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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / power needed for welder??
- - By jdove55 (*) Date 11-09-2003 01:10
I have very limited knowledge of electricity and I am looking to buy a tig welder to do side jobs at home in the garage. I understand I need a machine that operates on single phase. How do I know what amount of amperage I have in my garage? What do I look for in a machine to make sure I get the right machine? I have been looking at the miller syncrowave 250dx, dynasty 200 and 300.
Parent - By Arcandflash (**) Date 11-09-2003 04:48
Easiest way to find what amperage is available to your garage is to see what size breaker is feeding the garage's sub-panel if you have one, or feeding the circuit you would be plugging the welder into. The main consideration is the wire size feeding the garage sub-panel/circuit and although unlikely, it is possible the wire size could warrant a larger breaker than is installed.

For a good size machine you would also want 240V not 120V. You can tell if you have this by seeing if the breaker supplying the garage is a double breaker rather than a single breaker. Naturally, a voltmeter is useful too.

I am not familiar with the specs of the TIG machines but like every other tool you have to determine what you want to do with it, either now or in the future, and then see what machine will handle the job. This at its simplest means knowing the materials and sizes you wish to weld.
Parent - - By billvanderhoof (****) Date 11-09-2003 05:48
I looked at the spec sheet for dynasty 200. It will- TIG weld at 100 amps while drawing 20 amps from a 120 volt outlet. That is an outlet served by #12 wire. It will have a 20 amp breaker. TIG weld at 140 amps while drawing 31 amps from a 120 volt outlet. #10 wire 30amp breaker. Your garage now probably has outlets wired for either 15 or 20 amps (check the rating written on the breaker handle). Those are the highest outputs stated in the table for 120 volts although the graphs imply that somewhat more may be available. If the machine is fed 240 volts the max is 150 amps and the duty cycle rises from 40% to 60% at max (drawing 15.8 amps). Again the graphs imply some useful output above this. All above is single phase. I would think that you would want to provide a 220 volt 20 amp outlet to get the most possible from this machine. It is neat that it has useful capability from a rather normal 120 volt outlet. This is all taken from the spec sheet (PDF) downloaded from here http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/spec_sheets/AD4-8.pdf
I didn't look at the other machines but will if you ask it.
Bill
Parent - By - Date 11-09-2003 20:50
OH I LOVE the feeling of buying a new tig welder.Curious what you will be making.Let me know.Good luck and thanks!
Parent - - By jdove55 (*) Date 11-10-2003 01:11
I looked in the breaker box and the main breaker is a single 200 amp, the breaker to the recepticles in the garage is a single 20 amp breaker. I used a voltmeter in the outlets in the garage and it was 120 volts. So basicly I would be able to tig weld with the machine set at 100 amps max without popping the breaker??? And I would need more power to the garage in order to weld any higher?? I don't think I would be tig welding at higher than 100 amps. So I have the power I need I just need to change the outlet?? Take care and thanks for the info. jdove55
Parent - By billvanderhoof (****) Date 11-10-2003 02:57
Yes, for the dynasty 200. It may come with that cord so you may not have to change anything.
Bill
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / power needed for welder??

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