13a to 32a Welder connecting? Help?

[brightspark]

Rightly or wrongly I have cut a 32 amp commando socket into the garage ring main, the ring main is fused at 32 amps and I cant see me using more than one appliance at a time, only other item on at the same time would be the radio. Has to be better than using a mig tip as a fuse in a 13amp plug.

Bob

wrongly 13 amp is the maximum your supposed to take of any point in a ring ..its up to you what you do on your own property mind

 

[8ob]

wrongly 13 amp is the maximum your supposed to take of any point in a ring ..its up to you what you do on your own property mind

I figured that two 2.5 cables worth over 25 amps each in a ring main backed up with a 32 amp fuse and feeding one 32amp commando socket wouldn't be a problem, certainly isn't dangerous and feeds my Blackline mig running flat out without any issues

Bob

 

[brightspark]

I figured that two 2.5 cables worth over 25 amps each in a ring main backed up with a 32 amp fuse and feeding one 32amp commando socket wouldn't be a problem, certainly isn't dangerous and feeds my Blackline mig running flat out without any issues

Bob

as i said regulations, reason being its on a ringmain and if you take it from somwhere along the line and it isnt in the middle it could be taken from only a few meters away from the db on the leg and the other leg could be 50 meters away from db so effectively most of the load is running on 2.5mm . more than likely its never a problem and will work fine thats entirely up to you it would fail a test if you had it tested

 

[pwe]

Take the plug off - stick a 13amp plug on it with a 13amp fuse.
Don't go for too high a current and you will be fine.

How high would you recommend my “ceiling” be (just so I’ve got a rough idea of where not to go above)?

 

[fizzy]

How high would you recommend my “ceiling” be (just so I’ve got a rough idea of where not to go above)?

My mig will just about do 200 amps on a 13amp plug but they pop from time to time.
As yours is arc I am sure 120amps will be enough. Just keep spare fuses handy!

 

[Gareth J]

Lets look at this another way…..buy a decent inverter mig with gas that will quite happily run at 150 amps of a 13 amp plug, will go low enough to stick car bodywork back together, and do 5mm steel plate

That'd be my solution..... I mean this is migwelding forum!

 

[Dave-sparks]

I figured that two 2.5 cables worth over 25 amps each in a ring main backed up with a 32 amp fuse and feeding one 32amp commando socket wouldn't be a problem, certainly isn't dangerous and feeds my Blackline mig running flat out without any issues

Bob

If connected at the exact centre point of the ring then the cables will see equal current sharing, at other points around the ring the current won't be shared equally.

Either way if you were to connect a 32A load via a single bit of 2.5mm cable you wouldn't initially see any issues. The problems would present themselves further down the line, probably a few years later.
The issues being that the conductor will be running a little bit warmer than it is designed to so the insulation and connections may slowly degrade due to the extra heat.

The other problem I've seen a couple of times is the extra warmth makes the insulation a bit softer and at points of stress such as bends the conductors can work their way through the insulation, or the insulation sags off the conductor, which ultimately results in a fault, loud bang and maybe a bit of fire.

 

[Jack Ryan]

If connected at the exact centre point of the ring then the cables will see equal current sharing, at other points around the ring the current won't be shared equally.

Either way if you were to connect a 32A load via a single bit of 2.5mm cable you wouldn't initially see any issues. The problems would present themselves further down the line, probably a few years later.
The issues being that the conductor will be running a little bit warmer than it is designed to so the insulation and connections may slowly degrade due to the extra heat.

The other problem I've seen a couple of times is the extra warmth makes the insulation a bit softer and at points of stress such as bends the conductors can work their way through the insulation, or the insulation sags off the conductor, which ultimately results in a fault, loud bang and maybe a bit of fire.

There are also (no. of outlets + 1) * 2 screw connections, only one of which has to be a bit loose to cause an AFCI to trip. Unless the fire has already started, finding the loose screw is like finding the pre LED popped Christmas tree light.

Jack

 

[dave h 2]

If connected at the exact centre point of the ring then the cables will see equal current sharing, at other points around the ring the current won't be shared equally.

Either way if you were to connect a 32A load via a single bit of 2.5mm cable you wouldn't initially see any issues. The problems would present themselves further down the line, probably a few years later.
The issues being that the conductor will be running a little bit warmer than it is designed to so the insulation and connections may slowly degrade due to the extra heat.

The other problem I've seen a couple of times is the extra warmth makes the insulation a bit softer and at points of stress such as bends the conductors can work their way through the insulation, or the insulation sags off the conductor, which ultimately results in a fault, loud bang and maybe a bit of fire.

That reminds me of an 20M extension lead I lent to my daughter who powered 2 Kw heater with it still half wound up. The coil melted together and blew the fuse and considering the spec's say PVC cable should be good for 70C that's only straight runs it doesn't allow for bends nor use for induction heating an extension lead.

 

[fizzy]

That reminds me of an 20M extension lead I lent to my daughter who powered 2 Kw heater with it still half wound up. The coil melted together and blew the fuse and considering the spec's say PVC cable should be good for 70C that's only straight runs it doesn't allow for bends nor use for induction heating an extension lead.

A local petrol station I used to call into always had a fan heater running on a coiled extension lead. No matter how many times I told the stupid staff members they would never listen. It was only the smell of burning plastic that did the trick. Lead was in a right state when finally uncoilled.