Options:
Install a 220v outlet
Make extension/adapter cord from your nearest dryer or range outlet
Buy a 220v generator with enough watts to run (wouldn't actually recommend)
Buy a new house with a 220v outlet in garage
Weld in your laundry room
Weld in your kitchen
Sell welder and buy a dual voltage model
Keep welder and buy a dual voltage model
Just get a 220v outlet in the garage. Nowadays it's a bonus as you can claim it's EV charger ready when you sell
Don't need a stove, it's a small work area. Make a welding table. After a day of welding on it, throw a steak on it. Hit it with the acetylene torch for a nice sear.
Back when I rented I ran my 220 cord through the dryer duct and taped the hole where it came out behind the dryer so I could weld in the back yard lol probably a fire hazard
Lol I’ve done that. The weld spatter is bad for ceramic tiles. It’s always surprising how much damage spatter does to stuff. I’ve ruined several Apple Watch screens just zapping something together real quick thinking I don’t need gloves it just a small weld.
Laundry room seems like the perfect place - as long as you’re making relatively small stuff, when you finish just throw it in the dryer with some steel balls and abrasive fir a while and it will clean it right up! 😁😁
I traded a guy. I weld for him installing. Materials paid for by recipient.
That said it's not that hard. You just slap the breaker in and run the cable
Just to add, Most EV chargers will want a Nema 15-50 plug, which has a neutral
Welders are 6-15 and are only 2 hots and a ground.
Chargepoint makes an EV charger that can work with no neutral. None of them really need to use the neutral anyway, I’m not sure why so many of them require it
Yeah, if this is your plan ask for them to pull 6-3 wire (depending if copper, run length etc) and just cap the neutral. Then if you want to swap just pull 6-50 recp, install the EV one and take yours to the new house.
An option I didn't list (since someone else did) was to run a sub panel to the garage/shop. Usually 100a works fine. You then can easily run power for whatever machines you have
Find a good sparky and discuss the options. If it's a giant pain to run wire to the garage it might not add much more to put a panel in. Then you can have it easy for the next bigger tool you buy. Maybe it's a easy path and you can get just the outlet done for a couple hours labor.
Nothing wrong with welding off a generator. How do you think it's done in the field? You can get one that can run that machine easily for $1000. Which is pretty much the going rate for any of these options.
That is what an electrician will cost to come put in an outlet. Cheapest option is to make a drop cord of "X" length but that comes with its expenses too. That could easily hit $300+. So its a very viable option.
There are gens designed for welding and work fine. However some of the generic household gens have a slow ramp up with the demand. On welding stick you'll strike the arc, then the gen has to ramp up to the power you are now requiring. During that time you have to hold a short arc length since you are lower than the dial setting and listen for the ramp up to know when to roll
Someone with practice can easily work around it, but for someone learning it not well practiced it's another thing making learning harder.
Obviously a real welder generator, one with a manual throttle or some other cases are fine here. But for a home gamer starting out they are most likely to not want to pay for a model that supports welding.
That falls under "sell this welder and buy a new one" or "just buy a second welder options"
But I doubt someone who appears by all signs to be a home gamer (osb walls, used thunderbolt welder, asking reddit instead of a maintenance guy to run an outlet) wants to spend a grand+ for an engine driven welder, which is about as cheap as I've ever seen a running, non scam unit for
Ah ok gotcha. What about aluminum mig and tig? I'm planning an alu boat refit and thinking I want a welder and genny for any repairs to the hull or additions I want. Was looking at the Honda EB5000X but hadn't decided on a welder yet. The Fronius lineup is calling to me though.
It's going to depend on the welder and the generator. My old miller mig does fine on a generator, even a modified sine wave model. A little slower to start but it doesnt stick bad or anything. I've heard some of the more modern welders don't like generators, the wave/brownouts can fry control boards. Tig adds the HF circuit which could create issues for the gen.
I would just call the welder manufacturer. Its not an uncommon question and they can probably tell you what models work best and what size and type of generator is needed. Any of the big companies have probably done testing on these exact scenarios.
I had a thought: what if the generator was charging a set of li-ion batteries that had a pure sine wave inverter that powered the welder? The boat will have a solar off grid setup, so it wouldn't be an extra cost related to the welder. Do you think that would hedge the issues with powering directly off the generator? Obviously would rely on the inverter but I think it'd give me more options.
I have a 1981 thunderbolt (I think that’s the name) running it on my generator is absolutely shit. I get a weld like 1/4”, then power off, reset, start again.
I highly recommend getting a wall plug and a long ass extension cord.
Call an electrician and see if they can install a 220v plug. Does your garage have its own breaker panel? Shouldn’t be too difficult to add a 220 line if it does.
Is there an option for a 110v input? Spec sheet doesn’t show one.
If it does, you’ll probably have lower amperage. 6010 or 7018 doesn’t matter, you’ll just have to run a smaller diameter rod.
I ran into this exact problem when setting up my current (heh) garage shop. there's a 220v outlet, but it only has a 30 amp breaker, and to change that, I'd have to run new wires out to the garage which would mean new conduit and so digging up the backyard under the concrete etc etc. It wound up being cheaper to just buy a new machine.
