Newbie is a little (alot) lost

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Hi All,I am looking to by a 120volt wire feed. I tried a clarke 95e stick welder, but I am welding up to 3/16 and I am having trouble. In another post, everyone pretty much said that stick welder is to small for what I am doing and being new would have difficulty. I liked the stick welding it was fun, but I really don't plan on doing this alot and I need something easy or easier and can run on a 120v 20-25amp circuit that can weld 3/16 without much trouble. I am trying to stay away from running a 220v line. I just need to do general farm repairs.So I have been looking at the Hobart 140 and the Lincoln 135T wire feeds. I can buy them sears for about $500. http://www.hobartwelders.com/product...ed/handler140/http://content.lincolnelectric.com//...r/im/IM724.pdfWhat do you think on these? I do need something fairly easy to use and can run on 120volts. Maybe I am looking at the wrong things all together?Any help would be great!Thanks again,John
Reply:What do you think on these? I do need something fairly easy to use and can run on 120volts. Maybe I am looking at the wrong things all together?
Reply:In MY opinion, all you are going to get out of ANY 110 volt machine is barely 100 amps.  Stick or Mig.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:If you can get 220v power, the Millermatic 180 and Hobart 187 are not much more than their 110v cousins, the MM140 and HH140, and will weld that 3/16 metal just fine.  Or if you like red, the Lincoln 175 should do just as well as the blue and grey machines.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Thanks Desert Rider, Dave.I just read another post with someone who seems to have the same problem with voltage. It's not the cost of the machine, it is just going to be a real pain in the butt running the 220 line under the ground and out to were I need it. But from what I am hearing that is the best way, and buying the 180 or 187 I won't be disappointed.Thanks Again!
Reply:Just make sure you run it off a 30 amp breaker rather than a 20 amp..It'll run alot better with the higher amps.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterJust make sure you run it off a 30 amp breaker rather than a 20 amp..It'll run alot better with the higher amps.. ...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by SnchopdThanks Desert Rider, Dave.I just read another post with someone who seems to have the same problem with voltage. It's not the cost of the machine, it is just going to be a real pain in the butt running the 220 line under the ground and out to were I need it. But from what I am hearing that is the best way, and buying the 180 or 187 I won't be disappointed.Thanks Again!
Reply:Originally Posted by mooseyeI'm no electrican, but I don't think breaker size will make the machine run better. However, a higher rating will keep you from having to reset the breaker every few minutes. And don't even waste your time with a 15amp circuit. Even the smallest welding machine will quickly trip a 15amp breaker, which is aggravating, to say the least.
Reply:Rojodiablo is correct.Technically the breaker and wire gauge for the circuit size is determined by a percentage of amp load.Off the top of my head I don't remember what that percentage is but I believe it is 80%.So if I had a peice of equipment that draws 13 amps, the circuit should be rated for 15.6 amps minimum. 19 amps should be rated for 22.8.It has to do with hysteresis losses in the thermal disappation rates of the wire. The circuits ability to carry voltage against the resistance load which results in a voltage drop. The breaker is there for curcuit protection, though it's rating does not ensure voltage requirements.For example, a piece of equipment having a resistance of ten ohms, and the wires which supply it may have a resistance of 0.2 ohms, about 2% of the total circuit resistance. This means that 2% of the supplied voltage is actually being lost by the wire itself.Circuits wired within residential buildings usually are not long enough or heavily-loaded enough to make voltage drop a factor in selection of wiring. In the case of very long circuits, for example, connecting a home to a separate building on the same property, it may be necessary to increase the size of conductors over the minimum requirement for the circuit current rating.NEC requires no more than a 5% voltage drop for residential applications at the outlet. This is were the 80% comes into play when circuit sizing. Kind of a rule of thumb for most wiring jobs. That is if you know the amp draw ahead of time.I'm not saying you can't run the 19 amp machine on the 20 amp circuit. But age/lenght of the wire, run time of the equipment, temp of the environment will determine the voltage drop, which may or may not cause the breaker to trip. But in reality that 19 amp machine could run better on a 30amp sized circuit as apposed to a 20amp sized curcuit do to the voltage drop across the line.You can easily see this on a circular saw when running it on long extension cords.
Reply:Originally Posted by SnchopdRojodiablo is correct.Technically the breaker and wire gauge for the circuit size is determined by a percentage of amp load.~deleted to save space~ But in reality that 19 amp machine could run better on a 30amp sized circuit as apposed to a 20amp sized curcuit do to the voltage drop across the line.You can easily see this on a circular saw when running it on long extension cords.
Reply:Hey, Snchopd,It sounds like you already have a 120 volt line to a shop/barn that you want to use to power a welder.  Might i suggest that you rent or borrow a 120 volt welder to try on site before buying one.  It may be that if you use a small welder at the end of a long run, it won't give you the power you are looking for.  May be that you will have to run another line, anyway, and it may as well be 220, if that be the case.  I have a 120 volt Century that does just fine for most of what I need to weld, but I have noticed the arc suffers when using an extension cord.Last edited by Weldordie; 01-29-2008 at 09:12 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by mooseyeYou seem to know electricity.  So correct me if I am wrong, but I stand by my statement that the breaker has nothing to do with the voltage drop. It is the size of the wire that is typically used in that 20amp circuit that makes the machine seem not to perform as well. A machine can pull (theoretically) 100amps from a 20amp circuit,albeit, the breaker would trip instantly in this event if it were working correctly.
Reply:Originally Posted by mooseyeYou seem to know electricity.  So correct me if I am wrong, but I stand by my statement that the breaker has nothing to do with the voltage drop. It is the size of the wire that is typically used in that 20amp circuit that makes the machine seem not to perform as well. A machine can pull (theoretically) 100amps from a 20amp circuit,albeit, the breaker would trip instantly in this event if it were working correctly.
Reply:[QUOTE=Weldordie;159941]  Might i suggest that you rent or borrow a 120 volt QUOTE]I never thought of that. Somethings are right in front of your face and never know it.I took everyones advice and started running the 220 line....
Reply:[quote=Snchopd;160059] Originally Posted by Weldordie  Might i suggest that you rent or borrow a 120 volt QUOTE]I never thought of that. Somethings are right in front of your face and never know it.I took everyones advice and started running the 220 line....
Reply:I have about the same set-up. From my main panel to the barn is about 120feet. The previous owner ran 10g to a sub-box out there. The ground from that sub-box runs back to the main panel in the house. There is also an earth ground in the barn from that sub-box. I can't say for sure that is to code, but both boxes were certified by an electrician on the same day.I do know that the NEC requires 4 wire on on stoves (50amp) and I think driers (30amp). Also a disconnect if the appliance is more than 50 feet from the panel. So I am going with that standard.I am running 8/4, one being that is well within the 80% rule, the other is I have a 30amp 110 line out there already. So I don't need to share one of the legs on the 220V line. I have seen the 220v line split into 110v sub circuits.Again I am not am electrician, so.... but I believe we are well within the 300 feet when considering voltage drops and jumping to the next gauge. 6/4 is some thick line, nice stuff.I do plan on having my box and sub-box inspected and certified before I complete the circuit with a breaker on the main panel. This way I'm covered on my home owners insurance.Wire Size / AWG. Copper Wire Max Current 0000 gauge  253 amps 000 gauge  214 amps 00 gauge   186 amps 0 gauge  163 amps 2 gauge 119 amps 4 gauge 89 amps 6 gauge 65 amps 8 gauge  48 amps 10 gauge  30 amps 12 gauge  20 amps 14 gauge  15 amps