are my welding leads bad?

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It seems like my miller blestar 2e does not weld as good as it used to. I checked the open circut voltage and I think it was 76 volts. It is running at the correct speed. The leads look to be in pretty bad shape espically the ground lead. I measured the resitance of them the stinger lead has 1.5 ohms and the ground has 2.2. Also the ground leads insulation is cracking open. Are my leads the problem or is it something else?  Is there a better way to test them?1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:Also forgot to mention it will only hold a very short arc which leads me to think I have a high voltage drop through the leads.1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:whether or not the resistance number is good or bad depends on two main things:  the wire gauge size, and the wire length.2.2 ohms is nothing---for a 10mile cable  1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Stinger 33ft.  Ground 30ft. Looked at my owners manuel saysit orginally came with 35ft stinger and 30 ft ground of #2 which I think is what's on it. I'm guessing there probably the orginal leads from 1982.1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:This may help: http://weldingdesign.com/equipment-a...s-it-all-aboutChart from above link:Dave J.-now I should check some of mine and see how they compare to the chart - life and charts don't always match  Attached ImagesDave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Run about 10 rods,then run your bare hand along your cables.The bad spots will be hotter,usually near the ends, cut 5 or ten inches off and reinstall what ever was on the end. If your cable have been run over by a fork truck or metal wheeled carts the bad spots may be in the middle.Your cables are fairly short, keep an eye out  for specials or closeouts from the end of spools, That where I get cable to make whips from.
Reply:According to the chart my leads are way over what there supposed to be. And now that I think about it my leads to get pretty warm after a few rods even only running at 125 amps1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:This is pretty much how my leads look all the way up and down them1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:Also, the more current you try and draw across the leads the more the resistance measurement will increase.looking at the pics you definitely are due for some new cablescut the rubber insulation off and you can scrap the copper for about $2.50 or $3 a pound and put that towards the new cablesLast edited by soutthpaw; 05-27-2013 at 06:04 PM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:I would say from the pictures you needed new cables 10 years ago.www.georgesplasmacuttershop.comPlasma Cutter and Welder Sales and Repairs--Ebay storeTec.Mo. Dealer Consumables for the PT and IPT torch's
Reply:Well crap. New leads will probably cost more then I paid for the welder and the leads last year. Only paid $250 for it ran and welded when I bought it1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:Geez $250?  Never seen any miller gas engine welder that cheap around here.Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:How long do u need? Look up the length and max current.  Don't waste money on heavier gauge leads than u needTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Well maybe that's one reason it was so cheap lol.....Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Originally Posted by steven325Well crap. New leads will probably cost more then I paid for the welder and the leads last year. Only paid $250 for it ran and welded when I bought it
Reply:I know how you feel. A couple years back I scrapped over 100' of 1/0, which looked just like yours.By far, the least expensive place I've found to buy leads ishttp://www.electronbeam.comHere is their price list for May, found on their FB page."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveGeez $250?  Never seen any miller gas engine welder that cheap around here.Dave J.
Reply:At least that leaves plenty of cash for welding leads.  Should be $150 to $200 if you stay at a reasonable length.Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawHow long do u need? Look up the length and max current.  Don't waste money on heavier gauge leads than u need
Reply:Originally Posted by steven325For now I'm probably just going to get a 100 feet so I only need 2 gauge but I would like to go to 150 feet in the future which would require 1 gauge.   I guess the price difference will determine what I get
Reply:Originally Posted by copeI have always bought 100' and cut it 60'for stinger and 40' for work lead.
Reply:Originally Posted by steven325This is pretty much how my leads look all the way up and down them
Reply:You're readings don't quite make sense. If your leads even had 1 ohm of resistance, by the time you got to 76 amps, you'd be equaling the open circuit voltage of the welder.BTW, that would be no power delivered to your load (welding area), and you would be burning5.7KW of power being dissipated in your cables. They would be SMOKING. There's a possibility that the resistance in your cables is so low, you are actually measuring the resistance of your ohm-meter leads and/or you have a bad connection to your welding leads with your test leads. It's not uncommon for DMM's to read 0.2 ohms or 0.3 ohms with their own leads shorted.. Most of them are not designed to read resistances so low. Even the 0.2 ohms would be 2KW of power dissipated in the leads at 100amps. You can see start to see my point...However, all that being said, I would still agree that your leads are goners...
