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One if the great things about the Internet is anonymity. I'd never ask this question in a million years otherwise. (I'd look it up)I have a real feeling everything I'm going to write in this post is going to sound moronic. But here we go. I really don't want to burn the house down. So I have before me a gleaming new Chicago Electric (Harbor Freight) 120amp 230 Volt MIG and flux wire welder. Aside from an old arc welder we had on the farm growing up in the 60s-70s, I have no experience. But I just have to weld some stuff. I'm a chronic tinkerer and there are just too many dadgum things I could do with a welder. Like towhooks for my Jeep. Tube fenders. Cracked manifolds. Giant scrap metal dinosaurs in the yard. My own line of steel belt buckles. Seriously. Anyway, so in the back of my brain I knew heavier welders require more juice. But honestly it never crossed my mind. I opened the box and I'm all "whoa". What the heck. I can see me living here on this forum once I get going. But I gotta clear this up first. Is there any way to make this happen? This building has only typical apartments outlets. (I'm in the movie business and travel a lot. I'm in Orlando about half the time and Los Angeles the bigger half. ) So maybe the best thing I could do is get a lower voltage welder? I'm sure I can take it back. Haven't even out a plug on it yet. But the thing is, I do want to do some heavier stuff. I'd really not like to be stuck with weenie welding. So that's it. Let the mocking begin. Seriously though, and advice you could lend will be graciously appreciated. Jim
Reply:Pay some more money and get a Millermatic 211. It can run at 120 or 240V and is awesome. If you want to save a few bucks and start a bit more basic you can get a hobart welder that is also good and dual voltage. Hobart would be cheaper but has fixed positions for the heat adjustment where the miller is infinite variable control.Finally, you can get the hobart traveller which is 120V only but is battery powered and is powerful like a 240V welder. These 3 options are all more money than your harbor freight welder, but if you really see yourself sticking with it you will never regret the decision.
Reply:Thanks, Joisey. So I'm guessing that means it's a big "no", it's not possible to run it off 120?
Reply:With the excaeption of machines specifically designed to be run with dual voltage, like the Miller MM211, you can not run a 220v machine on 110v power. Note however that houses are wired 220v at the panel for things like central air, elecrtic stoves and dryers, electric hotwater heaters and so on, so you have 220v power, you just need a way to access it.I lived in appartments for years and had a 220v welder. In one location I used a long extension cord and plugged into the 220v dryer outlet in the basement, and in another I used the 220v range outlet in the kitchen to power the machine. Now I have a dedicated line run out to the garage to run all my 220v tools. This is not impossible to do, it just takes a bit of thought and in your case probably an electrician..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:If yer in Los Angeles now, stop by and we can go over the moronic stuffSeriously, if you're in town stop by and we can talk about the Power needed.99% of LA apts use Gas appliances and not much need for AC (unless you're in the Valley) so not much option for 240v power.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Yeah, I think it might actually be possible, but I'm actually shopping around a little and I think a 90amp flux wire dealie might do the trick to get me started. Maybe. Runs on 120. Dude! You're in LA? Definitely have to stop by. And yeah, I'm in the valley. Freezin muh nads off rt now though. I'll check out yer site. I really have a burning desire to do my own exhaust systems too. That's a big one. I know I'm skirting the edge of the possible with flux wire. But alas, what's a girl to do?JP
Reply:harbor frieight sucks. i got there helmet and it broke on me 1 yr later. also there welding machines are cheap made. i dont like them at all.
Reply:Well...considering his question was about powering his welder, I hardly think this is the place for HF bashing...to the OP - it depends...do these apartments have a dryer or electric range? if so, then you are in luck!I looked up your welder - 21 amp max draw. a household dryer or range will at a min have a 20 amp breaker (probably closer to 40, but it depends). so, get yourself a suitable length #10 3-wire cable. keep it less than 90 feet though to maintain a 2% or less voltage drop though. find yourself a sparky friend to put a dryer plug on one end and wire the other end into the welder. plug it in and start making sparks!for our peace of mind, please don't start with tow hooks until you get some hood time under your belt!
Reply:But the thing is, I do want to do some heavier stuff. I'd really not like to be stuck with weenie welding.
Reply:...I'da been disappointed if someone hadn't taken advantage of that juicy set-up. Lol. And I promise to put the TOE hooks... (1...2...3.........wait for it.....) off for a while, doc. My top priorities are a snapped off exhaust manifold stud in my engine block, a crack in the manifold itself, and welding the cat I have currently u-bolted into my Jeep exhaust. That's was a really pathetic reference to string theory. In my defense it's still early here. No coffee yet...Anyone have any opines on the 90 amper? It's supposed to be appropriate down to 18 gauge, but I'm not sure if that's beneath typical exhaust thickness. Any comments on dealing with exhaust? On the HF thing; I get it. I really do. And for the most part I feel the same way. I'm a filmmaker and it KILLS me to see halfassed productions when better may be harder but it's... you know... better. But, and I'm realizing I may be fueling a fire that was already burning before I showed up but I have a sort of independent learning style that includes making mistakes and understanding why they're mistakes first hand. I can get into a, let's call it a "practice welder" there for the cost of lunch money. Harbor Freight gives me a 25% military discount. 25%. Nobody touches that. In fact they tend to laugh at the question. I tend to shop where people don't laugh at me. No dryer outlet, AC outlet, and like my local bro observed, everything is gas here so no range outlet. Bummer.Last edited by Jeep; 12-09-2010 at 11:22 AM.Reason: Clarification
Reply:Please forgive me, but this is hysterical. I know you guys are all very serious about this stuff, and I admire that truly, but you have to see this. Sorry if you've already seen it.The Fat People load rating system for welding. And this guy is dead serious.This is the welder I think I'm picking up today. He sold me.
