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50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator

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ray

10-24-2002 19:32:30

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This may be a hokey question, but I would appreciate any advice before proceeding blindly. I want to run my Lincoln AC buzz box (requires 50amp 220 volts) off of my 5500 watt AC generator (delivers 30amps at 220 volts) in order to weld 1/2" stock. Before I buy and rig up the appropriate electical adaptors for the electrical connection, would any one weigh in as to whether this will be an adequate power source?
Thanks in advance,
Ray

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Richard

10-25-2002 15:57:08

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

My Generator has a manual throttle, so that eliminates the idle/idle up problems. It is also rated for 40 amps cont. or 60 surge. The cracker box seems to work fine on it as long as I stay in the 90 - 110 amp setting. If I crank it up much more than that and start welding non stop, it will eventually trip the breaker. I normally don't weld non-stop though (Rod holder gets too hot and so do I). I built a 12'x 60' barn with 4 stalls for the horses and never had a problem, and that is alot of welding! Oh, I forgot about the cattle pins using 5P and 7018 1/8" rods for the entire job with 2-3/8" drill pipe (tubing).

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Dub

10-25-2002 14:59:16

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

Uh, does anyone agree?

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Dave_D

10-25-2002 13:35:06

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

I ran my Sears 220 amp ark welder off my bother's 5500 watt generator and it worked ok. Used this setup to build a 30 x 50 steal barn. I ran the welder at 115amp setting the whole time. Worked for me.

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Don LC

10-25-2002 09:21:18

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

50 Amp.on your welder or most anything is to protect the welder from higher amps.....less won't hurt the welder..... if you turn the welder up to burn in 1/2" steel you might throw the breaker on the 30 Amp. generator..... .

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T_Bone

10-25-2002 09:14:50

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

Hi Ray,

I would suggest you go rent a generator and try it out before you by one.

Heres what will probally happen. Idle theres no problem as the welding machine will come on. As you try and stike an arc the generator will stumble and drop rpm. As you drop rpm you drop voltage and frequency and thats where the damage starts to both pieces of equipment. Takes awhile but you will soon smoke something. The breakers will not trip.

You might be able to use 3/32" electrodes but I doubt it as it won't handle the voltage spikes required to get the rod to burn. Lets say it does burn 3/32" rod, welding 1/2" plate will take awhile. 1/8" rod would be the smallest I would use for 1/2" because you will become bored with the 3/32" and your welding puddles will wonder.

T_Bone

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10-25-2002 08:25:58

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

I've done it with a Kohler Pro 5000 with a 12hp engine and a Lincon AC-225 welder. It also has a 30 amp plug but only has 20 amp circuit breakers.

lets see if input = 230V X 50A = 11,500 watts

welding @ 225A X 50V = 11,250 watts
Welding @ 100A X 50V = 5,000 watts
Welding @ 110A X 50V = 5,500 watts

I do know that if I use the 120(125?)amp setting on my welder that the circuit breakers will blow in a very short time. As I decrease the amps the breakers will hold longer.

I think that the watts consumed in the welding process vary with the distance you hold the electrode off the metal and rod in use. Lincon rates the welder at 225A with 25v but think that the welding voltage is closer to 50V. Never checked it but might now. A good quality welder should be fine - Lincon even makes one with a welder built in.

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MICHAEL

10-25-2002 08:25:36

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A GENERATOR BUT I HAVE RUN MY LINCOLN ARC WELDER ON A 30 AMP BREAKER FOR YEARS BUT I GENERALLY DO NOT WELD HIGHER THAN 90 AMPS

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kevin

10-25-2002 06:42:41

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

I am a little more optimistic than these others. I really doubt that you will hurt the generator. The generator is not going to be "smoked" by intermittent use, just like the welder it is only the average power delivered which is going to contribute to overheating. I do suspect however, that you will be dissapointed with the results if you are trying to weld 1/2" metal with this combo. Open ckt voltage on those welders is about 50-60, so I'd guess you can't hope to draw more than 2-3 times the max input current of 30A (in your case) from the secondary.

fwiw

kevin

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RWK in WI

10-25-2002 06:23:07

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

Most of the generators I am familiar with have a circuit breaker or other overload protection on them. When you go to strike the arc your welder will pull more current than when welding and thus will overload the generator causing the circuit breaker to trip or worse. Never connect anything that could draw more power than the generator produces or you are asking for big ( read expensive ) trouble.
Good luck on your decisions.

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10-25-2002 04:39:36

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

The welder requires 50 amps at full load (i.e. max. welding current). But I doubt that you would be welding at 220 amps. If you never ran the welder at over half load off the generator, the generator should be able to handle the load. The only thing I am not sure about is hitting the generator with a repeated sudden heavy load. When welding, you go from zero current to selected current and back to zero current. The generator may not like that.

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Gene Davis

10-24-2002 21:07:40

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

I have an 8kw generator and it is all it can do to pull my 225amp ac/dc lincoln welder, Gene

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doubtful

10-24-2002 20:35:38

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Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to ray, 10-24-2002 19:32:30

i very much doubt it.sounds like a good way to smoke a perfectly good generator...btw,you can weld with a car battery for very short periods in an emergency..kinda hard on batterys though..personally,i would pick up a smaller buzz box to use with the generator & use a deep penetrating rod like 6011's & use multiple passes..

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ray - Thanks for the advice - eom

10-26-2002 07:45:55

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Re: Re: 50 A welder hooked to a 30 Amp generator in reply to doubtful, 10-24-2002 20:35:38

ray

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