Not SS but maintenance advice needed

[fiatben]

I'm trying to wire up a stick welder (arc welder). The welder is an old Craftsman with a primary of 220V/1Ph, rated at 55 amps. I have a range receptacle rated at 50 amps and a double breaker (both sides trip if one leg overloads) rated at 60 amps. And, I have questions:

1. Is the receptacle (at 50 amps) good enough for the welder (at 55 amps)?

2. Is the breaker right, or overkill? (Is that 60 amps per leg or 60 amps overall?)

3. Is 10-3 w/ground sufficient for the load? (The power to the building is on 10-3 w/ground)

4. Does anyone have a manual for a Craftsman 113.201250 Colormatic welder? Or know anything about them?

Thanks, guys. I'm an amateur electrician at best and just a bit unsure of myself, so I'm looking for guidance.

[Ed in Tampa]

I'm trying to wire up a stick welder (arc welder). The welder is an old Craftsman with a primary of 220V/1Ph, rated at 55 amps. I have a range receptacle rated at 50 amps and a double breaker (both sides trip if one leg overloads) rated at 60 amps. And, I have questions:

1. Is the receptacle (at 50 amps) good enough for the welder (at 55 amps)?

2. Is the breaker right, or overkill? (Is that 60 amps per leg or 60 amps overall?)

3. Is 10-3 w/ground sufficient for the load? (The power to the building is on 10-3 w/ground)

4. Does anyone have a manual for a Craftsman 113.201250 Colormatic welder? Or know anything about them?

Thanks, guys. I'm an amateur electrician at best and just a bit unsure of myself, so I'm looking for guidance.

I'm assuming the welder draws 55 amps or half that per leg.

A 50 receptacle is too small, you need 55 or 60 amp

The breaker is right or okay for the welder but way over size for the wire connected to it. (see below)

10 gauge wire is rated for around 15 amps per leg or 30 amps overall. If the welder draws 55 amps per leg you need 4 wire and if it is 27.5 per leg you need 7 wire. This is copper wire not aluminum.

No I don't know a thing about the welder but I do know most guys that have home welders have receptacle mounted in their fuse panel/breaker box to handle the load.
Usually even then the lights tend to dim.

[JPG]

I'm trying to wire up a stick welder (arc welder). The welder is an old Craftsman with a primary of 220V/1Ph, rated at 55 amps. I have a range receptacle rated at 50 amps and a double breaker (both sides trip if one leg overloads) rated at 60 amps. And, I have questions:

1. Is the receptacle (at 50 amps) good enough for the welder (at 55 amps)?

2. Is the breaker right, or overkill? (Is that 60 amps per leg or 60 amps overall?)

3. Is 10-3 w/ground sufficient for the load? (The power to the building is on 10-3 w/ground)

4. Does anyone have a manual for a Craftsman 113.201250 Colormatic welder? Or know anything about them?

Thanks, guys. I'm an amateur electrician at best and just a bit unsure of myself, so I'm looking for guidance.

Although the welder is 'rated' at 55A, I would think that is at it's Maximum output. A 50A receptacle would probably be adequate. A 60A would be better.(see below).

A 60A breaker is appropriate(see below). Each pole trips at a load above 60A, but they are not additive(60A in one leg = 60A in other leg with 230v loads).(see below)

No joy re manual!


"BELOW" No 10-3 is NOT heavy enough for wiring after the 60A breaker, let alone sufficient for feeding the breaker. Depending upon the length, a much larger wire size(TO the building and from the breaker to the welder)is needed. For 60A I would not go smaller than #4 even for relatively short runs.

You scare me again!:eek:;)

[pennview]

Try this ebay number -- 310318162856

[fiatben]

OK, new plan. I will wire a receptacle in the old barn instead of the new barn since the new barn's wiring to the box is not really heavy enough. I've got a short piece of something that is about 1/4" diameter multi-strand that I'm sure is heavy enough (but I'll find the markings before I leap off the cliff), and the old barn has much heavier wiring coming into the box (although off the top of my head I don't remember.)

One thing to consider is that I seriously doubt I'll ever have a reason to crank this welder to full capacity. My welding will be primarily tinkering with cars or building up a metal jig for the shop and light repairs (mowers, yard tools, etc.). So it's doubtful that it would ever see full load on the circuit.

