Newbie 13amp question

[Padstar]

Hi I am new to the welding (at home for a hobby) scene but have a steel chassis that needs welding. It is 3-4mm square box and some 4-5mm plate.

I have the restriction of living in a block of flats and only having the landlords 13amp socket for juice.

I have seen several u it's claiming to be 13amp suitable and am currently looking at this one from machine mart http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/mig100en-turbo-no-gas-mig-welder

Now I realise it is no professionals weapon of choice but but it's spec seems to fit my requirements.

2 questions if I may.

Will it really operate to full power from a 13 amp supply safely with no chance of blowing the landlords supply (he will be very if I do)

Will it be suitable for the above use and penetrate the sections I am looking to weld.

If there are any better units that can be recommended for similar (small I know) budget then any help would be much appreciated

 

[Wozzaaah]

Weld 5mm with that tiny little thing?
That's good for 2mm, maybe 3 with a bit of prep, you'll need something of at least 150A to do that job properly.
This one would be a better buy.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Really you would want the 150amp version of that machine and even with that you may have to do some edge prep with something as critical as chassis work.

Will it blow the fuse is a tricky one to answer, it may not blow at all, it may blow right away at 150 amps or it may start welding and a long run end up blowing the fuse.

You would be at the limit that it's anybodys guess and members have varying results depending on their electrics.

 

[Robotstar5]

As above and fitted with a correctly fused 13A plug it will not damage your landlords wiring.

 

[cumbriasteve]

wozzaaah beat me

 

[Padstar]

Wooozah that unit specifically calls for a single phase supply with a 30amp minimum? Am I flogging a dead horse with thinking anything will run off a standard 13amp socket that is up to the job?

 

[Robotstar5]

The worst that can happen is the fuse pops in the plug, just fit another and turn the power down a notch!

 

[Padstar]

Ok so the landlords supply is safe. What are people's general thoughts on a decent plug fitted with a 13amp fuse holding at the power draw down required to weld the said thickness section? Am I right in thinking the full 150 will be needed for a fully penetrated weld?

 

[rich r]

Wooozah that unit specifically calls for a single phase supply with a 30amp minimum? Am I flogging a dead horse with thinking anything will run off a standard 13amp socket that is up to the job?

You could arc weld it with 2.5mm rods off a 13A supply with a £30 buzzbox no problem. But if you only know mig, you'd have to learn mma first...

 

[pedrobedro]

What kind of chassis are you welding, 4x4 ? I assume the 3-4mm is wall thickness, you don't give the actual box size but if it's 40 or 50mm that is going to be a very heavy chassis and on the welding front if you are going as thick as 5mm I would not use anything less than a 170 or 180 amp welder.

 

[ibrooks]

I too was wondering WTF sort of chassis it is. That's some seriously hefty steel - way beyond Land-Rover thickness. It'll need a V8 just to lug itself around.

The 150 amp welder linked to is the very one I have owned for the last 10+ years and it's only ever run from a 13 amp plug. It's seldom driven at full chat since I don't often have need to be welding anything that heavy but it has done it on numerous occasions. On the max setting it can blow the fuse if you manage to stick the wire to the work and then pull the trigger (it blew the fuse in the plug and it popped the RCD in the 13amp socket it was plugged into) but when actually welding it's no problem. On the more normal power settings I've never managed to blow a fuse or trip the breaker.

Iain

 

[Padstar]

Ok so now i feel like a fool. When i posted this morning and said 3-4mm steel what i meant to say was 16SWG mild steel. To be even clearer it will be a combination of 30mm and 40mm 16SWG box (a slight difference!!).

I am fabricating a chassis for a 7 type car but also want the unit to do a few bits on my landy.

With this in mind can all you helpful people re-recomend. Is the lower powered unit suitable or should i still go for the 150amp and just be gentle on the power knob.

What sort of power would i be using for 16SWG - would 100amps (and teh original posted welder) do the job?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Thanks for the clarification but I'll stick with what I said, 30-150 amps is the ideal range for both your kit car project and your landy. You'd get away with 130 for the kit ar but if the landy needs chassis repairs the extra bit of oomph comes in handy.

 

[octo0072000]

as Wozz said +1 above 30 to 150 you can use any welder on a 13amp socket but it will blow the fuse at sort of 130 amps upwards maybe more maybe less all depends on what spec's it was wired to etc etc

 

[Padstar]

Thanks guys. Looks like a 150amp unit with a 13amp plug is the option to go for. The kit chassis from your comments shouldn't cause an issue as it will be welding at nearer 100 Amos than 150. Then if I need any work on the landy I can use my mates proper supply.

If I crank the unit up in my garage am I right in thinking that the plug will go pop rather than the landlords breaker?

 

[Sean]

if its a modern flat then the MCBs will trip well before the fuse gets warm the modern MCB domestic boxes don't like welders especially with start stop welding

the kitchen sockets may be on the 32a breaker as kitchens should be on their own circuit..

 

[Jester]

Consider your bank balance - the more powerfull welder is a massive 16 pence dearer .........
Always handy to have more power than you expect to use.
In a straight choice between the two - it's a no contest ...... just wait for a vat free voucher day then get the 151EN

 

[Padstar]

How often and when is the next VAT free days? I have heard about them but never seen them. Do you have to register?

 

[ibrooks]

If you've bought stuff from Machinemart in the past and given them your details then you are likely to get a VAT free invite. Don't know if they send them to people who have just registered to get a catalogue.

I was telling porkies about the welder - mine is a 150 rather than the 151. Very similar machine but without the no-gas option and as I say I can weld at full tilt on a 13amp supply with just the odd occasion where I've popped a fuse or breaker but it's unusual.

I'm puzzled as to where on a Land-Rover chassis you would need to turn it to the max setting though. I don't recall ever finding anything that thick on either of my Lightweights or my Range Rover when I had them.

I'd bear out the rest of the comments though about getting a 150 unless your budget is so tight that it won't allow that little bit of a stretch. Even if you never need to use the max setting it's nice to have the option.

Iain

 

[wellyweld]

Our experience tells us you will require at least 160 Amps which should be just feasible to run off a 13A Plus. See the BritArc 161 for such an example. However living in a block of flats, is portability going to be an issue i.e.are stairs involved with the machine going up & down. If so would look at the Kemppi Minarc Mig range or the Esab Caddymig range. Both highly regarded by forum members, we sell both & try to remain neutral. If size not an issue then any decent stepped voltage Mig of around 160Amps should be OK.