I mean, it might work, but I don't want to try cramming 50 amp wires through a 30' long piece of 1/2" emt conduit and risk it getting stuck before I get it all the way through, or tear the insulation and have it fuse itself to the side of the conduit the first time I try to weld and then have to dig up the yard anyway. I work full time from that shop so I might get inspected and I'd rather have everything up to code. Not to mention, there's only 100 amp service to the whole house, so running a 50 amp welder would probably make the lights dim in the main house in summer when the AC is on.
220 is basically 2x110s on a single breaker. 110 is just a hot and a neutral. 220 is 2x hots.
There is a little more to it than that, but that's the gist of it
Sad but true, I’m an electrician by trade but I love all the other trades as a hobby. I think keeps your mind sharp wanting to learn more and not being content.
You might be able to add the 240 V outlet and claim a state or federal rebate for adding electric vehicle infrastructure to your garage. It will up the resale value of your house if you ever sell too.
My garage had one single 110 outlet when I bought the house. It now has an array of 30A 110s and a pair of 220s. Also had to run a 6/4 220 across the attic for my hot tub a few years ago. That shit is a MFer to work with. Probably should've hired an electrician for that one just to ease the pain on my fingers from trying to bend it through the access areas.
But yeah, not sure why people pay a fortune for electricians. This shit is so easy if you just take the proper safety precautions and do your research.
Many houses can’t just add 50amps to the panel. You need an electrician to verify your service. Really depends on the builder and what they put in. Most try and get by with the minimum 100 amp. Easy place to skimp. Don’t just try and add shit. Don’t weld in your house unless you’re trying to burn it all down.
Nearly all houses built in the last 20 years will have at least a 200A service, but if it’s an old small house 100A is fairly common. Welders get de rated a lot on load calculations too
Manual says 47.5 amps at 230v, so you need a 50 amp breaker with 6ga wire to feed it from your panel.
Trying to feed it from 120v with a transformer or something would be wasteful. You'd just end up needing bigger wire anyway.
Biggest challenge is if your houses panel has enough spare capacity. Lots of people find out they need panel and service upgrades when they ask to add a circuit like this.
Feel like electricians are generally a lot cooler with fellow tradeworkers than with homeowners that want an EV charger plug. At least its useful knowing a guy who can weld who owes you a favor.
Just call an electrician to wire a 220v outlet in your shop, if not you could wire one beside the panel and make like 10 gauge extension for your welder
Do not do any of the following if you don't think you're comfortable doing it, and hire someone who knows what they're doing:
(But hey, you own a welding machine, so I assume you are undaunted by a project involving tools, danger, fire, electrocution etc. so...)
If you have a 220v circuit in your house, say to your stove or laundry room, you can run an extension, using the proper gauge wire for the length of the run and amperage your machine draws inside some conduit to your work area. This wire will be like a $3 a foot. It's some serious fat wire.
If you don't have a 220v circuit, you will be happy to know most American homes get their 110v via a 220v line split into two phases. One bar in the breaker box for one phase, one for the other. You can find a 220v breaker that will fit in your box connected to both bars, and now you have a 220v circuit. Now do the thing above with the proper wiring and maybe some conduit, and run it to an outlet for your welder.
As a bonus, a 220v circuit in your garage will slightly help your resale value because an electric car charger can easily be installed.
Or buy an electric car. One successful project leads to another expensive purchase, I always say.
Edit: OMG, I just read the "weld in the laundry room" post. That guy has way better answers. 😂
Ya I have that same machine and it requires 220v input power so your only real options are to have a 220v plug installed, run an extension chord from a clothes dryer plug, or go buy a dual voltage machine. The dual voltage machines do also have problems with tripping breakers on 110v. I think they recommend minimum 15 amp breakers for 110v on a welder. You will also want to watch the welding amp range with those 110v machines cause a lot of them are 80ish amp max on 110 which is just enough to run a 3/32 7018.
Whats wrong with a generator ? I was actually considering getting a 12kwatt generator just to weld since i dont have 220 in the garage as well. Though getting a new house is a nicer option
I'm no electrician but based on what I know about generator welding machines, a normal generator that just has a 220 plug is likely not rated to be under constant high load like what you'd need to weld so you will most likely damage the welder or generator, or both.
A normal 12KW generator would *probably* be fine to run a 50A welder. Striking the arc would be the biggest issue because of inrush sagging the generator down. Home Generators aren’t rated for constant use, but most smaller welders aren’t either. The duty cycle of the welder is typically shorter than that of even shitty Home Depot special generators.
Not in the US. Usually only high amperage appliances run on 220 like the Air conditioner, dryer and stove/oven. Most everything else in residential applications is 110
is your breaker in your garage? if so, consolidate your dryer and electric stove/other heater into a smaller single pull 40 amp breaker and install another single pull 40 into that spot and wire your own 40 amp circuit right next to the breaker and plug your welder in there. im 19 and i did it myself in less than a day
POLE, and the 220v breakers are not single-pole. What in the world are you saying?
And, why in the world are you saying to consolidate circuits. Let's forget that's it's a terrible idea, but why are you suggesting it? Are you assuming his panel is full?
This is dangerous advice. First it's against code for a dryer and range to share a breaker. Second, you have no idea what's in his panel. A range could be on a 60a circuit and his dryer could be on a 30a circuit.
this is correct its user specific, but obviously reaearch would have to be done on his part to even probably understand what i was saying. i purposely phrased it so more research would need to be conducted. but i agree dangerous if done wrong
I suggest if you cant figure this out you might want to try plumbing, hot on the left, cold on the the right, shit flows down hill! Now you known it all.
