Wire size

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Looking into a 250,  will 8/2 be enough or should I go 6/2
Reply:

Originally Posted by goldie lox

Looking into a 250,  will 8/2 be enough or should I go 6/2
Reply:Yes, breaker size
Reply:Well goldie, you seem rather opaque. First you want wire size, I think, though you really didn't answer that and then ask about breaker size. Paging lugweld!
Reply:Do you know that wire size and breaker size go hand in hand,  if you say I needed a 50a breaker then you get the matching wire, just like if you said you only needed a 15a breaker then you would get 14g wire,  you can’t mix match the two, yes you can always larger wire or smaller breaker but not good a practice
Reply:Go with what your  or local /requires..  The manual has all the information he needs to make the correct determination.  You should use a NEMA 6-50 plug if you are on single phase.  Article 630 of the NEC has specific guidelines for wiring welders.  Unfortunately local inspectors often ignore it or won't allow it to be wired in accordance with it either due to stubbornness or ignorance of this article.  Wire size is able to be downrated based off of duty cycle of primary amps or constant "running" amps (I1eff), not inrush.  Breakers are sized off of inrush, and if I recall correctly the NEC allows up to 200 percent over sizing of breaker to conductor.   But take all this with a grain of salt. I am not an electrician.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Depends, Are you going underground to a shop or are talking shop wiring? Check the difference in price of 8 and 6 and make the call on your budget. For 99% of your welding 8ga and a 50a breaker will be fine. Some will argue that you can use 10ga. I'm not a 10ga guy unless it's a 115v extension cord. I agree with the words on inspectors. Bring in 3 and tey all have their own way.Thermal Arc 320SP ( Lorch )Cobra PythonsThermal Arc 300 AC/DC  ( Sanrex )ESAB 301i AC/DC  ( Lorch )Thermal Arc 161STL  ( WTL )Thermal Arc 190S  ( Sanrex )Cut Master 82, 42. Cut45 ( WTL )Victor Gas Apps.Boxes and boxes of welding crap.
Reply:Normally if using a cable it's one size larger than the minimum called for in the instructions. The listing is usually single circuit in pipe.  A 251 is 8 wire, 6 cable but,, crap it's a heavy machine and that is balls to the wall, it will spray 045 and it's 60%duty at rated output.  A guy running 035 c25 can't runit that hard. No one thinks some of the minimums for the smaller machines are great,, there is even a pinch of performance loss,, very minor but once you use a size better it's moot.www.urkafarms.com