can i add a amp meter to a arc welder

[sputnik-richter]

hi,the clarke 190TEN arc welder i bought recently although new (fleabay) has a iffy amp dial handle turning thingymajig ,although i can live with it and turn it either way until it is somewhere near and welding.i am wondering if a digital readout can be wired in or something similar,i had a butchers inside and the long threaded bar looks a bit heath robinson considering the reputation of clarke,,thanx trev

 

[brightspark]

u can hardly fit a didgital ammeter on the welder and show u the amperage settings by altering the mechanical dial . reason being u arent using the machine so no current is being used to register . if u were welding an ameter could be fitted and tell u the current being used but that wouldnt be practical as u couldnt weld and look at current being drawn at the same time with practice u can turn current up and down to suit the rods and weld without lookin at the amperage

 

[shenion]

You can get a cheap clamp meter and put it around one of the leads.

Search ebay for "Clamp Meter"

 

[brightspark]

You can get a cheap clamp meter and put it around one of the leads.

Search ebay for "Clamp Meter"

u can pick em up for about a tenner problem is it still wont give u a corect reading as the amperage setting will change with the difrent size rods

 

[sputnik-richter]

hi ,it may have sounded pretty stupid question i guess , but i was thinking along the lines of the cheap clamp off ebay,as u guys suggested,,if i can get some readings then i can re-align the pointer on the gauge which is connected to the threaded rod ,which is connected to the knee bone etc..cheers trev

 

[brightspark]

hi ,it may have sounded pretty stupid question i guess , but i was thinking along the lines of the cheap clamp off ebay,as u guys suggested,,if i can get some readings then i can re-align the pointer on the gauge which is connected to the threaded rod ,which is connected to the knee bone etc..cheers trev

hi its not stupid atall what u can do is pick a rod that runs between say 100 amp and 120 amp get sumone to take the readings while u are welding when it shows 100 amp mark it turn it up when it shows 120 amp mark that position put in larger rod and do the same eventualy u will get there near enough

 

[madkayaker]

you could get a clamp meter that stores the highest current that would work. but to be honest you don't need to worry to much just play till it works well

 

[brightspark]

you could get a clamp meter that stores the highest current that would work. but to be honest you don't need to worry to much just play till it works well

lol it wont work i tried it on my welder last week on various settings , was going to post the input and output amperage at all the diffrent settings and set the clamp meter on peak hold .trouble is the starting strike is larger than the actual welding current when the rod is being laid on so dont give a true reading . was a nice try though

 

[the snooper]

it needs a second person to press the hold button mid arc

 

[brightspark]

it needs a second person to press the hold button mid arc

verry true big problem is the cheapest meter that does inrush current is 120 quid. fluke make one

 

[Drains]

the amperage setting will change with the difrent size rods

Why's that then? The setting will change, as you set it different, but why will the actual current change?

The voltage will change depending on the type of rod and the arc gap.

 

[the snooper]

the cuurrent will change as a thiker rod will draw more in order to melt

 

[sputnik-richter]

C shaped clips

thankx for the input guys ,,,can i add that when i had a butchers inside yesterday there was a couple of bits of broken (like) plastic/pot which i was able to super glue back in place ,but there is also 2 metal C shaped clips ,i cannot see what they were doing,if i can get them back in place it may (help/steady up) the threaded rod ,,any ideas???? cheers trev

 

[the snooper]

best idea would be to post pictures

 

[rtbcomp]

Also note that the cheapo clamp meters only work on AC so if you've got a DC welder you'll have to spend a lot more.

I guess the OP's Clarke is AC - just a general point.

 

[Drains]

the cuurrent will change as a thiker rod will draw more in order to melt

No. The current is constant. That's why if your current is too low, you can't weld. That's why you have a current control. If it varied according to the thickness of the rod you wouldn't need a control, you could just turn it on and go!

Arc - CC. Mig CV. in Mig, the current varies.

 

[the snooper]

if you have it set to 100 amps a thick rod may use the full 100 amps where as a thinner rod at the same setting wouldnt.
its like light bulbs just because there is 13 amps in the mains supply a 40 watt bulb wouldnt draw it where as a 3000 watt bulb woulld

 

[brightspark]

if you have it set to 100 amps a thick rod may use the full 100 amps where as a thinner rod at the same setting wouldnt.
its like light bulbs just because there is 13 amps in the mains supply a 40 watt bulb wouldnt draw it where as a 3000 watt bulb woulld

thats what i found with the clamp meter on varous settings and rod sizes

 

[Drains]

if you have it set to 100 amps a thick rod may use the full 100 amps where as a thinner rod at the same setting wouldnt.
its like light bulbs just because there is 13 amps in the mains supply a 40 watt bulb wouldnt draw it where as a 3000 watt bulb woulld

There's not 13 amps in the mains supply snoop, theres as many as you want till the fuses blow or the wires melt, or the power station comes to a grinding halt.

I can't say I've put a clamp meter over a welding lead like Brightspark, but I do know that it you over current a rod, it gets red hot - lots of current going through it. And if you under current a rod, it sticks.

I will allow that a constant current tranny isn't exactly that, and that there is room for variance. But how much? Nothing like as much as a CV supply.

 

[the snooper]

yes yes we know you can draw more it was a simple example and if you want to be even more correct domestic lighting circuits arn't 13 amp either nor would the power station grind to a halt as there are step down transformers inbetween we could go on all night with different theorys