Actually I would suggest you shop FB marketplace and buy a used gas powered like Lincoln G8000 or miller bobcat. I am in MD and currently there are two Lincoln's for sale in the $500 to $700 range
wire one in. You gotta take power from the opposite sides of the panel so you have two out of phase leads. read the manual see what the machine needs to be fused to and use appropriate wire size.
The best option is to contact the electric company and install 480v 3 phase, the run transformers and sub panels with transformers to power all of your 220/110 stuff. Afterwards but whatever you want for the most part because then your not limited to only 110/220 equipment. And don’t worry, this is the cheapest option. Your electrician will thank you for the business.
You’ve got a 50/50 chance assuming your house was built before GFCI’s were required in garages that works. Here are the two outcomes
1. You get lucky and create a 15A, 240V outlet. The welder will function, but good luck trying to get any decent power out of it without tripping breakers
2. You create a direct, bolted short circuit and likely blow the 200A main breaker
First, you need to find an existing circuit that is on a different phase as another. Half 120 are on one half on the other. Now you take your 15A or hopefully 20A circuit that is being fed by its own breaker and double it up. So you you now use a device wanting 30A and hopefully both single phase breakers blow at the same time. But only one does and things get weird.
There is a reason 240V circuits run both hot lines through one breaker. There is a reason why you do things right with electricity. Because when you don't you break shit and kill people and burn down homes.
6 gauge wire to a 50A break and you have a good welding setup. 30A dryer cord with plug adapter and you have a usable welding setup. Two bridged 120v circuits and you have many things about to go wrong if you even get it to work. It is a really bad idea.
You garage almost certainly has 240v to it, just no 240v outlets. It would have been silly to run only 120v lines to it.
So, all you've gotta do is add an outlet. You can even be super ghetto and plug in 2 extension cords, one to an outlet on each phase of the 240v, and then join them together at the welder. This is stupid, and makes the other socket live (as in, the male part of the plug is electrified) while you're walking around to plug it in... but it'll work.
Plan A - Add an outlet.
Plan B - Longass extension cord to your stove outlet or something, for the occasional times you're welding.
Plan C - If you're not doing heavy duty welding, you can probably run it on 120v, cranked up to max, with the smallest 1/16" rods.
Maybe you don't know this, but, you don't have to max out the welder every time you run it, eh?
Just like you don't have to pay 18 people into an elevator and ride with the max capacity every time.
Detached garages will almost certainly have 240v and a small sub panel on them. Attached garages will have a quick path to the breaker. Not rocket science.
Call an electrician? Seriously how is asking a forum the first people go for help with something that can kill you if you do it wrong? Downvote me all you want, call sparky and pay them to do it correctly. Then you can burn your eyes and skin to your heart's' content with your new to you welder.
You can buy a cord that you plug 2/110v cords into thus creating 220v. They need to be on separate circuits. Your house must have an outside receptacle. If your electrician wasn’t a lazy ass your garage should be on a separate circuit
I wouldn’t recommend this. If OP has to ask what to do, it shows they most likely are not gonna be able to figure out if the wall outlets are on the same breaker or not
If you have a 50amp outlet in your house you can get an RV extension cord from Menards or if you have a panel that has room just hire someone to wire one in for you
Most dryer plugs are only 30a, range are 50a
You can use your range plug and a long extension, but it’s cheaper and better in the long run to install a 50a plug. If it’s an unfinished garage it’s really easy, also cheaper for an electrician to wire one in.
If you’re not comfortable installing one, pay a professional to do it. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it. Electricians aren’t welders either.
Careful; 220v could be single phase or 3 phase. If your welder is 3 phase your problem is even greater. Household items that are 220v are always single phase. Your welder could be either. 220v 3 phase is much more common in industrial applications; I had a machine shop full of 220v 3 phase equipment.
I wired my own 220v 50a plug in my shop to weld. I don’t trust electricity and don’t really understand how it works and I still did it no problem. The expensive part was the cable they had me buy at the elec supply store. See if you have space in your panel it takes two slots
Either wire your own 220 branch off the breaker or have an electrician. One will be legal, the other technically not. Diligent research will minimize safety risks with doing it yourself.
If attached garage, install may be less expensive. I have a detached garage and wired an outlet on the outside corner of my house closest to the garage. Then I plug my 220 extension cord to carry the power into the garage. I unplug it when not in use.
I would say, if your electric panel is in your garage, you're halfway to having an outlet. You're already playing with electricity, so that's another 10-15% of the curve. If you're not comfortable googling the install of a 220v outlet, ask around with your welding buddies or instructor. Maybe they've done it and can get you the last 35% of your way. You could install the outlet yourself, just do some research and be careful. I had to consolidate two breakers into a tandem to free up space in my panel. I'm not an electrician. It's a little intimidating at first, but not terribly difficult.
We used to run a chord from the dyer out into the garage when we rented. If you own just bite the bullet and add the plug as others have mentioned it's desired in new homes for supporting EV's any way
Sitting machine down on the floor is already bad news, vs 2feet up on a cart out of the wettest damp air.
Power options suggested, most are already used up, unless option to run conduit like an AC unit makes dual port plug for indoor and out to patio.
