Welder Extension Cord

TempestV

I picked up my welder from my parent's house this weekend since I'm finally living in a house with a dryer outlet I can plug it in to. The problem is that the bathroom with the dryer in it is a good 50' from the garage where I would like to be able to use the welder. I was looking at building a heavy duty extension cord to reach, but was wondering what kind of wire would be necessary. The welder is a Lincoln 140 amp wire feed that runs off of 230 volt power. The owner's manual suggests a 40 amp breaker. Any help would be appreciated.

MALCO.New.York

Why fool around when you can do/have it done correctly. With EMT and cable and a dedicated breaker.

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firemike

I am guessing it would cost you darn near as much to buy the materials to make an extension cord as it would to buy the materials and do it right as Malco suggested. That far of a distance you don't want to use too small of a cord.

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-Mike-

Dustball

50 feet sounds like a detached garage. You can buy one such as this- http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we...8/3-50ext.html or make your own but don't skimp on the materials.

TempestV

Malco- the house is a rental, so no permanent changes. If I owned it, I would have put an outlet in the garage a long time ago.

it's actually an attached garage, but it's over thirty feet from the laundry room to the garage door, plus what I need to get out into the driveway. 50 feet should give me enough.

Bill

Mmm, I used to weld for a living. I think I would rather do as Malco said because it WILL pull major amps. if not, then you can get a plug in coupling to extend the leads.

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Virginia Plumbing Codes

TempestV

Can't extend the leads because it is a wire feed.

When I was in welding class in high school, we had heavy duty extension cords that could run the welders no problem, and they were Miller 250 amp wire feeds. I just need to know what kind of cable would be necessary.

Bill

y bad, though it was a stick welder. I have a small one here and if I try to use any extension it does not weldright. I have to keep it close to a plug, say not more than 25 feet

__________________
Is it beer thirty yet
Virginia Department of Licensing
Virginia Plumbing Codes

ATH

I have a plug in the garage for my welders. When I stray further than about 15-20 feet (the length of the power cord and extension cord I have) from that plug, I plug it into the 220 plug on my generator (portable on wheels).

I've even loaded this setup onto my truck to repair some broken railings at a client's house.

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Wayne
Around the House
http://www.MyPowerCouple.com

MALCO.New.York

You can do the "extension cord thing".

Put the receptacle in a Carlon Box at the end of the cord. Use three separate conductors (2 Gauge should be MORE than sufficient {do not quote me on that} ) that are zipped tied together. Use the sturdiest plug you can find.

Make it LONGER than you need. 30% longer (or more).


Just do not underplay ANY part of this cord.





http://www.cableyard.com/catalog/ind...6178a4ad86da0d

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
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Dustball

Geez, no way.

8/3 SOOW cable is fine for a 40a circuit.

MALCO.New.York

That is why I said "do not quote me on that".

I am an OVERKILL kinda guy. Never know what application this cord may be called upon in the future. I look toward 100 amp capability. One NEVER knows.

But simply put.......I do not know ampacity and load calculations. I also like the flexibility of 2 gauge welding cable.

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

woodchuck2

I have the same welder myself and i will tell you the closer to the main panel the better. These welders pull some serious power and you will find you get more penitration in your weld with less power loss due to a long cord and the home run back to panel on top of it. I now plug mine in withen 20' of my disconnect, before i was about 100' from the panel and the difference in the welds are night and day.

TempestV

I like that thinking. The way I see it, even if I did run a dedicated plug to the garage, I'd have as much if not more wire between the welder and disconnect than if I ran a cord from the dryer outlet, since the panel is right next to the dryer, and I'd have to route the line through the walls and such to get there. I don't get the direct shot that I can get if I run a cord out of the laundry room, straight down the hall, and out the garage door.

wyoming 1

First thing I would do is check is the dryer breaker sise it is most likely a 30 amp which if you try to weld something big may trip you may want try the range outlet generaly they are 50amp circuit, If you do make a welder entension cord I would use min 8-3 so cord and would sugest using 6-3 so cord that way if you ever get a larger welder you are covered. I built one this year for my shop I have three welder outlets and still end up needing some extra length. I got a good deal I was at the home depot and they had 6-3 so on close out for .55c a foot I said I will take the roll but there was only 35 feet but it worked prefect for me (so cord is bulk extension cord wire)

firemike

Being a rental, my thought would be to get some 6/3 SEU cable and the correct ends and make a "temporary" extension cord for now. When you move to your own house, you can re-use the cable for the permanant hook-up.

Wyoming has a point too, the dryer is only 30 amps and may not be heavy enough for the welder, depending on what you are welding. You might have to go to the range plug, or right to the panel.

__________________
-Mike-

GitSum

Cyberweld.com - great place for welders and accessories. take a look:

230 Volt Extension Cord features 25' or 50' of 8/3 power cable with molded NEMA 6.50 (pin) male (plug) and female (receptacle) at each end.

This extension is ideal for your 230 Volt welder or plasma cutter supplied with a NEMA 6.50 plug.

Free standard ground shipping within continental U.S.



store.cyberweld.com/230voexco25.html

CE1

Are you sure that it requires a 240 VAC circuit? All the 140's I have seen need just a 20 amp/120 VAC circuit. You need to read what it says ON the Welder itself for input requirements.

Attachment 10788