250v welder

sflorlando · May 4, 2015

Hello All,

I purchased this welder with plans of changing the plug so that it fits into my 240v dryer plug. Is this possible or should I return it?

Thanks!

amberwolf · May 4, 2015

(note: I'm really tired so I"m not sure my explanation is termed correctly, but I know what I mean in my head :oops:

)

Is the welder 3phase or 2phase or "singlephase" AC input? (meaning if it's single phase it only has two pins for input, and each one goes to a hot, with no neutral or ground as there would be in a 2phase).

I suppose it doesn't matter and electrically you could do it anyway, wiring the two pins of a 2phase 250VAC across the two hot wires of a two-phase AC outlet. If it's 3phase you'd probably have to do it like I did on a Sorenson, via the directions on their manual.

I don't know enough about how the welder is wired inside to know how safe it is to do so, but if it were me I'd probably try it anyway, cuz I'm a hack like that.

(I have the same type of dryer plug here, and use it for my harborfreight welder that came with no plug wired to it, and also for my Sorenson 55v55a lab PSU, though the latter is designed for 2 or 3 phase AC and all I have is 2phase).

sflorlando · May 4, 2015

Here is the item from ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/330836423580?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It says in the post: AC 220V 50Hz one phase

Thanks

amberwolf · May 4, 2015

That 50hz means it's not intended for USA use, because everything I know of here is 60hz. It's probably meant for european use, where 50hz is common.

I would guess that it will still work on 60hz, but if the transformer/etc was designed for 50, it may not work as efficiently as it was supposed to, so the power levels or duty cycle may be less than it says on there.

Or it may work perfectly...I have no idea.

But if it is a two prong plug, then if you hook it across the two hots of the outlet, it will get 220-230V depending on what your area gets. I don't know what if anything it uses for a safety ground; I'm assuming it has no neutral connection.

I don't know if there is a possibility of damaging it because it is not intended for the USA frequency / wiring setup.

fechter · May 4, 2015

I think it will work fine if you just change the plug. Most of those have switching power supplies that work over a wide range.

Punx0r · May 4, 2015

It should be absolutely fine at 60Hz:

http://www.emersonindustrial.com/en-US/egselectricalgroup/aboutus/faq/Pages/solahd_ww_06-22-2011.aspx

BLUESTREAK · May 4, 2015

It wil work just fine, a few years I had a refridgator made in south aferica rated at 50 hertz and it worked grate foe years.

sflorlando · May 5, 2015

Thanks!

I'll look for a plug that fits and will try that.

Appreciate your help!

sflorlando · May 5, 2015

Apparently its $80 for the plug replacement. So this is going back on ebay.

Let me know if anyone is interested in it.

Ken

amberwolf · May 5, 2015

You're being overcharged. It wasnt' even $30 for the plug at Ace Hardware.

I also found one at Goodwill in the form of a dryer cord with plug attached, for only a few dollars.

You could also put a want ad on your local Freecycle and/or Craigslist.

sflorlando · May 5, 2015

This one looks good.

http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-2711-L14-30P-Industrial-Grounding/dp/B00002NATY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1430846953&sr=8-2&keywords=nema+14-30

Might try that

amberwolf · May 5, 2015

You might wanna take a second look at the picture it shows--that's a twistlock in the picture, and yours is nto (asuming the second pic in your OP is your dryer plug).

You're gonna want to look at the Wikipedia page on NEMA plugs (or some other such reference) and match yours to that, so you know what NEMA number to look for.

Otherwise you're gonna have to also buy a new wall outlet to change yours to, or carve a bigger hole in the wall for a second box and outlet adn parallel the new one in there, or add a box bolted on teh outside of the wall, etc....

Another option, of course, is if like me you don't use your dryer (I can dry most stuff on the line outside even at night in a couple hours or less, most times) you could take the cord off of it and use it on your welder. At the least, you could do it for the time you need to make packs and whatnot.

Or, you could wire the welder directly into the outlet by paralleling it's wires with the source wires to it.

sflorlando · May 7, 2015

Thanks.

I'll look at the hardware store this weekend! Appreciate the feedback!

Ken

dnmun · May 7, 2015

you do not have to use a dryer plug on it. just use a regular duplex outlet and normal grounded plug for the 240V AC. frequency is irrelevant.

sflorlando · May 29, 2015

I purchased this plug and cant figure what wires go where.