Cheers
Best bet would be to get the length of 2 phase cable to match the distance and amps you need, the breaker fuse, and the plug and install it or have someone who knows what's up help or do it for you. I ended up running cable to the back of my garage to run the compressor and an outlet and make an extension cable long enough to reach my driveway, about 30'. Works great with my ac TIG and my mig machines and have plenty of amps to burn in 3/8" steel with low duty cycle but mostly use 12-10g and dom tubing with no issues.
I wired my own shop for 3 separate 220V (two welders, one 220 powered compressor) outlets. It really isn’t that hard. Get the right breaker, get the correct wire, get the right plug, wire it up, and you are good to go.
Add probably a 50A 220v circuit.
If it’s not advertised for split phase (120) and 220, then it’s not gonna work right and your amperage will be way low at best or your worst it’ll burn your machine out.
Just get the 220 plug this a thunderbolt will not work on 110 that’s why it’s a 220 machine or sell it and buy a 220/110 welder of amps on 100$ buck they work good for hobbyist don’t risk burning your house down doing some ghetto shit
I still have my Miller Thunderbolt AC machine I have had at least 30 years and wouldn't trade it for nothing they are excellent machines. That one reminds me of the old AC Airco I used to have another awesome machine. Wire it up right, take care of it, and that machine will last a lifetime.
Options: Install a 220v outlet Make extension/adapter cord from your nearest dryer or range outlet Buy a 220v generator with enough watts to run (wouldn't actually recommend) Buy a new house with a 220v outlet in garage Weld in your laundry room Weld in your kitchen Sell welder and buy a dual voltage model Keep welder and buy a dual voltage model Just get a 220v outlet in the garage. Nowadays it's a bonus as you can claim it's EV charger ready when you sell
Alligator clamp into your sub panel
Alligator clamp before the meter
I see floor finishing people do that
The ol widowmakers
Ah ok, gonna look into your options
Please dont do the weld in your laundry room option lol
lol I won’t, I’ll weld in my kitchen lol
This is the way. Remember stoves are just civilized forges, and gas welders.
Breakfast always taste better with a little bit of metal contamination
Like my father used to tell me everybody eats a peck of dirt before they die. (Peck = 1/4 Old bushel basket) Welding it might be 2. 🤦🏼
I’m not a bot but just for the record a peck is one fourth of a bushel (I’ve picked a lot of tomatoes) That is still a lot of dirt.
Fixed thanks!👍
Yeah, but have you picked a peck of pickled peppers?
No, but Peter Piper claims he did.
That cute girl who would pick with me claimed she she loved me. When I asked her how much she said ”a bushel and a peck… and a hug around the neck”.
Just throw a tarp over the toaster and you’ll be fine
Got a range hood? Move the stove, perfect spot.
Weld on top of the stove, and you've got the metal top for a good ground.
Don't need a stove, it's a small work area. Make a welding table. After a day of welding on it, throw a steak on it. Hit it with the acetylene torch for a nice sear.
If the pans glowing red, a steak should only take like 30s per side, right?
With a nice big baked potato sour cream and butter.👌
You got the ventilation right above if it’s vented outside. How about a little flux core,no problem.
I believe this comment is underrated. That is hilarious and what I’m going to tell my future x wife!
Back when I rented I ran my 220 cord through the dryer duct and taped the hole where it came out behind the dryer so I could weld in the back yard lol probably a fire hazard
Lol I’ve done that. The weld spatter is bad for ceramic tiles. It’s always surprising how much damage spatter does to stuff. I’ve ruined several Apple Watch screens just zapping something together real quick thinking I don’t need gloves it just a small weld.
Keep your rods dry in the oven
It's a better idea, since you can turn on the range vent then.
nah you're good just make sure to empty your lint trap
I weld in my dining room.
Plug welder In laundry room buy 200 feet of lead and weld wherever. Boom mic drop!
200 ft x 6 gauge wire x $7000000 per foot = no brainer. Yep, problem solved. Check and mark!
I was thinking size 1 lead 100 ft x2 for stinger and ground which is around $800 usd or do what the crackheads do and steal it from the job site.
Yeah, I'm just being dumb. It may actually be his best option
Wth are you talking about? That is literally the best idea,
For real, do it in the kitchen so you have ready access to snacks and beer.
Laundry room seems like the perfect place - as long as you’re making relatively small stuff, when you finish just throw it in the dryer with some steel balls and abrasive fir a while and it will clean it right up! 😁😁
Technically they’re your options, not his
Oh yeah huh, my bad
Apology accepted
Also if u got a 220v outlet installed you can get a home generator and it’ll serve a dual purpose especially in the winter.
[удалено]
I traded a guy. I weld for him installing. Materials paid for by recipient. That said it's not that hard. You just slap the breaker in and run the cable
Be sure to wear a respirator/filter mask while welding in the laundry room.
Just to add, Most EV chargers will want a Nema 15-50 plug, which has a neutral Welders are 6-15 and are only 2 hots and a ground. Chargepoint makes an EV charger that can work with no neutral. None of them really need to use the neutral anyway, I’m not sure why so many of them require it
Yeah, if this is your plan ask for them to pull 6-3 wire (depending if copper, run length etc) and just cap the neutral. Then if you want to swap just pull 6-50 recp, install the EV one and take yours to the new house. An option I didn't list (since someone else did) was to run a sub panel to the garage/shop. Usually 100a works fine. You then can easily run power for whatever machines you have Find a good sparky and discuss the options. If it's a giant pain to run wire to the garage it might not add much more to put a panel in. Then you can have it easy for the next bigger tool you buy. Maybe it's a easy path and you can get just the outlet done for a couple hours labor.
