Let's talk about electricity

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So, i just acquired a Harbor Fright TIG welder. As in one of those red 130 amp ones. (Mod 91811)Usually it runs off of 220v. Would it be safe to put a 110v plug on it and use it that way?Or, would it be safe to remove the 220v wire, and replace it with a longer wire of the same gauge? The current wire goes into the machine and plugs into a silicon board with rubber coated spade type terminals. They look rather small - they're not much bigger than the stuff that i use for my car... And, if i do replace the power cord, how do i know if i am getting the properly shielded spade type connectors? I always thought that shielded was shielded, but as that it's inside of a welder.... stakes are a bit higher here...
Reply:If it's not designed to run on dual voltage then I don't think you can run it on 110v                                                              MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Absolutely not. I don't mean to be rash, but if you have to ask in regards to electricity, hire an electrician.A 220 welder will not run on 120. No if ands or buts.   As far as an extension cord to a dryer plug, this would be the best solution, but keep in mind you will need probably #8-3 wire to maintain proper voltage drop to the welder. That depends on the distance though. If your dryer plug is over 100 feet away, expect to pay more for wire than you did for your welder
Reply:Gotcha. Thx for the firm response. Yes, i probably should be hiring an electrician for this kinda silliness, but i think imma try to stretch my skills a little bit. Based on that, i definitely will not be trying to use it on 110v household. I just bought some 30 amp connectors for building a little extension cord. Supposedly, this thing only draws 18amps.The current plan is to implement my version of this:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=11537Basically, i got a set of twist lock male/female 30A 250v connectors and am going to put one on the power cord to the machine, and the other to an extension cord. I guess i'll use some 10ga wire for the extension cord - probably only need like 10 feet or so.
Reply:If you only need 10 feet, just put a longer cord on the welder and forget the extension and extra plugs.My name's not Jim....
Reply:If you are only going ten feet then you will be fine with what you propose. Heck, can you not forgo the extension and just put the welder next to the plug, and maybe run the leads out to your shop?
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmIf you only need 10 feet, just put a longer cord on the welder and forget the extension and extra plugs.