welding table/welder storage combo?

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Would there be any possible bad side effects from mounting your welder on a shelf under the welding table/work table?stray voltage ?such as working on a large piece, clamping (ground) on the table and tacking the work piece to the table for convenience... ?could the welder be damaged by stray voltage?Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:I've seen a handful of tables with a space for the welder.  I always wonder about the grinding the owner does near the table.  Unless you're always keeping the grinder directly above the table itself, there's the risk of at least cosmetic damage to the welder.Plus, sometimes you want to bring the welder to the job, which means either an additional cart, or you just carry all the components.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:140 views and only one reply... I'm surprised. i figured there would be a clearcut answer to this question.I have rolling carts for my mig and arc welders.....   but I just bought a heavy duty steel welding table with plenty of room underneath...  99% of my work is personal and in my own garage.  I thought it might be nice to consolidate everything....but, I'd hate to burn out a $1500.00 plasma cutter because some stray voltage got into the circuit board.. but yet, I see lots of guys building weld table/cart combos... wish I knew what the real skinny was... Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:well.... not real sure if this will help but ive got a portable welder in the back of my service truck, im constantly welding with stuff clamped in the vice on the bumper , and i ground directly to the piece or the vice. ive yet to have any issues with the welder, or the truck for that matter, even though supposedly youre supposed to unhook batteries before you weld on a vehicle frame.....  kind of a conundrum.
Reply:Originally Posted by dieselmudder kind of a conundrum.
Reply:I would be worried more about the grinding dust getting into your machines than anything else.It seem that these welding tables/ welding carts are some what of a new thing so you'll have to wait and see if someone damages their machines. I'm pretty sure though that any welding equipment is going to be isolated and grounded properly in its design because if there was any stray voltage the I image a lot of people would be getting shocked.  At work we have many machines grounded to the same structure and they are also grounded from the machine frame to the structure but nothing ever happens to the machines.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jay O I'm pretty sure though that any welding equipment is going to be isolated and grounded properly in its design because if there was any stray voltage the I image a lot of people would be getting shocked.
Reply:Originally Posted by John TWould there be any possible bad side effects from mounting your welder on a shelf under the welding table/work table?stray voltage ?such as working on a large piece, clamping (ground) on the table and tacking the work piece to the table for convenience... ?could the welder be damaged by stray voltage?
Reply:It should be fine.  The machines are built pretty strong, not that I suggest it, but you could weld with the welding machine in the rain. I know for a fact lincoln electric tests their welders in those conditions. Because I worked for the company that built the test equipment.likewise being located directly under a table is a pretty common spot.  I would take care that due to slats or what not slag won't directly fall on the unit. A piece of sheet metal can be placed on top of the welder to act as an "umbrella" if need be.  Grinding dust won't be any worse than welders placed in any other location in most shops.I've seen plenty of welders stored under tables. "stray voltage" aka an improper ground shouldn't be an issue either those machines are shielded for that.  On the safe side you could or should make a bolt on ground so that say your table is always 100% grounded, that way it's not likely to try to ground thru the welder.