Wire size and such for welder(s)

[Sully2]

Ok...2 part question here.

1) Since I have to string wire for an outlet to handle a 220V.. MIG welder and the run will be "about" 85 feet ( I'll just buy 100 feet to make sure) to be able to handle a welder of "about " 180 amps...what size wire?? ( 10...8...6.??)

2) If...IF..I should settle on say a 120V powered welder ( say a 120-140 amp MIG setup)..what in gods name would I use as an OUTLET..that I can wire with "X" gauge wire ( see above question) Ive never seen any sort of 120V outlet that can handle ..say a 10 gauge wire..let alone anything larger than that??

I sure as heck dont want to go thru the PITA of stringing wire 2 times and would rather install something capable ( or even moreso) of doing the job for me of the largest thing Id buy

 

[John47]

You could use a 30 amp RV outlet! I'd have to check the volts drop in my charts to give you a wire size, but it would have to be large to carry that load over 80 plus feet! Especially at 120 volts....

 

[Inspector507]

Sully,
Really, your best bet is to decide on a welder first. Then find out the electrical requirements that it needs.

 

[MadReferee]

The Inspector is correct as always.

My MM251 MIG, TA185 TIG and Miller Spectrum 375 plasma cutter all come with 6-50P plugs and use 10 gauge copper wire. They are all 240v machines. This means that you will need a 6-50R recepticle.

The MM251 MIG requires a 50 amp circuit, the TA185 TIG requires a 40 amp circuit, and the Spectrum 375 requires a 20 amp circuit if used at 240v or a 30 amp curcuit is used at 120v.

My shop is wired with a 60 amp breaker and 6 gauge aluminum wire to the 6-50R recepticle (about 40 ft). I also have 100 ft of 10 gauge wire for an extension cord.

Bottom line is that you need to know what your welder needs and what future needs will be and install a circuit that will handle that load. And make sure it is up to current code for your area.

 

[Sully2]

You could use a 30 amp RV outlet! I'd have to check the volts drop in my charts to give you a wire size, but it would have to be large to carry that load over 80 plus feet! Especially at 120 volts....

Okie doke John...I can look up the voltage drop. Thanks

 

[patrick_g]

My 40 amp output plasma cutter manual says that #6 (copper) is good for 150 feet. I think it uses about 6.5 KW input. Aluminum #6 should be fine to 100 ft. If you use aluminum be careful to use fittings/receptacles approved for aluminum wire! Remember all the house fires when proper aluminum wire usage practices weren't followed?

Pat

 

[sandman2234]

And it is all those house fires that cause me to hurt in the back pocket as I shell out the money for copper. No sense in taking that chance...
David from jax

Luckily I purchased a lot of wire before prices went thru the roof!
David from jax

 

[Bedlam]

I hear ya on the prices. 250 feet of 122 with ground Romex was 85 dollars here home depot and Lows. When did it spike so fast? along with the gas prices?

 

[tswirka]

when i hooked up my first welder, a 220 v AC 150 amp cracker box i used an old dryer plug and recepticle. of course i had a breaker box in my barn with the overhead service already there. now i have that same old crackerbox, but also a miller wire feed and a lincoln 200 amp AC/DC. i use all 220 dryer recepticles but they run through a DPDT cut off box first. Some one said it right, pick your welder first then build to suit but you should look ahead and go larger with your service for adding on.
Todd in memphis

 

[InlineDieselFan]

If you cannot choose your welder first, you at leat know the class of welder, 180 amps or so. But buy time you buy you may choose to up grade to a 250 amp or so welder. It is cheap to do now, wire it up for the 250 amp welder or more, and have plenty of buffer room.

If you go too small you will kick yourself.

steve

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Look at the option of running 3 x #6 + ground and putting in a 50 amp sub-panel. Then you can run 240 and 120v receptacle circuits out of the sub panel breakers.

My Hobart Handler 135 just needs a 20 amp circuit.

Brad

 

[Sully2]

Look at the option of running 3 x #6 + ground and putting in a 50 amp sub-panel. Then you can run 240 and 120v receptacle circuits out of the sub panel breakers.

My Hobart Handler 135 just needs a 20 amp circuit.

Brad

And I thank you! A 140 amp ( approx size) may be all I buy...but if Im pulling the wire..I thought it a "decent idea" to at least be able to handle..say 40 amps at 220..

