Welder power supply

[southerly95]

The welder I wish to buy (Clarke 151 TE) has a comment regarding power supply as follows:

'Will require a 20amp supply to run at full power with 0.8mm Mig welding wire.'

I've not heard of a 20 amp domestic supply before - how would I arrange that?

Thanks, John

[PSL184]

I just plug mine into the normal plug socket in the garage. I guess it refers to the max current draw when running at full power which a normal domestic supply should cope with if in good order....

[bmcecosse]

Your oven/cooker has a high power supply! If you really want 20 amps - you would need to connect to that.

[crossword]

On Machine mart website, under MIG welders, there is a PDF you can download re Clarke welders . The model you are looking at should not be connected via a domestic 13A plug but by an isolating switch fused at 15A .
Hope that helps

Andy

[billlobban]

Your domestic wireing should be quite capable of handeling 20 amps the only problems you might have are the 13 amp fuse blowing regularly (the do have quite a tolerance) and you may be restricted in what else you can use on the same circuit at the same time
What is the actual power consumption of the welder? in watts

[Alec]

Hello John,

what percentage of power will you generally use, as the current draw is proportional, so 50% output should need about 10 amps, well within a 13 amp fused plug.
If you do intend using near maximum output there are industrial 240 volt sockets, the most common being 16 amp and 32 amp.

Alec

[MarkyB]

Will it ever need to run at full power when welding sheet metal?
I suspect it would blow holes in all but the thickest sheet.

[PSL184]

Will it ever need to run at full power when welding sheet metal?
I suspect it would blow holes in all but the thickest sheet.

Quite likely - I've never run mine up more than about 3/4 ever...

[Mogwai]

My garage is on a 16A spur main ok on low to med/high settings but if my welder is on full chat it can trip the circuit breaker so have to run an extension lead from the kitchen on a 32A ring main which is fine. never blown the fuse in the plug though

[billlobban]

My garage is on a 16A spur main ok on low to med/high settings but if my welder is on full chat it can trip the circuit breaker so have to run an extension lead from the kitchen on a 32A ring main which is fine. never blown the fuse in the plug though

This means that the welder is drawing more than 16A and that the 13 amp plug fuse is capable of taking well over its specified current. If you're using other equipment at the same time (heater, flood light etc) it will all add up. You not only have to consider whether or not you can plug it into the wall but the wireing size (which will be big enough) but also the trip or fuse that protects the circuit. As Mogwai points out there is no point connecting into a circuit that keeps blowing the main trip

[Alec]

Hello Mogwai,

generally speaking, domestic circuit breakers are quite sensitive, particularly with current surges that welders give. Fuses are a bit slower to blow (I know there are 'fast blow' fuses, but not what we're discussing here).
If you have a permanent supply to a welder then change the circuit breaker from a 'B' type to a 'C' or 'D' type. Usually category and rating is writen as, e.g. B6 for a 'B' type 6 amp rated breaker.

Alec

[Mogwai]

cheers . It only trips if I'm doing something over 3-4 mm so not normally a problem. the breakers seem to be quite sensitive as they can be tripped by a lightbulb blowing

[bmcecosse]

It's the 'inrush' that trips the breaker!