Welder electrical

XJsavage

XJsavage

CounterCulture
Joined
Aug 15, 2009
Location
Lyle's Ford SC
Ive got a Hobart handler 187, 220 welder that I've used for years. I recently moved into a smaller older home and do not have a spare 220 capable outlet nor room in the breaker box to add a separate 220 slot. I need a welder for projects, yet again, and rather go buy a 110 smaller welder, is it possible or logical to reduce the power needed to run my Hobart from 220 to 110? I'd like to be able to run the welder in the back yard to an area that's approx 25' from the house.
 
Not likely, however if it is possible it will say somewhere on it that it can be 110/220.

Keep in mind that at 110v you will use twice as much amp draw.

Since you don't have a slot for an extra breaker you could do as I had to and add the wires to the dryer breaker.

You just can't use both at the same time.
 
The house was built in 1954, purchased by my grandparents when grandpa got back from Korea. At one point during the 80s, he did wire in a 220 to run a large window unit. House has never had central A/C or a dryer (or else I'd run off of one of those). Having just remembered about that 220 outlet, I may have just found a solution. Now I just need to make up a REALLY long extension cord :lol:
 
XJsavage said:
The house was built in 1954, purchased by my grandparents when grandpa got back from Korea. At one point during the 80s, he did wire in a 220 to run a large window unit. House has never had central A/C or a dryer (or else I'd run off of one of those). Having just remembered about that 220 outlet, I may have just found a solution. Now I just need to make up a REALLY long extension cord :lol:
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I have a long extension cord for my 220 welder. I was going to suggest that exact solution. I even had an adapter cable for dryer plugs. Used it when I went to Tim's house and welded the perches on his 8.8 recently.
 
it doesn't matter what size wire the dryer has, your using new wire from the breaker to the welder plug.

I can't say off hand what size the breaker was, but worst case it would trip if overloaded. Which I never had happen.

I believe you are correct regarding 50amp being the standard.
 
Never, never, never, never, never ever ever ever run a parallel feed off a breaker not specifically designed to do so.

If I am understanding your suggestion you want him to land the dryer and the welder wires under one breaker.
Dont do this.
This is not "mean old electrical code making life hard" stuff this is "you are going to fawking kill yourself" stuff.
I cant post a book on what could happen from my phone but bad bad bad idea.
 
The way I did it at my old place (mobile home) was add a double breaker, 2x30amp iirc, one for each hot leg at the outside power metering pole. This worked for years. I wish I had the room to do this here, but i dont think i can without building a whole new breaker box and possibly bumping up the main power to the whole house.
 
And this is what I'm working with.

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But, it looks like I'll be able to use the 220 existing plug for the old window unit.
 
That's wasn't what I thought you were talking about. Thought you were using the same wire and plug just unplugging the dryer and then plugging the welder in when needed
 
There isn't a sub panel somewhere else in the house? Looking at that panel there is are open slots at 11/12 on the bottom right. I see that it is a Federal Pacific Electric panel, pre-StabLoc so it should not spontaneously combust on you. See if the tag gives you the catalog numbers for the breakers and you may be able to find one more somewhere to install.
 
^^ this, or for a couple hundred bucks just upgrade to a new panel with more spaces.
 
I'm starting to like this idea. I plan on living here for a while since I did inherit the place when grandma passed. Eventually it'll see some outside lighting and remote power drop for an out building/garage so upgrading the whole system is probably the best thing. Won't happen immediately but I can get by.
 
Loganwayne said:
Can you explain. I thought most dryers where on 30 amp wires and breakers. and thought most welders were on 50 so It wouldn't work
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His welder is only uses 20.5 amps of 220v. So he could easily run it off if a 30 amp 220v plug. In fact unless he was running at the max duty cycle of the welder he could use a 20 amp 220v rec. The 50 amp plug everybody calls a welder plug is over kill on most of these smaller welders.
 
peewee said:
His welder is only uses 20.5 amps of 220v. So he could easily run it off if a 30 amp 220v plug. In fact unless he was running at the max duty cycle of the welder he could use a 20 amp 220v rec. The 50 amp plug everybody calls a welder plug is over kill on most of these smaller welders.
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Very true. Seeing a 50A plug can be misleading, but it has kinda become the standard, and that's a good thing. Having to make up an adapter cord to run your welder at somebody else's house is a pain.
 
Just for that reason I have one of these.
Everyone has a drier.
1433708180288-770912512.jpg
I agree that the uniformity of the "welder plug" is nice though.
 
Loganwayne said:
This is what I was questioning, is this a safe way to use a welder. I don't use one a ton but it would be nice to use a larger welder
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Yes it's safe if used properly. I use this on my airco stick welder but I am usually only running at 60-80 amps with a 3\16 6011 rod. That's plenty of heat for most anything. That keeps my input amps pretty low. Combine that with the duty cycle of a stick welder and it's perfectly safe. I even have a 100' drop cord with 220v ends on it. As long as your not trying to run a 200+ amp mig on high at 50% duty cycle you would never have a problem.
 
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