FAR TOO MANY "think" every guy on the block.."should have"..."needs"..."ought to have" a welder capable of repair main battle tanks or something? Maybe hull repair on the Enterprise..or ?? Im not about to shell out $1000-$1800 for some welder...that I MAY use ..say 3 times a year. I have no interest...no do I ever wish to have the interest in welding 1/2 inch thick steel..etc.

The more specs I read and the more measuring I do here...I "think" I'll pull 3 x8's with a ground and call it "close enough"

Again...much thanks!

 

[skipperbrown]

I'd wire for a 50 amp plug and you'd be covered for most any welder or compressor or anything else a home shop will need.

Call your local building inspector about the required wiring. I believe code in the U.S. requires 6 gauge copper for a 50 amp plug (this according to my handy dandy do it yourself wiring book). The inspector will tell you what he will be looking for if you were to get a permit and ask for an inspection. I just wired a 50 amp plug for my 180 amp 240v mig welder and used 6 gauge copper. Ouch. Wire had gotten very expensive.

Interestingly, the welder only pulls about 28 amps max but has a 50 amp plug.

If you don't get a permit and have a fire and the fire is determined to be caused any unpermited wiring, your insurance company will most likely deny any claim. Food for thought ...

 

[Brad_Blazer]

40 amps at 220 is a lot of power. I'm sure you have researched the specs but machines that require more power than that are usually 3 phase and 480v. That let's them use 10 gage power cords.

30 and 50 amp are the common dryer and stove circuit sizes so plugs, etc. are cheap. They are not twist lock but they are huge and tend to fit snugly.

Having both voltages available is always nice for powering a variety of tools, lights, motors, etc.

The little welders are pretty versatile. If you turn up the power and turn down the feed speed you can weld pretty hot, just not super fast.

 

[MadReferee]

Interestingly, the welder only pulls about 28 amps max but has a 50 amp plug

30 and 50 amp are the common dryer and stove circuit sizes so plugs, etc. are cheap. They are not twist lock but they are huge and tend to fit snugly.

The standard power plug that comes with ALL 240v welders is the 6-50P and the correcponding recepticle is a 6-50R. These are different than the standard dryer plugs and recepticles. You should be able to find them at a local electrical supply store and maybe at a local box store too (I couldn't find one at Home Depot ). If you decide to go with a dryer recepticle then you either have to change the plug on the welder, or purchase a pigtail adapter, or make an adapter yourself. In the long run it will be cheaper to put in the correct recepticle to begin with. The last 6-50R recepticle I bought was around $12. Adapters will end up costing much more than that.

 

[alversod]

I've got a 220v mig and in a 20 amp 250 plug and works well. I've tried a couple of those 110v mig's and was not impressed. I'd strongly recommend you tried it first. Let this play into your decision, the stick variety work well outside on thicker metal and the Migs are easier to run but work much better inside because the shielding gas dosen't like wind. I've both and honestly the one used most is the Mig.

 

[texasjohn]

MadReferee, thanks for the detail in your note above re plugs and recepticles for 220V welders. I failed to find the matching receticle for my welder at Home Depot( as you did) and had about decided that I needed to buy some sort of matching pair. Now, am off to find a 6-50R at local electrical supply place...

 

[Highbeam]

I was able to find the right 220 volt plug at my home depot and another hardware store too. I'll assume that's the 6-50 that you refer to it came standard on my lincoln stick welder. They are not cheap but there is great value in using the standard that nearly all welders come with, like when you want to borrow someone's plasma cutter. Just plug it in. The receptacle is labeled and sized as a 50 amp plug but that doesn't mean that you need to size everything for 50 amps. IF you use a 30 amp breaker and size wire for 30 amps, then the 50 amp plug will just be oversized.

 

[Sully2]

... The receptacle is labeled and sized as a 50 amp plug but that doesn't mean that you need to size everything for 50 amps. IF you use a 30 amp breaker and size wire for 30 amps, then the 50 amp plug will just be oversized.

Nothing wrong with that at all.....

 

[SkyPup]

When I set up mine, I got the 6-50P and 6-50R plugs at CyberWeld.

Cyberweld.com - Welding Supplies - Miller, Hobart & More

50 amps of 240V is plenty, unless you need to run a compressor off the same outlet at the same time.

If you are looking to repair M1 Abrams battle tanks and nuclear aircraft carriers, be sure to invest in a industrial phase 3 setup, as normal home phase 1 ain't gunna cut it!