E 7018

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Hello everyone I'm new to this forum.And have come in search of some expertise and advice.Today I bought some low hydrogen E 7018 electrodes. However, the box they came in was not hermetically sealed, nor vacuum packed.To makes things worse, the plastic packaging was ripped in several places. So I'm assuming these electrodes have been exposed to atmospheric conditions for a long period of time!My question being:How long can E 7018 low hydrogen electrodes stay exposed to atmospheric conditions until they become completely useless ???Thank you.
Reply:Try them, they will probably work ok. If not, just dry them for about an hour at 300 in your wife's oven when she's not around. Typical indoor humidity doesn't seem to bother mine but 3 years in a damp basement or a flooded shop might. I put 7018 in a rod oven for 2 hours and couldn't tell any difference from the same batch with no heat. I just bought some Hobart 7018 and it was sealed with clear tape but not airtight.
Reply:Answer... depends.If you live in a very dry climate area, you may have no noticeable issues for generic noncode work. If you live in an area with high humidity like the deep south, even rods from sealed containers may start running poorly after several hours of exposure.Lincoln does list procedures to "rebake" 7018 rods, but often it requires an oven capable of 700 deg to drive out the moisture completely..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 you're not doing code work, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Here is a thread I did about wet 7018. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...018&highlight=Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Like Cep said, if its not code work it should be fine. I have used 7018 that was 15 years old from a box that was moldy because it stayed damp so much, still ran fine.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:I've been working on a pipe fence, and have been using up a bunch of old rods that have been in the rod box on my rig for literally years.  welded most of the actual pipe with some 1/8" 7010 that was still in really good shape, used some 5/32" 8010 on some wide gaps.  The flux on the 8010 was starting to get chalky, and some had actually cracked.  It still ran good enough to use.  Welding the cattle panels on, I've moved to some rods that are in worse shape... I've been using 1/8" 6010 5P+ that the flux is chalky, and some of the rods are actually stuck together.  And also some 3/32" Lincoln 7018 that has obviously drawn moisture by the looks of it.  the 7018 is in a 50 pound can that I think I bought about 10 years ago, and it's been in my rod box on the truck ever since then...  It would not be good for code work, but it's still good enough that with the heat set right, the slag still curls up.  If you are doing some type of code work, or anything critical, by all means buy and use fresh rods.  I obviously wouldn't use the old 7018 for trailer repairs or welding a trackhoe boom back together.  But the way it runs, I wouldn't hesitate to weld shanks on a backhoe or trackhoe bucket with it.  3/32 is just not something I use that much of.  Burn a lot of 1/8 and 5/32, so I usually need to buy new when the need arises for it.-------------------------Chemetron AC/DC 300 HFSnap-On MM300L Lincoln SP140 Lincoln AC/DC 225g Lincoln SA200 Lincoln SA200 Miller Bobcat 225GVictor torchesH&M and Mathey beveling machinesMcElroy Plastic pipe fusion
Reply:Thanks for the advice fella's and for answering my question.I'll give them a bake and see if results improve. Regards,
Reply:Originally Posted by remb1000Thanks for the advice fella's and for answering my question.I'll give them a bake and see if results improve. Regards,
Reply:Why the heck would you buy a box of rods with the outside packaging all jacked up to begin with?  From the way you described them, didntit dawn on you that you were probably buying crap rods????  I would have passed and looked elsewhere for 7018's.  or, just used some 7014's if they were available. Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Sounds you got some rods from home depot.Anyway the time exposed to atmosphere is usually 4 hours max before they need baked at 200-230 degrees for 4 hours to dry again.I wouldn't worry about it tho. Unless your working on something critical or a metal that's not hydrogen tolerant,  like QT 100 or something.Dry rods burn a little better tho.Maybe next time you should buy from a welding supply. Lincoln Excalibur are always sealed
Reply:When I bought these rods, I was well aware of their potential deteriorated condition. The reason I bought them is because I live in a very rural area. And picking up some 7018's was better than picking up no 7018's I guess. The suppliers around here don't have much in terms of welding equipment and consumables. If I want the likes of Oerlikon and Lincoln rods, I would need to order them from abroad. This could take up to a week or even more. And the waiting game can be frustrating as I'm sure you're well aware. This work I'm carrying out is nothing critical, nor will it be inspected. It's just practice I'm doing. Regards,
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadtry setting the machine to 75 amps and intentionally stick a rod. that will put some heat into it and may improve performance.
Reply:Originally Posted by ExpatWelderThat will do absolutely NOTHING...........don't waste your time.
Reply:If you bought AC7018 at a big box store and are using it on DC, don't expect drying it out will improve your welds.   IMHO, they have the worst puddle to slag definition of any rod I've used, at least when used on DC.  People say they run much better on AC because they were designed specifically for the OCV of AC welders.  I had mixed 7018 in the same can during a project, both the AC rod and Excalibur.  Both Lincoln rods.  I finally had the "AHA" moment of seeing the puddle like it was a clean mig puddle.  My AHA suddenly was gone for some reason.  I tried cheater lenses, holding my face closer, amp adjustments, etc...  Then out of the blue, I could see the puddle again.  After a lot of cursing I examined the can and realized that they were mixed.  The Excalibur was awesome.  I threw the 7018AC in the garbage. The AC rod just has a wet messy puddle of crap behind the arc that I find impossible to read.  Only Excalibur for me from now on.  Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now FreeTA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:FREE! 50lbs, 7 years of chalky, sticky 7018HR4 rods all gone!Non-Code Farmer Repairs, nothing ever broke where repaired!Did dry some a few times in Wifey's oven for some bulldozer attachment repairs, those never broke in the Welds or near the Welds!