13a to 32a Welder connecting? Help?

[pwe]

Hi all.

So I’ve been welding (MIG) for a few years now. A project I’m doing requires Arc/Tig welding (due to material thickness, as it’s more than my MIG can handle at 1 and 4mm respectively) so I’m currently searching for an ok ish mma/Tig welder to learn and complete this project with.

As this will be a one off thing, and I have never Stick or TIG welder before, I’m not looking for a super amazing machine that will cost me an arm and a leg. I’ve found the Clarke 200A Arc/TIG welder at my local Machine Mart as they’ve got a sale on at the moment. It’s reviews seem pretty good (for the price obviously) and it’s price is well in my budget.

However, it comes with a 32a plug. As I’m welding at home, I only have a 13a socket. I’ve done some googling and found one of these: (https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...kL2v24CCAxXNQUEAHQ3zBmgQwg8oAHoECAQQFg&adurl=) on eBay. Would this help me use the welder for the 4mm steel at the appropriate amperage? So for instance, could I weld in the 150-200 amp range (roughly where I need to be according to what little reading I’ve done on arc welding as I’m still browsing) without causing the thing to short out, blow a fuse etc.? Has anyone else tried this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jack Ryan]

The UK market is different from here but a 200A ARC welder that requires a 32A service must be a dinosaur.

I don't know which machine you are looking at but in my opinion, an "ARC/TIG" welder is just an ARC (MMA) welder. It will have no support for any specific TIG parameters, gas flow, contactor or arc starting. Something that requires a 32A service is probably scratch start only.

The adaptor won't help you get 200A from the machine - the breaker will pop long before that.

What is the budget?

This: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-200a-mmatig-inverter-welder-230v/

only needs a domestic service like you have already.

I have no idea if Clarke machines are any good, my point is, look at inverter welders that are efficient.

Welcome to the forum.

Jack

 

[Stupoty]

The UK market is different from here but a 200A ARC welder that requires a 32A service must be a dinosaur.

I don't know which machine you are looking at but in my opinion, an "ARC/TIG" welder is just an ARC (MMA) welder. It will have no support for any specific TIG parameters, gas flow, contactor or arc starting. Something that requires a 32A service is probably scratch start only.

The adaptor won't help you get 200A from the machine - the breaker will pop long before that.

What is the budget?

This: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-200a-mmatig-inverter-welder-230v/

only needs a domestic service like you have already.

I have no idea if Clarke machines are any good, my point is, look at inverter welders that are efficient.

Welcome to the forum.

Jack

Might be a 32A plug because it's drawing over 16A max, I don't believe there is a connector in between 16A and 32A in the UK.

I think my 200A is listed as 18A max mains draw or something similar.

Stu

 

[Jack Ryan]

Might be a 32A plug because it's drawing over 16A max, I don't believe there is a connector in between 16A and 32A in the UK.

I think my 200A is listed as 18A max mains draw or something similar.

Stu

I don't know what the machine is or what its power requirements are but the service is based upon Ieff, which is generally a lot less than Imax.

A bit more information about the machine and the requirements would help.

Jack

 

[Stupoty]

I don't know what the machine is or what its power requirements are but the service is based upon Ieff, which is generally a lot less than Imax.

A bit more information about the machine and the requirements would help.

Jack

I think in the UK if a plugs fitted it has to be rated to I max(not in rush but continuous maximum ).

Stu

 

[MetalMonkey]

The adaptor which you have linked to is simply to allow an appliance with a 32A plug to run off a 13A socket
It won't allow it to draw any more current than 13A - you could effectively achieve the same result by just putting a 13A plug on the end of lead to the welder.

The product manual states:

These welders will draw far too much power for a normal domestic
230V mains plug and socket and will be supplied fitted with a
32Amp, 3-pin industrial plug.

A high current 230V mains socket or terminal must be installed by a
qualified and accredited professional electrician. A 32A socket used
with a plug conforming to IEC 60309 is recommended.

It also shows the input current specification in MMA mode for the different models as:

MMA/TIG120 - 20A
MMA/TIG160 - 30A
MMA/TIG200 - 38A

Which would imply that at maximum current, it will need a 32A supply.
You might get away on a 13A plug for up to 120A of welding current on about 3.5mm providing you are not doing it flat out.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I think in the UK if a plugs fitted it has to be rated to I max(not in rush but continuous maximum ).

Stu

I would be really surprised if that were the case. The purpose of I1eff is to define the breaker and cable required.

Jack

 

[Jack Ryan]

The product manual states:

Sorry, I must have missed something. Can you post a link to the manual?

Thanks

 

[Gareth J]

Wait, back up - you're welding steel; 1mm to 4mm? In what application? Butt weld, plug weld, lap joint....? I'd struggle to do anything with 1mm MMA and could definitely get a half decent join with a 13A powered MIG.