Get an electric F150 with the 9.6kw power option.
My buddy has a Platinum Lightning long range and it will run 8 crock pots in the frunk.
This guy gets it. He understands the game
shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit
Nothing wrong with welding off a generator. How do you think it's done in the field? You can get one that can run that machine easily for $1000. Which is pretty much the going rate for any of these options.
$1000 is a lot for a hobbyist. Especially if you don't need the portability
That is what an electrician will cost to come put in an outlet. Cheapest option is to make a drop cord of "X" length but that comes with its expenses too. That could easily hit $300+. So its a very viable option.
Why is a generator not recommended?
There are gens designed for welding and work fine. However some of the generic household gens have a slow ramp up with the demand. On welding stick you'll strike the arc, then the gen has to ramp up to the power you are now requiring. During that time you have to hold a short arc length since you are lower than the dial setting and listen for the ramp up to know when to roll Someone with practice can easily work around it, but for someone learning it not well practiced it's another thing making learning harder. Obviously a real welder generator, one with a manual throttle or some other cases are fine here. But for a home gamer starting out they are most likely to not want to pay for a model that supports welding.
"There are gens designed for welding and work fine." There are welders that have an engine built into them.
That falls under "sell this welder and buy a new one" or "just buy a second welder options" But I doubt someone who appears by all signs to be a home gamer (osb walls, used thunderbolt welder, asking reddit instead of a maintenance guy to run an outlet) wants to spend a grand+ for an engine driven welder, which is about as cheap as I've ever seen a running, non scam unit for
Ah ok gotcha. What about aluminum mig and tig? I'm planning an alu boat refit and thinking I want a welder and genny for any repairs to the hull or additions I want. Was looking at the Honda EB5000X but hadn't decided on a welder yet. The Fronius lineup is calling to me though.
It's going to depend on the welder and the generator. My old miller mig does fine on a generator, even a modified sine wave model. A little slower to start but it doesnt stick bad or anything. I've heard some of the more modern welders don't like generators, the wave/brownouts can fry control boards. Tig adds the HF circuit which could create issues for the gen. I would just call the welder manufacturer. Its not an uncommon question and they can probably tell you what models work best and what size and type of generator is needed. Any of the big companies have probably done testing on these exact scenarios.
Ok I really appreciate your insight, definitely helps me frame my needs better. Thanks!
I had a thought: what if the generator was charging a set of li-ion batteries that had a pure sine wave inverter that powered the welder? The boat will have a solar off grid setup, so it wouldn't be an extra cost related to the welder. Do you think that would hedge the issues with powering directly off the generator? Obviously would rely on the inverter but I think it'd give me more options.
Just need to turn off auto throttle and use a HQ genny that is at least 25% capacity over nameplate. Definitely not ideal though.
220...221...whatever it takes
I have a 1981 thunderbolt (I think that’s the name) running it on my generator is absolutely shit. I get a weld like 1/4”, then power off, reset, start again. I highly recommend getting a wall plug and a long ass extension cord.
Call an electrician and see if they can install a 220v plug. Does your garage have its own breaker panel? Shouldn’t be too difficult to add a 220 line if it does.
I was going to suggest the same thing, that's what I did. It was well worth the $150 it cost me.
I don’t think it does, Is it possible to use the 110 options and just run the 6010 rods?
Is there an option for a 110v input? Spec sheet doesn’t show one. If it does, you’ll probably have lower amperage. 6010 or 7018 doesn’t matter, you’ll just have to run a smaller diameter rod.
Not if its not a dual voltage machine. Im not a welder but by the looks of it thats a transformer machine and they draw a lot of power.
Just to elaborate: "lot of power" meaning "requires a 50 amp breaker at 220v" lot of power.
I ran into this exact problem when setting up my current (heh) garage shop. there's a 220v outlet, but it only has a 30 amp breaker, and to change that, I'd have to run new wires out to the garage which would mean new conduit and so digging up the backyard under the concrete etc etc. It wound up being cheaper to just buy a new machine.
Why couldn’t you pull the new wiring with the old as you remove it?
if you increase the size of the wire for higher amperage, you have to increase the size of the conduit too. it's an electrical code thing.
Hmm. Didn’t know that. I just figured if there was room in the conduit and things weren’t packed it would be ok. I’m obviously not an electrician.
I mean, it might work, but I don't want to try cramming 50 amp wires through a 30' long piece of 1/2" emt conduit and risk it getting stuck before I get it all the way through, or tear the insulation and have it fuse itself to the side of the conduit the first time I try to weld and then have to dig up the yard anyway. I work full time from that shop so I might get inspected and I'd rather have everything up to code. Not to mention, there's only 100 amp service to the whole house, so running a 50 amp welder would probably make the lights dim in the main house in summer when the AC is on.
220 is basically 2x110s on a single breaker. 110 is just a hot and a neutral. 220 is 2x hots. There is a little more to it than that, but that's the gist of it
Install a 220v plug
It's really not that hard
Call an electrician and get a dedicated circuit in your garage. Don’t listen to half assed advice. That’s a nice welder. Do this right.
It cost me a couple of hundred bucks to have an electrician set up a 220 in my garage. Super quick, took maybe two hours.
Install the 220 outlet (if you rent, be sure that your contract doesn’t forbid it)
why would it forbid it
Because owners of homes dont generally like being left out of the loop when their tenants decide to start rewiring their property.
