Inverter power question

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Hey all,simple question:  can an inverter type welder be run off a lower voltage source?I had an old timer say they used to run 220v inverter arc welders off 110 when there wasn't 220 available, and no harm done.  I don't know him well enough to really trust him, so I'm putting this up here to see if anybody else heard or done this.Thanks.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:If it's made for 220V only, it's not a good idea to try to run it on 110. It will work poorly if at all, and may damage the welder, especially if it's an older design.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:look at the back of the machine, where connects the power cord. see if there is a 110/220 over there, if it is 220 only then, bad luck =(Lotos CT520D (refunded)Lotos LTPDC2000 (in use, still good) yup, cheap but powerful!hmm...just in case
Reply:yea, I kinda figured.The machine in question is the Invertec 130, which is 220 only.  I told the OT about wanting a dual voltage machine and he said the Invertec would work just fine on 110.I don't wanna screw it up so won't try it, just curious though.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:Many consumerl switching power supplies are built to work from universal AC input, 100-240vac @ 47-63hzWelding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverMany consumerl switching power supplies are built to work from universal AC input, 100-240vac @ 47-63hz
Reply:I also have a similar inquiry about inverter power supply. I have a new Cornwell Tools MMA 1555 inverter TIG/Stick that is supposed to be 230 volt power supply, but the power cord wires are so small, it doesn't look big enough for 220 volts. I bought the machine at a pawn shop, but it has never been used-brabd new-no owners manual. Unable to get reply from Corwell Tools.
Reply:I would never try and run anything on anything other than whats stamped on it. . . . . but im here in case I learn somethig
Reply:If you are supposing that it takes BIGGER wiring to handle 220/240 V than 110/120 V,  wrong.The beauty of operating things on higher voltage is that the SAME amperage can be pushed through a SMALLER wire...........or that you can push higher amps through the same size wire when using a higher voltage.Example: Once upon a time the automotive world ran on a standard 6 volt electrical system.  Operating everything effectively on 6 volts required huge wire sizes for very small amp loading.  Not too much of a problem when all you had to operate was a few simple circuits.But as cars got more complex, with people and car makers wanting to add more stuff, it was beginning to get kinda heavy and use a lot of space for an elaborate, high amp 6 volt system.  So the automotive world eventually switched over to a 12 volt standard system, and remains so today because of a lot of improvement in many areas. Highly efficient batteries, robust but lightweight alternators, and alloy wiring with super insulation that can handle loads without melting.Aircraft tend to use even higher voltage systems because with the higher voltage, greater amps can be carried on smaller size wire, and that means less weight.  But a limiting factor is that if you get your voltage too high, you can jump arcs right through insulation or across and air gap in a switch or relay.Last edited by walkerweld; 12-08-2013 at 11:53 PM.
Reply:Lincoln owners manual states operating voltage is 230 volts +- 10%.Not a good idea to try 110 volt operation. It may power up but all the electronic circuits are working very hard and it could damaged something.
Reply:That said, some of the old 60cycle based inverters (powcons) could run on 110 volts with out damage. With about 1/3 of max output. The Lincoln units operate at 10k to 20k cycles.You don't want a control circuit to mess up because of low power supply voltages.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerweld...  The beauty of operating things on higher voltage is that the SAME amperage can be pushed through a SMALLER wire...........or that you can push higher amps through the same size wire when using a higher voltage....
Reply:Volts X Amps = Wattsremember this formula it applies to a lot of things, Watts are the amount of power delivered, more voltage takes less amps to deliver a given amount of power.
Reply:Like Oldendum said, " higher voltage = less current for a given power.For my two cents, some military aircraft and tanks use 400 Hz Ac. The high frequency (vs 50-60Hz) allows for smaller lighter transformers. Also, as Mikegyver pointed out; some switching power supplies can operate on a wide range of voltage but read the specs before you try. dubl_t, I wouldnt chance it on a welder. I have an INVERTEC but it has a switch to go from 208 to 460.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldendumNo, not higher amperage, higher power.  The same power could be delivered through a smaller wire (or higher power on the same size wire) because of higher voltage/reduced amperage.