Reply:with the Discount it isn't a bad purchase- not much options anyways so might as well give it a go.If you want to bring it down to the Studio for some practice yer welcome to any time.IMS in Sun Valley has a good Cut Off section to pick up some metal for practicing- I have some here so no need to bring any iffin' ya do come by.http://www.industrialmetalsupply.com/Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Jeep But alas, what's a girl to do?JP
Reply:I knew that comment wasn't gonna slip by, lol. Sorry to disappoint, but no, not a chick. It was an attempt at humor. A quote from somewhere. S'pposed to be ironic, 'cuz I'm a big ol' hair dude.Ed, checlked out yer sites. Whoa. Dude, you're freakin serious, aren't ya. Wow.I'll definitely come by sometime. If for no other reason than to gravel at your feet.Another movie quote from one of the funniest movies you'll never see unless you have a kid. Lion King. "Pumbaa: Your Majesty. I gravel at your feet. Timon: It's not gravel, it's grovel. ..."Ah water polo. Such a wholesome sport. (sniffles...wipes tear from eye...)
Reply:Originally Posted by GiddyWelderWait Yer a chick? LOL
Reply:OK, dude, the short answer to your original question about running your 240V H-F wire-feed welder off of 'standard' 120V outlets is ... NO.Besides, if you are in an apartment, where are you going to actually WELD? Even with a 120V welder (wire-feed, TIG or stick), where are you actually going to weld? let's see, take the extension cord, plug it in and run it through the kitchen and living room, past the hallway, out the window, across the walkway, down the staircase, across the railing, down 3 floors to the courtyard, past the pool, and then start welding next to the palm tree. Suggestion. Sign up for a community college or vo-tech or adult ed class on welding. Welding 101. You get to learn AND use the equipment. Once you learn a bit, you may be able to bring some of your 'projects' to class and use them either as class work or just 'extra-credit' or 'practice'.As to using a 'low-end' 120V fluxcore-only welder with minimal adjustments on 'thin' sheetmetal like a muffler or whatnot, I'd say iffy without some skills and LOTS of practice. With the limited adjustments available on those machines (sometimes just two switches each with a high/low setting giving you just four setting choices) it can be difficult to get the settings right or even close. Not always impossible, just difficult.Ignoring all of your location logistical difficulties, a good general rule-of-thumb for welding is you use one amp of welding current for every 1/1000 inch of metal thickness. Welding some 1/8 steel brackets? You use about 125 amps or so, since 1/8 inch thick is 0.125 inch or 125/1000 inch. Just a rule-of-thumb (there are some variables and 'tricks' to extend things a bit and some processes can 'tweak' things a bit and welding aluminum usually takes a little more amps than the same thickness steel because aluminum is so thermally conductive, etc, etc).Maybe look up some general information over on the Miller www.millerwelds.com or Lincoln www.lincolnelectric.com or ESAB www.esabna.com websites. Tons of information there just on those three sites. Surf away. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Dude, that was AWESOME!!Huge information there. Thank you.Lol, I was wondering how the apt thing sounded. it's not really like that. We have and insanely amazing deal on our rental here in LA, but it's more of a house within a compound. We really should move, I booked a great film last year so we could, but it's just that we honestly can't think of a reason to. Apart from not having a washer/dryer onsite, it's just so dadgum homey. And with me being an ex-redneck from Florida.... wait... no, I think I'm still a redneck of sorts, ... hmmm... indeed. Yes, I'm a redneck. (Did a quick assessment. I like country music, wear pointy boots, drive a jeep, ride horses, cuss a great deal, really should clean my fingernails more often but geeze, workin on stuff like ever day it's like "what's the point" after a while.) but I would say maybe a redneck with a lot of other stuff addded on just because, ao anyway, bein' a redneck, I LOVE having a vast concrete area where I can start working on something because of an epiphany that will surely land me a Nobel, snap off a bolt and get annoyed, forget I even have whatever it is I'm working on and then rediscover it again (usually because I back into it in my jeep.), finish it and then tell my wife how brilliant I am.Besides, I've met like a million people doing laundry I would have never hung out with in a million years if I had my own w/d, so it's even better. I'm the whitest guy you ever saw but now I have Mexican and Armenian friends. its crazy. love it.Sorry. Got a little distracted there. But yeah. I've got room out the wazoo. I could make a giant metal dinosaur the size of a freight car.So I decided on the 90amper for now. Got it sittin on the wife's family heirloom oriental rug. Better head outside. I actually used to be able to run a pretty good bead back in the day. I remember being really frustrated with the stick at first, but I took Ag and had a few friends who were pretty proficient, used to help us out, made a few repairs that actually lasted a while, even if they weren't exactly pretty. Let's see if I remember anything.DUDES!!! Thank you guys SO much for the help. You guys are awesome. Thanks for taking the time. I'll read up on a bunch othe other stuff I see in here that's really interesting.Thanks again!JameLast edited by David R; 12-11-2010 at 03:47 PM.Reason: Poster Request |
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发表于 2021-9-1 00:23:01