PDA

View Full Version : Question on wiring my new welder



Skyline
09-29-2007, 04:23 PM
I looking to plug my welder into my dryer outlet. I am making a heavy extension chord. My question is about wiring the plug to go into the dryer outlet end of the extension chord.

It looks like this:

./ \
/ ..\

.__
.|
.|


The cable from the welder has Black, White and Green wires. Which goes to which?

Skyline
09-30-2007, 08:41 PM
Nobody knows????

nate
10-01-2007, 11:53 AM
It doesn't matter really as long as you keep the color going to the same prong on both ends of the cord.

Black and Red are usually "hot"
Neutral is white
and Green is ground.

Using 8/3 wire for the cord?

Also this is seriously wiring 101. If you are having trouble with this, I suggest you have an electrician help you out. Wiring isn't something to just mess around with.

Skyline
10-01-2007, 02:26 PM
It doesn't matter really as long as you keep the color going to the same prong on both ends of the cord.

Black and Red are usually "hot"
Neutral is white
and Green is ground.

Using 8/3 wire for the cord?

Also this is seriously wiring 101. If you are having trouble with this, I suggest you have an electrician help you out. Wiring isn't something to just mess around with.

Nate;

First of all, thanks for responding.

I'm using 10/3 for the chord. This is on a 30 amp beaker, so I know I won't be able run the machine on full power or to weld 1/2" steel. But with that breaker, I should be safe for the stuff I want to do now. It's also running across a lawn...not inside a wall. This is just a temporary hookup so I can start welding...I will eventually have a proper 50A outlet in the garage, (or better yet, hard wire the welder to a box.)

I have a different kind of plug on the other end of the extension chord I'm making (a 50A plug), so I can't just copy the wiring set up of that.

I do know the realtionship of the colors you mentioned. I am assuming that the green wire goes to the L shaped plug on the bottom. But I do still need to know which of the two diagonal plugs is hot and which is neutral.

rccolacc
10-01-2007, 04:21 PM
I used to have my 230 amp cracker box stick welder on a 30 amp breaker (running off the drier breaker), but even with it set at 110amps it was still tripping the breaker after only a few inches of welding. I run the wire to the welder plug right off the 50amp breaker on the panel now. It's tacky, but since the house I'm in is a rental, I can't really come up with anything permanently mounted now.
This may not work for your situation, but I hope it helps.
-RC

Skyline
10-01-2007, 11:45 PM
I used to have my 230 amp cracker box stick welder on a 30 amp breaker (running off the drier breaker), but even with it set at 110amps it was still tripping the breaker after only a few inches of welding. I run the wire to the welder plug right off the 50amp breaker on the panel now. It's tacky, but since the house I'm in is a rental, I can't really come up with anything permanently mounted now.
This may not work for your situation, but I hope it helps.
-RC
Not all welders take the same imput amperage to produce a given amount of welding amps. My previous welder, (which I never got hooked up, and sold after 2 days) was a Miller Syncrowave 250 TIG. It needed 94 amps at maximum output of 250 amps, (which is why I sold it!) My current welder, a Millermatic 250, needs only 45 amps to produce the same 250 amps of welding power. We'll see how it goes once I get it hooked up, but I think I'll be OK for up to about 150 amps.

Katesdad
11-02-2007, 10:12 PM
Get your wiring figured out?