I'll post back when I've got more info.

Meanwhile, thanks guys for the guidance, that's why I asked.

[JPG]

OK, new plan. I will wire a receptacle in the old barn instead of the new barn since the new barn's wiring to the box is not really heavy enough. I've got a short piece of something that is about 1/4" diameter multi-strand that I'm sure is heavy enough (but I'll find the markings before I leap off the cliff), and the old barn has much heavier wiring coming into the box (although off the top of my head I don't remember.)

One thing to consider is that I seriously doubt I'll ever have a reason to crank this welder to full capacity. My welding will be primarily tinkering with cars or building up a metal jig for the shop and light repairs (mowers, yard tools, etc.). So it's doubtful that it would ever see full load on the circuit.

I'll post back when I've got more info.

Meanwhile, thanks guys for the guidance, that's why I asked.

#2???

The old barn SHOULD HAVE a 'main breaker' that will indicate the 'capacity' of that box. There SHOULD BE a correspondingly sized breaker at the box that is feeding it.

[dusty]

OK, new plan. I will wire a receptacle in the old barn instead of the new barn since the new barn's wiring to the box is not really heavy enough. I've got a short piece of something that is about 1/4" diameter multi-strand that I'm sure is heavy enough (but I'll find the markings before I leap off the cliff), and the old barn has much heavier wiring coming into the box (although off the top of my head I don't remember.)

One thing to consider is that I seriously doubt I'll ever have a reason to crank this welder to full capacity. My welding will be primarily tinkering with cars or building up a metal jig for the shop and light repairs (mowers, yard tools, etc.). So it's doubtful that it would ever see full load on the circuit.

I'll post back when I've got more info.

Meanwhile, thanks guys for the guidance, that's why I asked.

How likely are you to be exposed to the local building inspector? and

What do the local building codes require for an installation of this nature?

What will work and what the inspector will accept might be two different things. The inspector would examine the installation based on the anticipation that the welder operates at full load.

Old barn = dry timber. Welder = sparks and hot metals.

Dry timber + sparks = .

Be careful man.

Did you ever think about welding out of doors?

[beeg]

#2???

The old barn SHOULD HAVE a 'main breaker' that will indicate the 'capacity' of that box. There SHOULD BE a correspondingly sized breaker at the box that is feeding it.

There SHOULD BE a correspondingly sized WIRE FEEDING that box also. I wood think that an undersized wire could cause a fire at either end of it.

[fiatben]

Old barn is tin barn on concrete floor, with minimal wood in the walls. I wouldn't weld in a confined space, regardless. Have a concrete apron in front that I can work from. One of the advantages of a stick welder is being able to weld outside in less than ideal conditions.

We were annexed into the city a few years ago, but I'm not overly concerned about city inspectors even being able to find our place without help. We are literally at the end of the road, a long dirt road. And, we're still zoned agricultural, thankfully.

Anyway, it won't be until tomorrow evening before I can get back on this project, and it will be wired to work (i.e. safely).

Thanks for the input, from everyone, and the concern. That's what I like about this forum and its members.

[dusty]

Old barn is tin barn on concrete floor, with minimal wood in the walls. I wouldn't weld in a confined space, regardless. Have a concrete apron in front that I can work from. One of the advantages of a stick welder is being able to weld outside in less than ideal conditions.

We were annexed into the city a few years ago, but I'm not overly concerned about city inspectors even being able to find our place without help. We are literally at the end of the road, a long dirt road. And, we're still zoned agricultural, thankfully.

Anyway, it won't be until tomorrow evening before I can get back on this project, and it will be wired to work (i.e. safely).

Thanks for the input, from everyone, and the concern. That's what I like about this forum and its members.

Maybe these differences just highlight my age. Back when I was a kid, on a North Dakota farm the barns did not have concrete floors and if there were tin buildings they were not as big as a barn.

As for being at the end of the road - I envy you. I would go find a place at the "end of the road" if SWMBO would go there with me. She has come to enjoy the benefits of civilization thus I have to consider and live with the inconveniences of that civilization.

Glad you are safe there and I hope you get the puppy up and running.