Using HF at home

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Has anyone had any issues of using a foot pedal at home. I just wanna make sure that it wont interfere with internet connections, or equipment since my dad runs a photography business. I also don't want to buy a foot pedal and not be able to use it due to the HF messing with stuff.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:High Frequency has nothing to do with the foot pedal.   The only thing that I have found is that HF wipes out AM reception.  I have not noticed any other effects.Your mileage may vary, especially since every house is wired a bit differently.Richard Originally Posted by smilexelectricHas anyone had any issues of using a foot pedal at home. I just wanna make sure that it wont interfere with internet connections, or equipment since my dad runs a photography business. I also don't want to buy a foot pedal and not be able to use it due to the HF messing with stuff.
Reply:Originally Posted by rafergusonHigh Frequency has nothing to do with the foot pedal.   The only thing that I have found is that HF wipes out AM reception.  I have not noticed any other effects.Your mileage may vary, especially since every house is wired a bit differently.Richard
Reply:You won't know if the HF affects anything until you try it. If it does affect the TV, Internet, Radios, etc. The first thing that I would try to do is to connect your bench and welder to a separate driven 8' long ground rod with #6 ga wire making these ground wires as short as possible. Clean all connections to bare metal and use copper lugs of the appropriate size. This should make a significant difference, but still may not completely eliminate the problem. If it doesn't, try to improve the ground connections of the house electrical panel. Most home electric panels are connected by a #6 wire to one ground rod. The latest National Electric Code now requires #4 solid wire connected to at least two 8' ground rods spaced 5' apart. The main electric panel should be the only place where the power Neutral wires and the electrical ground are connected together (this is usually done with a green screw through a hole in the Neutral buss and threaded into a hole in the back of the electrical cabinet - look for the green screw and tighten it. The electrical ground and Neutral wires must not be connected together anywhere else in the home electrical system. If you have metal water lines in the house a #6 ground wire should also be connected them to the electrical grounding point in the main electrical panel.Keeping the house electrical ground system in good condition and up to code will make a huge difference in the electrical interference problem. Separately grounding the caseof the welder and the welding bench to an additional and separate ground rod will also make a huge difference, but even doing both may not completely solve your problem. Good Luck.CharleyLast edited by CharleyL; 04-03-2014 at 12:04 PM.Miller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by CharleyL connect your bench and welder to a separate driven 8' long ground rod with #6 ga wire making these ground wires as short as possible. Clean all connections to bare metal and use copper lugs of the appropriate size. This should make a significant difference, but still may not completely eliminate the problem.
Reply:Nothing weird about the Miller diagram. HF emits EMF (electro magnetic field) I have seen a wide range of estimates from 12000-900000 HZ. I guess it doesn't matter much how high the frequency, if you are close enough, or share a power source with others, it might interfere. Minimize adverse effects by following the advise in Miller manuals. Most importantly at least 50' of steel conduit enclosing your power source. Take steps to ensure the electrical conductivity of all joints in the conduit. Bond everything conductive to both ground(earth) and equipment grounding conductors, including aforementioned conduit. For your health and other's happiness rout welder cables near each other not quite touching, from welder to work area. This way the magnetic field in one cable will be equal and opposite that from the other.Taking only a portion of my advise, I weld 8' away from the TV. I went most of the winter before someone mentioned it did funny things to TV reception. I guess it wasn't severe.People assume a properly installed grounding system is good forever, not quite true. In any grounding system connections may be flawless when installed. Over time all conductive surfaces oxidize, Copper and aluminum oxides are poor conductors, It's a good idea to take apart connections and clean. Have it done by an electrician as electrocution could occur.
Reply:It may cause static interferance with your TV & or radio.Florescent lights that are close by tend to freak out.Make sure to ground everything properly & you will have less problems with HFBuy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:I weld in my garage and have never gotten a complaint from the peanut gallery.  Not once.
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255I weld in my garage and have never gotten a complaint from the peanut gallery.  Not once.
Reply:Messes up my radio big time,  AM but so do the florescent lights when they come on, for a few mins, it does not bother at the house, about 50 yards away,  I do not remember it messing with the over the air TV, but hard to watch TV in a different room when welding, a small tv in the break room.
Reply:I think im just going to pull the trigger on the foot pedal. I just got one step closer to finishing my cart, just need hooks to hang my leads on.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BDo you mean HF, or no complaints at all?
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255Yeah right.You married with chilrens?