a powerful lot of welding with that little machine. Mine ground cable is hard wired into it(no plug-in). Also the lowest mine will go is 40 amps on the low scale.

Bully · Mar 7, 2005

Hey California, your dimming my lights /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Gary.

Highbeam · Mar 8, 2005

Almost all arc welding is done at 25 volts regardless of amperage. Sooooo, the 30 amp 220 volt breaker will provide 6600 watts of power and dividing 6600 watts by 25 volts gets you 264 amps. If you remove say 10% for inefficiency and the little cooling fan you are down to 238 amps of welding out of that 30 amp circuit. Plenty, plug it in and go for it.

Even at 40 amps and with a tiny rod, welding exhaust is very difficult. It will take some practice, will not be pretty, may not be strong, will likely be leaky, but in a pinch it can be done.

With mutltiple passes you can weld big thick stuff. I welded 1" barstock onto the bulldozer blade this weekend on the 225 amp setting. It just takes more than one pass to get a weld as strong as the material.

The older and heavier the welder, the better it is. Seems true with stick welders.

California · Mar 8, 2005

Deerlope, Highbeam,

Thank you for your excellent advice!

I stopped by Airgas today for supplies and they checked the unit for me. It welds fine (in the hands of an experienced welder) and they said it shows litle use - the rodholder is probably the original one and looks nearly new. I got the welder at an estate sale and they told me 'Dad' bought it for hobby use then never used it after the first year. Sometimes buying used equipment is worth the gamble. I'm going to have fun with this.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hey California, your dimming my lights -Gary.)</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I'll try the carbon arc gadget this evening then you'll be able to see everything just fine! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

California · Mar 15, 2005

Followup - Over the weekend I got the welder plugged in and started practice with 1/8 rod.

It works surprisingly well. I'm getting penetration to at least 1/2 the rod diameter and the welds don't break easily using a chisel. The Lincoln book I cited above is excellent. It is old (postwar) but it focuses on farm repair and fabrication and it emphasizes good technique. It's right on target for my needs at this stage.

I also downloaded and printed the manual for a modern Hobart AC welder that is a close match to my old Wards welder. The pictures of good/bad welds in that book are excellent.

I've been reading welding threads here on TBN and found an excellent one that was started by Mith. "Give me your welding experiences". He received a lot of excellent advice and that thread has become an encyclopedia for the begining welder. One of the posters there even has a Montgomery Ward welder like this one! If I have a question I'll ask it in that thread rather than duplicating that material here. Again, thanks to everyone for the good advice.

Addendum - Here is a recent TBN post showing several excellent welding discussion boards.

ARKFLASH · Dec 2, 2011

can any body tell me where i can buy the ends for the cable that pug in the high , low and the ground that you very much you can email me at vestersteele@yahoo.com have a great holiday vester steele

Tractor Seabee · Dec 2, 2011

ARKFLASH said:
can any body tell me where i can buy the ends for the cable that pug in the high , low and the ground that you very much you can email me at vestersteele@yahoo.com have a great holiday vester steele

You should be able to get them at any good welding supply. Those tapered plugs are still used today. If they don't stock them they can order them.

Ron