240v Circuit for Stick Welding

[Black Thumb]

I do not have a dedicated 220v receptacle in my garage. I asked the AI about running a 8ga extension cord from my washer/dryer receptacle, on a 30amp breaker, out a window well to the stick welder. It said it was a bad idea. I don't see why as long as I unplug them both, but maybe I'm missing something...?

Do any of you run your welder like this?

 

[CJ]

I unplugged my dryer and used the outlet for years before I worked in a dedicated circuit.

 

[Belizean]

I unplugged my dryer and used the outlet for years before I worked in a dedicated circuit.

Yeah but you have clothes lines and sun and breeze drying your tighty whites in Florida. Not everyone has that luxury.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

30 amps is more than enough depending on the length of the run. Longer the run the more amps it will draw. The other issue is the cord. 8ga is only two sizes bigger than an extension cord. Get something larger

 

[Black Thumb]

Almost all of them sold as 50amp extension cords for welding are 8ga (it's on a 30amp circuit, and this is a small stick welder). Seems like the ones over 50ft are the only ones that use 6ga, and they get really expensive really fast as you go longer and thicker. I don't need more than 50'. It would be nice, but not worth it to me.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

How far away is the garage from the plug

 

[Black Thumb]

The 50' length of it will get me to the driveway, which is all I really need. More would be nice, but it's flux core, so outside, even if there's wind, isn't much of an issue.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

What are you welding? I hope nothing on a vehicle with a stick welder

 

[Jeep Soup]

I limped along on a 30 amp Dryer outlet in my past.
A few things.
1) My stick welder is one of those Old Farmer Dependable Lincoln "Buzz Box" welders. Copper Windings, go all day. NO service duty Time Outs.
2) Any chance of serious welding, even on 1/4" iron, it would trip the Breaker.
NOW you have to wait for a few minutes for the Breaker to cool,
because if you would just reset it, it would "Trip" again.
3) Now after you have done this to the Breaker over several weldings.....plan on Replacing the Breaker! It is NOT meant for Repeated Service Overloads and Tripping all the time.
4) At that run of 50 ft. You are losing current. (Visualize trying to Suck 30 gallons/minute through a 50 ft. 1/2" garden hose)
You will have to go up even two sizes in cable.
5) 50 amp Plugs are Different than 30 amp plugs on cords for this reason.

Again, here to help from my Previous Experiences (Mistakes)

 

[Black Thumb]

The AC is on a 50 amp breaker, and there is a secondary 50 amp breaker box for it on the outside of the house....? I could add another exterior box next to it with a blade switch to toggle and a female 6-50... I just wouldn't have AC when running the welder, and I would not be trying to hammer drill through my foundation to run conduit to the attached garage (that sits on a slab).

I wonder if anyone makes a NEMA 6-50 receptacle that's GFI? I probably need another GFCI breaker in that box as well, but probably worth it if I don't have to drill.

 

[TSB8C]

I too have a Lincoln "buzz box" and use a 50 amp circuit since the 30 amp dryer outlet would sometimes trip depending on what I was doing. No issue with the 50 amp circuit. And I did make an extension cord of sorts to allow me to use the welder another 25' outside the shop when needed (on the trailer, etc). That is 6-ga wire with the needed male plug on one end and an outlet box with the female outlet in it on the other end.

But to Manic's comment, I use the TIG more often when doing stuff on the Jeep.

 

[Jeep Soup]

The idea of tapping off the A/C box would work. I have a oversized "Blade Throw Switch"
In my shop at the Welder connection. (A job site discard)
I would not recommend a GFI breaker. A Two Phase 240V Welder is going to trip that whenever the Stick gets stuck to the work piece. Also if they make one ... it's going to be $$$$$

I don't have a Tig, but a Wire Welder, and the Buzz Box .

 

[TSB8C]

You know, I was also thinking about the other benefit to an outlet that supports 50 amp vs. 30 amp and an extension cord to use with it. I have a Generac for the main house that is wired through an auto-switch panel to the breaker box and runs the whole house when needed. But in the work shop, I have separate power from the utility company. The main power coming into the work shop also has a feed to the pool house. So the Generac on the main house doesn't power the shop or pool house during a power outage. I have a portable generator that is dual fuel (gas or propane). During power outages, I connect this generator in the shop into the 50 amp welder outlet using the extension cord I mentioned earlier. This allows me to have the generator outside the shop (fumes) and feed power back into the breaker panel there to run the shop and pool house. I just shut off the main at the breaker box so I don't feed generator power back out the utility lines. This gives me lights and outlets in the shop and keeps the pool house fridge running. So more reason to wire up and have the ability to support the 50 amp circuit and a cord of sufficient gauge to connect to it. My guest house (where mom lives) also has a similar 50 amp outlet mounted to the bottom of her breaker panel for the same reason. She has another portable generator and I made up a similar extension cable to plug it in. Just shut off the main in the breaker box and plug the generator in. No running extension cords from the generator into windows, etc.