With a bit of prep, 4mm to 4mm and respecting the machine's duty cycle should be fine with a common MIG on a 13A plug. Although, if you are wanting to do that in a production setting, 13A is not going to cut it.

 

[6ply]

Wait, back up - you're welding steel; 1mm to 4mm? In what application? Butt weld, plug weld, lap joint....? I'd struggle to do anything with 1mm MMA and could definitely get a half decent join with a 13A powered MIG.

With a bit of prep, 4mm to 4mm and respecting the machine's duty cycle should be fine with a common MIG on a 13A plug. Although, if you are wanting to do that in a production setting, 13A is not going to cut it.

He said "1mm and 4mm respectively" which I read to refer to mig and MMA respectively. There shouldn't be any problem welding 4mm thick steel using an MMA welder fitted with a 13A plug.

 

[waddycall]

You’ll find a lot of people just stick a 13a plug on it and crack on.

 

[addjunkie]

You can run a 3.2 rod at 120 amps all day long from a 13 amp plug, why do you need more at home! Unless your going to play with 200 amps to weld ali on an acdc tig!

 

[8ob]

You’ll find a lot of people just stick a 13a plug on it and crack on.

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

 

[chrismac]

Does the project need to be welded in MMA and TIG for specific requirements, no offence intended but what MIG have you go that wont weld 4mm? can the project not be spun (if thats the issue, positional welds) to allow MIG welding, I have a small thermal arc fabricator 181 on a 13 amp plug welding 6mm steel, no issues.

 

[Stupoty]

The adaptor which you have linked to is simply to allow an appliance with a 32A plug to run off a 13A socket
It won't allow it to draw any more current than 13A - you could effectively achieve the same result by just putting a 13A plug on the end of lead to the welder.

I prefer to use adapter cables as I have seen a lot of badly wired 13amp plugs due to the cables being way top big for fitting into a 13amp plug safely and reliably. (I have a photo example some ware, will post if I find it)

Stu

 

[pwe]

It’s a 100a Draper gasless Mig. Not the greatest in the world, but really only good for 3.2mm max.

The machine I am looking at is the one with the link posted earlier. I’m interested in the MMA part for the 4mm steel and then the Tig for the 1mm bit (my Mig just seems to burn through it even at it’s lowest setting despite being rated for it at 40 amps); hence why I’m not so confident with using 4mm at 100a!)

 

[waddycall]

For the thick stuff you can do multiple passes with stick if you need to. Sounds like a good plan. I have thermal arc 175te and basically do the same. Mine is on a 13amp plug.

 

[Rrobson]

You are asking this question the wrong way around.

You want to weld 4mm steel with a stick welder, what sized rods do you plan on using? 2.5mm rods would do you for that, and they don’t need more than 120a to run (that should be a bit hot for a 2.5mm actually, they’ll run probably 80-90a) so a stick and tig set capable of 160A would do for everything you want to do. It will also have capacity to go down to 20 or 30 amps.

A 160a inverter set may run 160a off a 13a fuse, but would be ideal on a 16a plug. However it will happily burn 2.5mm rods at 100a all day on a 13a plug.
Something like an r-Tec 160 or the likes would be a good choice on a budget.

If you want to do it properly then get some 6mm cable run into your workshop with a 32a type c breaker and install some 16a or 32a dedicated welding sockets.

To think about running one of those fly leads you may as well cut the plug off your new 200a welder, install a 13a plug with a 6mm bolt in the place of the fuse and rely on the mcb to protect you.

If in doubt do it properly or not at all. Sparkies aren’t than expensive if you can’t do it yourself.

 

[fizzy]

Hi all.

So I’ve been welding (MIG) for a few years now. A project I’m doing requires Arc/Tig welding (due to material thickness, as it’s more than my MIG can handle at 1 and 4mm respectively) so I’m currently searching for an ok ish mma/Tig welder to learn and complete this project with.

As this will be a one off thing, and I have never Stick or TIG welder before, I’m not looking for a super amazing machine that will cost me an arm and a leg. I’ve found the Clarke 200A Arc/TIG welder at my local Machine Mart as they’ve got a sale on at the moment. It’s reviews seem pretty good (for the price obviously) and it’s price is well in my budget.

However, it comes with a 32a plug. As I’m welding at home, I only have a 13a socket. I’ve done some googling and found one of these: (https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...kL2v24CCAxXNQUEAHQ3zBmgQwg8oAHoECAQQFg&adurl=) on eBay. Would this help me use the welder for the 4mm steel at the appropriate amperage? So for instance, could I weld in the 150-200 amp range (roughly where I need to be according to what little reading I’ve done on arc welding as I’m still browsing) without causing the thing to short out, blow a fuse etc.? Has anyone else tried this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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.

 

[addjunkie]

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