good idea? or better suggestions?

admin

I recently was given an older Craftsman stick welder, by older I mean 20 years if not 30 years old. I don't have 220 hooked to the man cave I'm building, there is 110 but not 220. I'm going to have to trench/dig a line about 40 feet from the fuse box in the house to the man cave. How deep should that line be underground? Can I run a generator to power it up instead??? I don't have brochure/manuel for this welder, so I'm not sure what year it is or the spec's on it. It does work though. I'm still in tech school and have 2 more semesters before I'm certified. Thank you in advance.
Reply:1. Call for a mark out of all other possible utility lines before you dig.2. I'd personally bury a piece of 2" conduit and some water line with it as well.  You never know if you're gonna want other stuff in your man cave at a later date.  3. I'd personally go down 2 feet.  Check where the frost line is where you live.  4.  After you cover the lines with the first foot of dirt, put red warning safety tape down in the trench.  That way ten years from now you or the next owner hits that before your lines.You really need a very large generator to run a transformer welder at peak output.  Like a 12KW continual output Genny for 50 amps of 220.  It's usually just not cost effective or feasible.  Plus, you're not gonna want to have to start it every time you need power.  Becomes a royal PITA.  Do it right one time.Last edited by Drf255; 05-22-2014 at 05:35 AM.
Reply:Most power lines when run underground are at 36" but for what you are doing, 24" should be fine and quite safe.  I agree with Drf255, use a piece of conduit and leave a length of nylon cord in the conduit so you can pull other cables in the future if needed.  I would also run a length of water line as suggested and at least one Cat 5 cable for internet connection (or phone)."All of this and some of that's the only way to skin the cat!"