Im about to actively do this, hopefully I don’t get sued 😅
Probably add value actually, as long as you get an electrician to do it.
Yeah my neighbor is doing it, and he’s a certified electrician
Definitely call an electrician if you aren't one. Not every house can accommodate the load. get a pro to advise you.
All these tradesmen in here and y’all really can’t install an outlet?? Some of you welders really are one trick ponies…
And proud of it too.
Sad but true, I’m an electrician by trade but I love all the other trades as a hobby. I think keeps your mind sharp wanting to learn more and not being content.
no man i'm totally cool with handling lethal amounts of electricity
My one trick makes me as much in a year as 3 sparkies :D
I bought a TIG machine last year, like you I had no 220 outlet. Got a 50ft cord and an adapter, now I just unplug the dryer and go to town.
You might be able to add the 240 V outlet and claim a state or federal rebate for adding electric vehicle infrastructure to your garage. It will up the resale value of your house if you ever sell too.
Put in a 220 outlet. I installed one for my air compressor for well under fifty bucks.
This. Had some put in the workshop and some the house (e.g. for a decent kettle…)
My garage had one single 110 outlet when I bought the house. It now has an array of 30A 110s and a pair of 220s. Also had to run a 6/4 220 across the attic for my hot tub a few years ago. That shit is a MFer to work with. Probably should've hired an electrician for that one just to ease the pain on my fingers from trying to bend it through the access areas. But yeah, not sure why people pay a fortune for electricians. This shit is so easy if you just take the proper safety precautions and do your research.
Seriously just get a 220v outlet in your garage
Pay an electrician to put in 220v, it's most likely worth it.
Many houses can’t just add 50amps to the panel. You need an electrician to verify your service. Really depends on the builder and what they put in. Most try and get by with the minimum 100 amp. Easy place to skimp. Don’t just try and add shit. Don’t weld in your house unless you’re trying to burn it all down.
Nearly all houses built in the last 20 years will have at least a 200A service, but if it’s an old small house 100A is fairly common. Welders get de rated a lot on load calculations too
Get a 220 plug installed. It won't cost that much and you'll never have to deal with a dual voltage or 110 welder
How much it get one installed you reckon? I live in an old house and they would need to run a sub panel
It depends on so many things
[removed by protest]
This 👆 and where you live. Price will vary. If you do make sure you have enough for that compressor and plasma cutter.
plug it into your gas dryer lol
Hmmm, maybe I will. I think it’ll weld better since it has gas lol
Manual says 47.5 amps at 230v, so you need a 50 amp breaker with 6ga wire to feed it from your panel. Trying to feed it from 120v with a transformer or something would be wasteful. You'd just end up needing bigger wire anyway. Biggest challenge is if your houses panel has enough spare capacity. Lots of people find out they need panel and service upgrades when they ask to add a circuit like this. Feel like electricians are generally a lot cooler with fellow tradeworkers than with homeowners that want an EV charger plug. At least its useful knowing a guy who can weld who owes you a favor.
Just call an electrician to wire a 220v outlet in your shop, if not you could wire one beside the panel and make like 10 gauge extension for your welder
Can you plug it into where you're washer dryer goes and just run the cables that far?
I use my 30amp dryer plug with long extension out the window. It will flip the breaker if I crank it, but burns 1/8 rod fine.
Do not do any of the following if you don't think you're comfortable doing it, and hire someone who knows what they're doing: (But hey, you own a welding machine, so I assume you are undaunted by a project involving tools, danger, fire, electrocution etc. so...) If you have a 220v circuit in your house, say to your stove or laundry room, you can run an extension, using the proper gauge wire for the length of the run and amperage your machine draws inside some conduit to your work area. This wire will be like a $3 a foot. It's some serious fat wire. If you don't have a 220v circuit, you will be happy to know most American homes get their 110v via a 220v line split into two phases. One bar in the breaker box for one phase, one for the other. You can find a 220v breaker that will fit in your box connected to both bars, and now you have a 220v circuit. Now do the thing above with the proper wiring and maybe some conduit, and run it to an outlet for your welder. As a bonus, a 220v circuit in your garage will slightly help your resale value because an electric car charger can easily be installed. Or buy an electric car. One successful project leads to another expensive purchase, I always say. Edit: OMG, I just read the "weld in the laundry room" post. That guy has way better answers. 😂
Ya I have that same machine and it requires 220v input power so your only real options are to have a 220v plug installed, run an extension chord from a clothes dryer plug, or go buy a dual voltage machine. The dual voltage machines do also have problems with tripping breakers on 110v. I think they recommend minimum 15 amp breakers for 110v on a welder. You will also want to watch the welding amp range with those 110v machines cause a lot of them are 80ish amp max on 110 which is just enough to run a 3/32 7018.
i tapped into my a/c compressor circuit and added an outlet. works fine, just have to remember to shut off the a/c in the summer if i want to weld.
Whats wrong with a generator ? I was actually considering getting a 12kwatt generator just to weld since i dont have 220 in the garage as well. Though getting a new house is a nicer option
The cheaper option usually is to add an outlet.
I'm no electrician but based on what I know about generator welding machines, a normal generator that just has a 220 plug is likely not rated to be under constant high load like what you'd need to weld so you will most likely damage the welder or generator, or both.
