"hobby" welder running off 13A ring main - "OK"?
Discussion
Folks - I'm considering purchasing a budget welder to do a few small repairs and a couple of small jobs.
Something like This
Will this work from a 13A supply, or do I need an electrician to wire me up a special socket off the 30A cooker circuit at home? it says max input current == 16A, so I guess it might be ok if I don't turn it up to max, although I don't know if will only actually be useful when turned up to max.
Thanks, Ace
Something like This
Will this work from a 13A supply, or do I need an electrician to wire me up a special socket off the 30A cooker circuit at home? it says max input current == 16A, so I guess it might be ok if I don't turn it up to max, although I don't know if will only actually be useful when turned up to max.
Thanks, Ace
The max amps you will pull from a machine on a 13A socket will be about 160 amp on a mig, If using a extension lead get a good quality one. you won't have any issues running that thing linked, I would possible say go as big as you can, they are very handy things to have knocking around and before you know it................... 
personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.10penceparalyzed said:
The max amps you will pull from a machine on a 13A socket will be about 160 amp on a mig, If using a extension lead get a good quality one. you won't have any issues running that thing linked, I would possible say go as big as you can, they are very handy things to have knocking around and before you know it................... personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
Cool - thanks for the info. out of interest - what's less good about the gasless mig welders? - I assume the wire is fluxed or some such which means it's more money and you have less choice on where to buy? personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.My Clarke welder will do 30-130amps and works fine in the garage on normal plug and socket.
As for gas VS no-gas - I converted to Gas - it is, quite literally, a million times easier and produces far, far better results.
A regulator was about £15, disposable bottles are £12ea at my local motorfactors, last pretty well.
As for gas VS no-gas - I converted to Gas - it is, quite literally, a million times easier and produces far, far better results.
A regulator was about £15, disposable bottles are £12ea at my local motorfactors, last pretty well.
10penceparalyzed said:
personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
blade7 said:
10penceparalyzed said:
personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
(appreciate it's tricky as it depends on how much you use your welder etc, but any rough measures would be appreciated!)
phatmanace said:
blade7 said:
10penceparalyzed said:
personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
(appreciate it's tricky as it depends on how much you use your welder etc, but any rough measures would be appreciated!)
http://www.weldingdirect.co.uk/hobbyweld-gases---r...
These bottles seem a good half way point between the tiny bottles and the BOC rented ones.
These bottles seem a good half way point between the tiny bottles and the BOC rented ones.
There's lots of cheap used hobby migs on eBay, as at that price point they tend to use crappy plastic torch liners that cause serious wire feed issues as they age. To replace them with a decent steel touch liner is a five minute, five pound job. Do this and use the money you save to buy a proper regulator and a deposit on proper gas bottles. The small hobby weld ones the previous poster lined to are fine, it's the disposable ones that are a joke; less argon than a lightbulb and no fun if you run out on a Sunday evening when your car is half welded up. The regulator for the disposable bottles is different though.
Edited by greg2k on Wednesday 23 November 23:27
10penceparalyzed said:
The max amps you will pull from a machine on a 13A socket will be about 160 amp on a mig, If using a extension lead get a good quality one. you won't have any issues running that thing linked, I would possible say go as big as you can, they are very handy things to have knocking around and before you know it................... personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.
The one in the link is max 90 amps, my sip 130 would run off a 13 amp socket all day, but my 150 amp arc welder would pop the breaker on a heavy run. personally I would only go with a mig/gas setup. bottles are cheap enough these days.I was surprised how good a gasless Mig actually welds, friend of mine has a cheap one he bought from Harbour Freight in the USA, and it puts down good runs even through rusty steel surfaces, where my gas SIP would have failed miserably.
Not sure which bottles you are referring to as being cheap, but last time I was living in the U.K. I was paying something like £50 a year rent and £45 a refill for Argoshield from BOC. Are there cheaper alternatives? I know some guys use 'pub gas', CO2.
We are heading back to the UK soon, and I plan to buy a 180amp Mig and do away with arc welders altogether.
A tig welder would be nice too......
Pub gas CO2 is much cheaper and you get more in the bottle as it is liquefied, but it gives poorer welds and the regulator is different again (female threads). There's quite a few companies now that give you reduced size but proper argon gas bottles for a deposit rather than rental. The big problem with gasless is the slag, which makes stop/start welding thin stuff impossible/extremely hard
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