how does welding at home affect.your electric bill

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Let's say i do some tig and stick welding  using a 220 volt machine. I plan to practice my welding something around 4 days a week let's say around 2 hours . How much would you say my electric bill will go up.  This may be a dumb question but It's something I have been thinking about.
Reply:lots of variables could come into play such as your location, who supplies your power, where/how your power is generated(coal, nuke hydro, etc) rates(peak or off peak hrs), how much of the 2 hrs you are actually burning metal, amps you are burning metal at. i would say give it a month trial period and you will know for sure. it won't be a bank breaker. i know this wasn't any help but realistically nobody can answer it truthfully or even a ballpark guess..Last edited by jbmprods; 04-16-2012 at 04:31 AM.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:As long as you don't leave the welder ON for those whole two hours, it would use less power than sitting at your computer for 12 hours a week.If you're doing both welding AND fitting, your on-arc time will probably be less than 6 minutes out of one hour. Even for pure welding, few human welders exceed 20 minutes "on-arc" per hour. A typical welder uses 7 -12 kilowatts. If you use that for 15 minutes per week, you could estimate about 1 hour of "on-arc" time per month, (plus the "off-cycle" power used when the welder is "on" but not in use.) If you want to save money, only turn it one when you expect to use it in the next minute or so. A highball estimate would then be an extra 15 kilowatt-hours per month.  Lowball would be 5 kWh if you use it less than you predict.The actual cost would then depend on how much per kWh your utility charges you. that can vary based on the time of day and the season.Last edited by Joshfromsaltlake; 04-16-2012 at 04:46 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Joshfromsaltlake If you want to save money, only turn it one when you expect to use it in the next minute or so.
Reply:If you want to figure worst case scenario, figure out what the machine draws at rated amps and work from there.If you have a machine that draw's 50 amps 230v at rated power, then  amps x volts = watts. So that would be 11,500 watts, or 11.5 KW / hr. Get out your electric bill and it will tell you what you are paying per Kilowatt hr and multiply that times the KW/hr you got above times the number of hours you figure you weld.Remember that that assumes you were running full tilt the whole time, or were using a machine with PFC capps that creates a high idle draw. Chances are you are way below that use in reality even if the machine just sits idling while you prep most of the time..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:Angel, I have an Eutec Arc Magna-Tran ac/dc MD 201 welder made by Mid-States Welding Manufacturing, made in the '70's. The welder has an output of 300 amps ac/dc with high frequency when needed. The following are my recorded amp readings taken with a digital amp meter at 240 volts:  Power on unit at rest - 1.1 amp = 264 wattsPower on unit with petal down and no arc/no high frequency - 5.6 amps = 1,344 watts(main contactor energized).  Power on unit, welding 1/8th inch aluminium with high frequency on - "To The Moon Alice".  I also have an Arc Master 200 which is an inverter arc welder.  Much differant unit and this is the reason I purchased it.  Much more efficient unit.  My advice to you is if you can afford it, go with an inverter unit.  While the transformer type welders are pretty much bullet proof and are generally easily repaired, the inverter arc welders are far more efficient and can change the arc characteristics in ways the transformer welders cannot.  Bob
Reply:I never really noticed welder use on the electric bill and I generally used a 500 pound transformer type.  The simplest thing would be to read your meter before and after welding and compute.  It might be amusing to know how many pounds of stick one can lay down  using the electricity to cook a turkey or bake a cake.  I have a feeling electrically drying a load of laundry might be comparable to what you want to do per day.  If you are really cost conscious I might suggest not using the hose they sell you at the welding shop to go from the regulator to the machine.  Those seem to swell up and make a puff of gas every time, more so than a hose with mesh in it that doesn't swell.
