XMT 304 electrical questions

Date 05-25-2005 14:18

Hello,

I am doing a favor for a freind. I have a Miller XMT 304 CC/CV. I want to do some welding at a friends place. I prefer it to be GMAW. I am welding a piece of metal that is 1/4 to an I beam. The I beam is in the water(Delaware River). I would need to do four tack welds and two welds of about eight inches.

I have a Miller 30A spool gun and Gas. The location has 30A 220 electrical. I am unsure if the 30A service is enough for the machine. At my shop I have 50 amp service. I use the machine at 19V dc to weld.

Also, is it safe to weld metal that is partially submerged in the water if I am out of the water on a dock? The dock is wood decking with a metal subframe.

I have 100' leads for the machine, but need to get an extension cord for the machine. Any recommendations for the gauge of wire to use? I need about 100' of extention cord.

Thanks for any input.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 05-25-2005 16:46

Your post is a bit confusing.

You said you were making the welds with SMAW and than in the second graph you mention a spool gun and Gas. So I'm not sure which process you have chosen. XMT can do both which is the good news.

Nonetheless, My advice is take the 1/2 money you would spend on that 100 feet of extension for your XMT and rent a generator power source to make your 16 inches of weld and four tacks.

By leon phelps (**)

Date 05-25-2005 16:53

So you see no problems welding a bracket to a steel piling if I stay dry myself?

All parts welded are a foot out of the water.

By SA-200

Date 05-26-2005 01:15

As long as your welding gloves stay dry, you can be standing in the water. Stick weld your bracket and run the cables on top of the dock and run just enough down to where you will be welding.

By West O. Artist Date 05-27-2005 05:12

maybe i'm missing something, but since you've got all of two short beads to run, why not just gas weld it? no expensive extensions to buy and run; no generator to rent; no risk of electrocution. also, according to my miller catalog, the input amperage (for single phase at 230) is 47A for the xmt304.

is it not mild steel? or do you not own a gas rig?

just a thought.

james

By 357max

Date 05-27-2005 14:06

According to the literature on the XMT 304 to get 225 amps on single phase 230 vac it takes 47.4 amps. Interpolating it a bit; if 110 amps welding was needed, that would be about 24 amps from the 230 vac. So I would guess 30 amps of 230 vac single phase would do it.