Reply:Ohms will be ok whether you had a strand of cable or an entire one, that reading is useless. While welding measure voltage at the machine and compare that with voltage between the ends of the leads. Under load, a significant drop in voltage Wil indicate bad leads, stinger, or clamp. Remember to take all measurements UNDER WORKING LOAD.
Reply:Originally Posted by blackbartOhms will be ok whether you had a strand of cable or an entire one, that reading is useless. While welding measure voltage at the machine and compare that with voltage between the ends of the leads. Under load, a significant drop in voltage Wil indicate bad leads, stinger, or clamp. Remember to take all measurements UNDER WORKING LOAD.Originally Posted by Oscarwhether or not the resistance number is good or bad depends on two main things:  the wire gauge size, and the wire length.2.2 ohms is nothing---for a 10mile cable
Reply:I think with what he is describing there is going to be a huge difference.  If you're by yourself, hook the meter to the studs and weld blind while you observe the reading.  Then hook the meter to the buisness end and blindly weld again.  I wouldn't worry about a volt or two, but my guess is it will be a huge difference.  If you want to find out where the drop is weld for a while like the other member said and feel for hot spots, but in reality they need replacing anyway.    an ohm meter would give you close to the same reading whether it was a spool of wire or a welding lead.  The voltage drop measures under dynamic conditions, an ohm meter is static conditions.
Reply:Originally Posted by con_fuse9Yeah, but 2.2 Ohms and say 100 Amps and you are dropping 220Volts.  What's the open circuit voltage on your welder?Going off voltage drop to my starter motor.  15-20 ft of 4 gauge wire should only drop 2V with a 200 Amps or so.   So .001 Ohms seems about right.   Now find a volt meter that can accurately measure down that low.Side note: I can't remember if that 2V drop was with the 4 gauge or when I switched to 0gauge.  And I don't know exactly how many amps.   Just a SWAG based on other reports.  But you get the idea.  High current systems need very low resistance.
Reply:I was working on an electrical box today that with an ohmmeter would have checked out fine. It even read 120volts. However the minute any load was put on it the volts went to zero. I use blow dryers to create a 28 amp load. So static measurements passed the system, but a wire the size of a hair would ohm out ok. It would even check out with a voltmeter. But I could literally touch the wires and would not get shocked. So again, dynamic conditions would fail the system while it would pass any other way.
Reply:What these guys all say is well and good.BUT!You mentioned it worked when you bought it, so judging by the leads, I would hazard to guess that the end connections maybe the culprit!I had a Stinger that quit working, as I to had open circuit voltage but no power under load.I took the connection apart at the cable to stinger and found that was creating my high resistance!Cut the cable back, relugged and reconnected, now am good to go!
Reply:Originally Posted by drujininWhat these guys all say is well and good.BUT!You mentioned it worked when you bought it, so judging by the leads, I would hazard to guess that the end connections maybe the culprit!I had a Stinger that quit working, as I to had open circuit voltage but no power under load.I took the connection apart at the cable to stinger and found that was creating my high resistance!Cut the cable back, relugged and reconnected, now am good to go!
Reply:Originally Posted by copeYou may be right, but those leads are hosed.  It's a moot point anyway, because he already ordered 100' of #2 cable.
Reply:About 3.5 volt loss at 95 amps1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:About 3.5 volt loss at 95 amps mainly on the better looking lead. I think the problem is the stinger connectionLast edited by steven325; 05-30-2013 at 07:21 PM.1982 miller blue star 2E ac/dcHarbor freight flux core posVictor oa
Reply:The problem is probably your connections as suggested earlier.  Was the 3.5V loss Under load, while welding?
Reply:Originally Posted by blackbartThe problem is probably your connections as suggested earlier.  Was the 3.5V loss Under load, while welding?
Reply:That's less than I expected for sue.  I would reattach the stinger and ground after cleaning them up anyway, IMake sure you ground is clean and tight on the steel.  Other than that, I'm out of ideas.
Reply:Originally Posted by blackbartThat's less than I expected for sue.  I would reattach the stinger and ground after cleaning them up anyway, IMake sure you ground is clean and tight on the steel.  Other than that, I'm out of ideas.