Reply:I use mine for a few hours a week, more so now than lately. With the garage lights on, radio, subwoofer on, garage door opening and closing 5 times a day. Gf always has the tv and lights on in the house. Got rid of my desktop and only have a laptop now. My bill is on average $50 a month.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:It depends a lot on your electrical service into your home as well also. I have a 200 amp service on my house,tapped 100 amps down to a shop I have next door and the total for both places are less then some of my neighbors homes only.Brian
Reply:Not enough to notice.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerNot enough to notice.
Reply:Originally Posted by AndyA+1.  Quit worrying and start welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmThat's just stupid.  Welders draw very little when sitting idle.  Arc time is where the power is used.  I'm not advocating leaving your welder on all day, but there's no need to get carried away with turning it off and on all the time.
Reply:It's kind of an interesting mental question.  Residential electric rates run from 10 - 15 cents an hour across the US lower 48.  If you are running 10% of the time 2 hours each day 4 days per week drawing 50 amps at 240 V.... lets see... um...  50x240 = 12000 watts...and for what did we say...  x 2hours... and on time... x10% = 2.4KWh... okay... so that means... hang on... x4 days... x4.3 weeks..er, um... and, oh, uh at x15 cents / KWh.... we get... 9.6/week times the 4.3 weeks/month... and then 15 cents... equals...$6.19 per month.  Taaa Daaaa!!!  Not even minimum wage.Now if you have power factor correction capacitors, then we need an electrician...Kind of interesting.  I had wondered the same thing and had no sense of whether it was pennies, dollars or "honey, sell one of the kids".
Reply:Originally Posted by angel85lxLet's say i do some tig and stick welding  using a 220 volt machine. I plan to practice my welding something around 4 days a week let's say around 2 hours . How much would you say my electric bill will go up.  This may be a dumb question but It's something I have been thinking about.
Reply:It DOESN'T affect your electric bill...and I pay 15¢/kWh.Don't worry about it.
Reply:would you worry if you were buying a dryer or an electric oven how much it's going to effect your electric bill? You use those FAR more than you would a welder.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Ok good.to.know thanks for the input guys.
Reply:you won't see a large increase, and so what if you did, do you want to weld or not?  Next think about this, you said you want to practice, that tells me you are a beginner and trying to better your skills, now think about what a good welding course or program cost to take? See my point? and leave the welder on, Welders have a duty cycle, you can look that up here but when they run they heat up, so when they sit or (Idle) just a term I know your are using an electric machine, the fan cools them back down keeping everything inside happy. You start turning it on running away then shutting down the machine and fan, and it's not going to stay happy long.  Now get welding and enjoy."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerNot enough to notice.
Reply:Originally Posted by LightsGranted they have the money, but the local CC advocates leaving welders on all day. They started to burn through switches when students would shut them on and off after burning a few rods or so...
Reply:Be happy you're using electric.  Beats listening to a stinkin engine drive all day long.  I hate using mine for extended periods."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I saw a jump when i was using my 330ABP heavily one month but now I am on all inverters I have noticed a significant jump in my electric bill.    I agree with just leaving it on, they use very little electricity when in standby..Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammBe happy you're using electric.  Beats listening to a stinkin engine drive all day long.  I hate using mine for extended periods.
Reply:My electric bill decreases the more I weld.Originally Posted by Fat BastardMy electric bill decreases the more I weld.
Reply:As others have already said, although welders can draw a fair bit of power while welding, the actual arc time is not going to be as long as you might think. Around here, power costs about 15 cents per kilowatt hour. A big 10 Kw welder run flat out for six minutes every hour costs 15 cents per hour to run.  Figure how long a seam you could continuously weld in six minutes of arc time for only 15 cents.Cheers,  Tony._________________________________Transmig 310 + Argoshield LightOxy acetyleneOxy propanePrehistoric stick welder_________________________________
Reply:Well make a long set of jumper cables up and buy a good monkey you can train to climb the electric pole at night and hook the cables on the power lines for you and do all your welding for free. I know this is stealing but as long as you do not tell the monkey you should be safe.
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerwould you worry if you were buying a dryer or an electric oven how much it's going to effect your electric bill? You use those FAR more than you would a welder.