Generator size.

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I've got a 120/240v 3800 watt generator (4200 peak), and the old Linde 230 AC welder.I guess what im wondering is, what is the upper limit i will be able to weld at, if needed, from the generator.I'm seeing Lincoln's Bulldog 5500 rated at a 4000 watt (c) and rated to weld at 140 amps.  This calculates out to about 28 welding volts.Is it safe to assume that the old Linde is going to be in the same ballpark?this would leave me to think i should be able to run the Linde up to about 135 amps, assuming that it will start the arc and not go beyond the peak capacity of the generator.seems to me that at about 135 amps, i would be good for 1/8" 6011, but probably only 3/32" 6013/7014 to be reliable.Seems like no matter what, i should be able to rely on the generator up to about 100amps when welding.this isn't a need, so much, right now, but with my old crappy stuff, anything can break anywhere, and may need to get it patched back together just to get it home to make a better repair.am i on the right track?
Reply:You are comparing apples to oranges.I'm guessing that old Linde is like most transformer stick machines and if you look at the input rating, you will find it will want 50 amps of 230v power to give you rated output. On say 30 amps of 230v power you will be limited to probably about 100 amps output if I'm remembering what I'd trip the breaker on my old stick machine at when running off the dryer outlet in the apartment. 30 amps @ 230v is 6900 watts. Most transformer machines will want almost 12K to run rated output by the time you are done figuring out loss and so on.Transformer machines are very inefficient in how they work. Also they don't scale linearly. IE if a machine draw 50 amps at say 225 amp output, at 25 amp draw, they don't put out 125 amps, only maybe 80 amps. At a certain minimum, you won't get any output as the windings on the transformer consume all the power and don't leave enough for weld output.. I vaguely remember a thread a few years back where someone hooked up a Lincoln AC225 to a 5KW or  6KW genny and managed to barely get 6011 3/32" rods to burn at minimal settings. They still had issues tripping the breakers on the machine and they really didn't have enough output to run the rods properly.Engine drives are a bit different. They make power direct rather than running them thru a transformer in many cases.  Also in some cases aux output is not using the same windings as the weld side does, thus weld power and aux power have not connection other than the engine.You most likely won't have enough input power to even light up 1/16" rods with that genny and stick combo.Last edited by DSW; 12-15-2012 at 11:49 AM..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