From: Joe Foley (redmenaced@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Nov 15 2003 - 10:15:43 PST
--- "J. Forster" <jfor@quik.com> wrote:
> Greg Booth wrote:
>
> > I have a question for some of you electrical folks
> out there. I need to make
> > a extension cord for my welder. I have a lot of 6
> gauge battery cable is it
> > possible to take and have three even strands put
> 220 plugs on it and run the
> > welder that way?
++++++++++
Well, yeah, ... but you won't have much fun getting it
into the plugs. Battery cable is not made to be
flexed much, if its aluminum it will break inside the
rubber coating after a while.
Be aware that many welders DON'T have a ground on
them, the third wire is a NEUTRAL! Why? Because they
have a 120 volt fan, and/or wire feed motor, even
though the core is wired for 240 volts. This means
the third wire is carrying 120 volts.
Yes, the neutral is tied to the ground in the electric
panel, there still may not be anything tying the CASE
of the welder to ground.
You really should have a FOUR wire cord and plug on
the welder, especially if you're going to work outside
the shop with it.
>
> Is there a type number or voltage rating on the
> cable?
+++++++
It should be 600 volts or better.
How much current does the
> welder draw?
+++++++++
Probably 40 amps, the #6 wire would be good if it's
copper! It should be copper, too.
Is your power 2 phase or 3 phase?
+++++++++
You meant single phase, didn't you? This shouldn't
matter except for the number of wires and cost of the
project.
Are
> you planning to use it on a
> continuing basis, or is it a one-time thing?
+++++++
This counts! As constant heavy use will heat the
wires and screw connections. ALSO, if this is moved
around a lot the screws WILL come loose inside the
plugs.
Will it
> be exposed to sparks and/or
> hot metal? The workshop floor? Certainly, it'll be
> less well protected than SJT
> or some such cable.
+++++
This is a pain in the butt for heavy truck shops due
to the chance of damaging the cords, any time spent
making a good, workable solution is worth it in the
long run. If you're trying to make money with this
set-up don't mess around, make up a real cord!
And put a woven-wire strain relief grip near the end
inside the building solidly tied to a column, see the
part about the screws coming loose, put an old truck
wheel on the wall nearby to wind your expensive cord
up on when its not in use, a garden hose reel looks
nice but they fold up too easily. Use flush-mount
receptacles mounted in a cast-iron "FS" style box for
the portable end of the cord, that's as close to
indestructable as you're going to get, use a
woven-wire strain relief on that end, too.
Southern Tier Truck Sales and Service in Belfast, NY
hasn't had ONE problem with their welder cords since I
put them in four years ago, they cut and stretch
trucks to order!
Yes, they were expensive.
Joe
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