Cold Temp and Welding Machines?

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Hello, i was just curious if anyone has heard of welding machines getting damaged in minus weather?.... say -30 or so for about a month. just sitting Temp, not running.Thanks!
Reply:My SA200 saw colder than -40f last winter, started right up in the spring.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Mine sits in the garage all winter, works every time I fire it up, not even generator welder.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveMy SA200 saw colder than -40f last winter, started right up in the spring.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749I'm pretty sure my welder would work ok.I don't think I would tho
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveIf you move fast enough you don't get cold
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Yeah, I would be moving as fast as I could in the opposite direction of Minnesota!Too damn cold there!
Reply:Hahaha!! Minnesota.. Land of ten thousand lakes.....Yeah, Those ten thousand lakes are frozen until July! Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Hahaha!! Minnesota.. Land of ten thousand lakes.....Yeah, Those ten thousand lakes are frozen until July!
Reply:SHaWI have never heard of a welding machine failureattributed to severe cold damage.My 1977 Lincoln 300/300 survived a decade of > than -20, and performed as new.The key to survival - [maybe] don't turn it on - if you have ice in the shop.  This is not a direct analogy - 'but I saw this with my own eyes' . . .I live in the 'Banana Belt' of the Pacific NW - so the coldest winter 'of record' was only -28. The day it was -28 - I was on vacation - 'everything is frozen & broken' - so go play.    I was asked to lunch with an old-friend. His house was equipped with an electric-demand hot water heater - 230v.After chit/chat in the kitchen - my host turned on the hot water tap to wash his hands for food prep, and -the transformer [30' behind the house] on the power pole - exploded.When big electricity go bad - there is no confusingthe sound.Your welder should be fine - just don't turn it on - in sub zero temps [without pre-heat].  OpuspsFailure analysis opinions welcome.
Reply:Hi,  Winters are cold here in Manitoba"  My Lincoln 180c mig  In an unheated steel shed. wouldn't  even switch on at _40 Fan wouldn't  even turn,  But I think the 181i inverter seems to be o-k with the cold?  My Honda powered Generator Always fires right up and works no matter what the weather is, I was picking up  a computer from the service shop and asked the technician if sitting outside in the pickup all day at -30 something would harm it?  He said the cold would never do it any harm But get it up to room temp before switching it on,
Reply:Many things today with sensitive electronics have temperature sensors that only allows them to operate only within a certain temperature range.  Even most older computers shut themselves off above a pre-set temp to prevent damage from overheating.  Recently I have witnessed some that won't turn on if they have been left in the car all night at -20f.   Checked the documentation and sure enough it says they will turn themselves off below or above a pre-set temperature range.   It wouldn't surprise me that welders with fancy expensive electronics have similar safeguards.  But I would think the temperature range for welders would be much wider, due to the environments that they need to be used in.Century buzzbox that I learned on 40+ years ago (was Dad's)Crappy Century 110volt mig 70 amp pigeon pooper.Lincoln Idealarc TIG-300
Reply:The only thing I would be wary of is turning on  a welder that was out in the cold immediately after bringing it into a warm, moist environment.  Condensation can be bad when mixed with electrical or electronic devices.If you bring a machine out of the cold into a warm space, let it warm up to the ambient temperature before you plug it in and turn it on.  Any condensation that forms inside will evaporate when the machine has warmed up.If the machine is staying out in the cold, the only other thing I can imagine that might cause an issue is moving parts, switches, contactors, solenoids, etc.  Things that move will tend to bind or stick when extremely cold as they shrink and clearances get tight.  This goes double  if they rely on any kind of grease or liquid lube to protect moving parts.Last edited by A_DAB_will_do; 02-13-2015 at 11:16 AM.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Hey Josey, if you don't have a heated shop to keep that 180C, I would definitely suggest keeping the wire rolls inside. I keep mine inside so I haven't experienced the cold shut down, but leaving rolls of wire where the temperature changes will cause condensation in the rolls can totally mess with them. Not sure if that would be worse for flux core or not, I'm using CO2.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:Thanks guys for your input! I'm from Waterloo,Ontario,Canada.although it does get cold here, i'm glad i found out i don't have to worry about leaving my welder in the garage.