Galvanized.......

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Hi folks.........I've been reading the forum for a while. Seems like a good crowd with lots of collaboration and experience.I've welded some.......on and off for a few years. I guess I'm bordering on competence. I volunteered to help a friend tack some galvy fence parts. The project was in a remote area that had a receptacle nearby.It is 110v and I think a 20 amp circuit. Unfortunately I had to use a fifty foot 12/3 extension cord.My welder is an Everlast 200st inverter with dual voltage. I used 3/32--6011--EP at different amps....from 45 to 65. The problem I had was on oneparticular weld (all were only about 1" long). But it stuck like mad... almost like it was a rare earth magnet. I had to let the rod out of the stingerand break it off. I was then unable to restart with that rod. I had a better chance at arcing with a new rod. I moved the ground for that weld.Is it possible that a bad ground would make the rod stick so much or is it low voltage in anyone's opinion. The ground was clamped to bolt threads.Any way I am stymied about that one. The other welds were not easy but not nearly so frustrating.Any comments or observations are welcomed with gratitude.....Thanks for the great resource......bobsy
Reply:The pipe was magnitized. You can go 90 degrees around and some times they will start OK. I have seen some so bad that I had to torch weld them.After your rod stuck, it became magnitized as well but to the polarity of which pipe it stuck to so couldn't arc to the other pipe. It can be a bitch.
Reply:I know my maxstar starts much better on 220 it's kind of a pain to get a 3/32 7018 lit on 110, really hard if there is no room to do a long scratch.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:Thanks for the observations....interesting theory on the magnet biz. I'm going to research that.Am I right in thinking a voltage drop might cause the rod to stick as well ? Just curious ?Thanks again...........
Reply:Hey Tack....Thanks for the response. All equipment is practically new.....so no buildup. I tried it again and the same problems exist. Sticking like a magnet (different posts than above). Once it sticks I can't use that rod anymore because it overheats and burns the flux off. It is a twenty amp circuit maybe 100 yards from the panel....then I have a 50 foot extension at 12/3. Yesterday I was up to 100 amps on 110v and it behaved exactly the same way. Do you think I have too much of a voltage drop over that distance for 110v ? Will the ground work effectively if it is not shiny steel but still galvanized ?Thanks for any insight....
Reply:It's not the voltage drop, or your cord, 12/3 should be just fine, it's that lack of voltage to start with. Open circuit voltage on a big powerful stick welder is about 80 volts, to get that high of voltage out of a system designed to give max power at about 25 volts, requires higher input voltage. So, what you get when running on 110 is not enough voltage to really light up the rod nicely. How are you trying to start the rod? Peck or scratch? I have found with my maxstar that pecking will not work at all on 110v.Galvanized should not affect the ground.I recommend you try 220v.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:Dunno about the voltage for the rod but did you say 100 yards from the panel?I'd like to see a meter reading there as to the input voltageEd 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:If you have enough voltage drop through the extension cord, the welder cannot compensate.If you have it set for 80 amps but the voltage drop will only let it go to 75,turning it up to 100 will have no effect.Besides, they like to spec. them at 42 amps input on 110v,so I doubt anything good will come of an extension cord.Last edited by Bluewelders; 02-17-2015 at 07:29 PM.