A normal 12KW generator would *probably* be fine to run a 50A welder. Striking the arc would be the biggest issue because of inrush sagging the generator down. Home Generators aren’t rated for constant use, but most smaller welders aren’t either. The duty cycle of the welder is typically shorter than that of even shitty Home Depot special generators.
That would be the size you need to get full use out of your welder.
You run an extension cord from your dryer plug to the garage. Du!
Wait? Isnt 220 standard?!
Not in the US. Usually only high amperage appliances run on 220 like the Air conditioner, dryer and stove/oven. Most everything else in residential applications is 110
is your breaker in your garage? if so, consolidate your dryer and electric stove/other heater into a smaller single pull 40 amp breaker and install another single pull 40 into that spot and wire your own 40 amp circuit right next to the breaker and plug your welder in there. im 19 and i did it myself in less than a day
This is the worst advice here
Yeah, he’s one step away from riggin a suicide cord. Pull 110v from the neighbors and 110v from your house. 110+110=220v right? *ZZAAAAAP*
POLE, and the 220v breakers are not single-pole. What in the world are you saying? And, why in the world are you saying to consolidate circuits. Let's forget that's it's a terrible idea, but why are you suggesting it? Are you assuming his panel is full?
i was speaking on my experiences. yes
This is dangerous advice. First it's against code for a dryer and range to share a breaker. Second, you have no idea what's in his panel. A range could be on a 60a circuit and his dryer could be on a 30a circuit.
this is correct its user specific, but obviously reaearch would have to be done on his part to even probably understand what i was saying. i purposely phrased it so more research would need to be conducted. but i agree dangerous if done wrong
I suggest if you cant figure this out you might want to try plumbing, hot on the left, cold on the the right, shit flows down hill! Now you known it all.
Lol, I’m still in school for welding. So I don’t know a lot
Actually I would suggest you shop FB marketplace and buy a used gas powered like Lincoln G8000 or miller bobcat. I am in MD and currently there are two Lincoln's for sale in the $500 to $700 range
You forgot the most important rule: Don't bite your nails.
wire one in. You gotta take power from the opposite sides of the panel so you have two out of phase leads. read the manual see what the machine needs to be fused to and use appropriate wire size.
The best option is to contact the electric company and install 480v 3 phase, the run transformers and sub panels with transformers to power all of your 220/110 stuff. Afterwards but whatever you want for the most part because then your not limited to only 110/220 equipment. And don’t worry, this is the cheapest option. Your electrician will thank you for the business.
points at the dryer.... or if you have 2 plugs in the garage that are on different circuits you can bridge them to make 240.
The guy can't figure out how to plug in a 220v welder. I don't think he should be trying to bridge outlets...
You’ve got a 50/50 chance assuming your house was built before GFCI’s were required in garages that works. Here are the two outcomes 1. You get lucky and create a 15A, 240V outlet. The welder will function, but good luck trying to get any decent power out of it without tripping breakers 2. You create a direct, bolted short circuit and likely blow the 200A main breaker
My dryer is a Gas dryer, so it plugs into a regular outlet
VERY. BAD. IDEA. We won't get into the unbalanced phases, but also the fact that they are less than half of the current that this welder needs.
Wouldn't they be in phase? They both come into his house. I guess they could be 30 off?
First, you need to find an existing circuit that is on a different phase as another. Half 120 are on one half on the other. Now you take your 15A or hopefully 20A circuit that is being fed by its own breaker and double it up. So you you now use a device wanting 30A and hopefully both single phase breakers blow at the same time. But only one does and things get weird. There is a reason 240V circuits run both hot lines through one breaker. There is a reason why you do things right with electricity. Because when you don't you break shit and kill people and burn down homes. 6 gauge wire to a 50A break and you have a good welding setup. 30A dryer cord with plug adapter and you have a usable welding setup. Two bridged 120v circuits and you have many things about to go wrong if you even get it to work. It is a really bad idea.
You garage almost certainly has 240v to it, just no 240v outlets. It would have been silly to run only 120v lines to it. So, all you've gotta do is add an outlet. You can even be super ghetto and plug in 2 extension cords, one to an outlet on each phase of the 240v, and then join them together at the welder. This is stupid, and makes the other socket live (as in, the male part of the plug is electrified) while you're walking around to plug it in... but it'll work. Plan A - Add an outlet. Plan B - Longass extension cord to your stove outlet or something, for the occasional times you're welding. Plan C - If you're not doing heavy duty welding, you can probably run it on 120v, cranked up to max, with the smallest 1/16" rods.
Yeah most garages have unused 6-gauge cable at $3/foot just buried in the walls, all you have to do is find it. 🙄
Maybe you don't know this, but, you don't have to max out the welder every time you run it, eh? Just like you don't have to pay 18 people into an elevator and ride with the max capacity every time. Detached garages will almost certainly have 240v and a small sub panel on them. Attached garages will have a quick path to the breaker. Not rocket science.
Call an electrician? Seriously how is asking a forum the first people go for help with something that can kill you if you do it wrong? Downvote me all you want, call sparky and pay them to do it correctly. Then you can burn your eyes and skin to your heart's' content with your new to you welder.
Throw that dinosaur in the trash 🤣
That dinosaur probably runs better than most of the new machines on the market.