Cutting off the plug I see a total of three wires.
A brown, Blue and a yellow/green.

Here is the plug I got which matches the dryer plug.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=275-T&section=41808

any help would be great. I am hoping to use this and loan it out to others after I get done with it.

thanks

Ken

dnmun · May 29, 2015

why would you buy that? just run a 240V service drop to a duplex outlet with some 12-2 w/g romex and put a regular plug on your welder. ground is green, other two are the phases.

you can run an extension cord with three wires from the duplex outlet to wherever the welder is located if you only install the service drop next to the service entrance box. 16AWG three wire extension cord would be fine.

sflorlando · May 29, 2015

I was trying to avoid the cost of hiring an electrician since I am not willing to open up the electric panel.

I was hoping that I can use the plug and use the existing 220 outlet since I wont be using this all the time.

Thanks for your help.

Ken

dnmun · May 29, 2015

not sure what an electrician could do that you cannot. if you rent then you are limited to asking the landlord i guess, but otherwise i don't really get it.

Harold in CR · May 29, 2015

sflorlando, IF the 2 flat blades on the plug you bought, will fit into the socket in the wall, you are good to go. The dryer socket should be 30A and if that plug is also 30A you can use it. They might be spaced too wide to fit.

The wires in the cord are not typical USA code. All you need to do is, open up the case on the welder, and see which wire (green hopefully) is attached to the case somewhere. The other 2 wires will be the 240V connection wires to the coils in the welder.

Open up the plug you bought, and it is very simple to wire up. CAREFULLY measure each wire, so you cut them at the correct length, so there is no bare wire showing outside the clamps on the blades, AND, so you do not have extra wire to stuff inside the plug housing. After measuring, remove each blade and attach the correct wire to the correct blade, and close up the plug. There should be an external clamp with that plug, that grips the entire cable with the black covering, so you don't jerk the wires out of the plug.

The round-split blade will be ground. That is the wire that you find connected to the welder case. The 2 other wires are the 240V LEADS. It DOES NOT matter which of the 2 flat blades
you connect those 2 wires. The round (NOT split) blade may or may not fit in your socket . Just leave it out of the plug housing.

If you get lost, just post again.

dnmun · May 29, 2015

or he can run a wire from the dryer itself out in front of the dryer so he could plug in a regular duplex plug. so no need to even buy a dryer plug to mate to the specail dryer plug.

the dryer has a cover plate over the spot where the wires are screwed to the connection block inside. unscrew that cover and then put the cable to the duplex outlet in a box, or extension cord leads, underneath the terminal forks from the dryer cord and then run that extension cord out to where it could be used.

Harold in CR · May 29, 2015

Mr. Mun, what you describe is what I have done several times.

It's fairly obvious that this fellow does not know much about electric wiring, so, I simply answered his question about using what he has. Later on, he may decide to add that extension cord. On my Miller 120V mig, an extension cord makes for a shitty weld. Takes a LOT of practice, using flux core wire, to get satisfactory welds. I have a 10ga heavy duty extension cord, that is 15' long, and it is barely satisfactory.

knighty · May 29, 2015

just a thought...

plug on the welder is a European plug, made for 230v 50hz single phase

vast majority of stuff doesn't care about single or 2 phase as long as the voltage is right...

but if the welder has a rectifier in it (full or half bridge?) could that cause problems ?
(I'm assuming it must have one?)

sflorlando · May 29, 2015

Thanks guys! Going to look at it this weekend.

I really appreciate it!

Ken

dnmun · May 29, 2015

this is a pulse welder, not continuous current so he doesn't need 30A service. 15A is more than adequate imo.

mateusleo · May 29, 2015

I would say you welder works with 2 110v phases = 220v +gnd or with 1 220v phase + 1 neutral + 1 gnd. In both cases, gnd is there mainly for safety, because, i dont know about the us, but here in Brazil very few houses have the gnd. Your dryer seems to be 3 phases + gnd (not sure though). What you should do is buy correct amperage plug according to your house standard, preferably with 2 phases + gnd. If you don't find a plug with the gns connection, just buy a usual 2 plug 2 phases connector. Not sure if i was clear enought. Feel free to ask.

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