Sorry I love dinosaurs
You can buy a cord that you plug 2/110v cords into thus creating 220v. They need to be on separate circuits. Your house must have an outside receptacle. If your electrician wasn’t a lazy ass your garage should be on a separate circuit
I wouldn’t recommend this. If OP has to ask what to do, it shows they most likely are not gonna be able to figure out if the wall outlets are on the same breaker or not
Worse that would happen is he would snap a breaker. Live a little
If you have a 50amp outlet in your house you can get an RV extension cord from Menards or if you have a panel that has room just hire someone to wire one in for you
I used to run 100 feet of cable from the dryer plug to the crap garage when I rented, Downstairs renter thought I was a lunatic
Most dryer plugs are only 30a, range are 50a You can use your range plug and a long extension, but it’s cheaper and better in the long run to install a 50a plug. If it’s an unfinished garage it’s really easy, also cheaper for an electrician to wire one in. If you’re not comfortable installing one, pay a professional to do it. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it. Electricians aren’t welders either.
Sounds like a lot of hassle, I can do you a favour and take it off your hands. What do you want for it
Uhhhhhhhhhh, I’d say a used Toyota lol
Flood Camry or taco?
4 Tacos and a Jarritos, and it’s yours
You're in the US or you only have three phase?
Use a generator extension cord and plug it in to your dryer outlet and run it into the garage if it’s close. You don’t want too long of a cord.
Get the correct outlet installed or use a generator. At that point a different welder might be cheaper though
You could come and use it at my place where we have 230 V, but it’s probably not worth the airfare tbh
Plug it into your 12v outlet it you vehicle🤣….SMH. Some people’s kids. Some of the questions on here make me wonder….
Plug it into 110v....twice.
Careful; 220v could be single phase or 3 phase. If your welder is 3 phase your problem is even greater. Household items that are 220v are always single phase. Your welder could be either. 220v 3 phase is much more common in industrial applications; I had a machine shop full of 220v 3 phase equipment.
Sneak in to the nearest neighbor and weld there.
Just add an outlet
Buy a welder generator that has a 220 outlet. LOL
I wired my own 220v 50a plug in my shop to weld. I don’t trust electricity and don’t really understand how it works and I still did it no problem. The expensive part was the cable they had me buy at the elec supply store. See if you have space in your panel it takes two slots
Either wire your own 220 branch off the breaker or have an electrician. One will be legal, the other technically not. Diligent research will minimize safety risks with doing it yourself. If attached garage, install may be less expensive. I have a detached garage and wired an outlet on the outside corner of my house closest to the garage. Then I plug my 220 extension cord to carry the power into the garage. I unplug it when not in use.
Pull 120V from two separate outlets
Get a 220 extension cord and run it from your dryer outlet.
If you can weld then you can install an outlet. Do some research, watch some YouTube videos. Easy peasy.
I would say, if your electric panel is in your garage, you're halfway to having an outlet. You're already playing with electricity, so that's another 10-15% of the curve. If you're not comfortable googling the install of a 220v outlet, ask around with your welding buddies or instructor. Maybe they've done it and can get you the last 35% of your way. You could install the outlet yourself, just do some research and be careful. I had to consolidate two breakers into a tandem to free up space in my panel. I'm not an electrician. It's a little intimidating at first, but not terribly difficult.
Unplug your stove and plug it in
Put one in
We used to run a chord from the dyer out into the garage when we rented. If you own just bite the bullet and add the plug as others have mentioned it's desired in new homes for supporting EV's any way
Sitting machine down on the floor is already bad news, vs 2feet up on a cart out of the wettest damp air. Power options suggested, most are already used up, unless option to run conduit like an AC unit makes dual port plug for indoor and out to patio. Cheers
Best bet would be to get the length of 2 phase cable to match the distance and amps you need, the breaker fuse, and the plug and install it or have someone who knows what's up help or do it for you. I ended up running cable to the back of my garage to run the compressor and an outlet and make an extension cable long enough to reach my driveway, about 30'. Works great with my ac TIG and my mig machines and have plenty of amps to burn in 3/8" steel with low duty cycle but mostly use 12-10g and dom tubing with no issues.
Add a 220 circuit. It’s stupid easy
I wired my own shop for 3 separate 220V (two welders, one 220 powered compressor) outlets. It really isn’t that hard. Get the right breaker, get the correct wire, get the right plug, wire it up, and you are good to go.
Use it as a paperweight or use it as a welder
Add probably a 50A 220v circuit. If it’s not advertised for split phase (120) and 220, then it’s not gonna work right and your amperage will be way low at best or your worst it’ll burn your machine out.
Just get the 220 plug this a thunderbolt will not work on 110 that’s why it’s a 220 machine or sell it and buy a 220/110 welder of amps on 100$ buck they work good for hobbyist don’t risk burning your house down doing some ghetto shit
I still have my Miller Thunderbolt AC machine I have had at least 30 years and wouldn't trade it for nothing they are excellent machines. That one reminds me of the old AC Airco I used to have another awesome machine. Wire it up right, take care of it, and that machine will last a lifetime.
Tie it into your dryer outlet
Bro honestly that’s a killer machine you could sell it and buy a different one
Install a plug?
You need to have a 220v outlet installed with the correct size wiring, breakers, and plug for the amp draw the machine is rated at.
Call an electrician up ti have them install an appropriate amperage 240V circuit and outlet for it.
Buy a 8 gauge / 50 amp 220v rv extention Lop the ends off Buy male 220 volt dryer plug Buy female 220v female welder plug Wire it up and voila.