Battery Boost on old oil-filled welders

[WeldingSeb]

Hi folks,

I'm new to this forum and new to welding. I did an introductory evening course in the very basics of gas, MMA, MIG and TIG welding and if I'm honest I've got a bit hooked on it and want to go and follow things up with a City & Guilds and, maybe, get a job in welding.

The next C&G course available to me won't be for a while yet, so I've decided to buy myself a welder and try and get as much practice in of the things I've been taught so far.

I can't afford a brand new welder and don't like the look of most of the modern ones in Machine Mart and other catalogues, so I've been on eBay trying to grab a Pickhill/Oxford/Cytringham/Olympic oil-filled welder.

Anyway, my question is to do with the battery charge and boost facility on some models. What exactly is the battery boost for? Is it to help you strike the arc? Is it possible to run the welder just off a car battery or does it have to be connected to a mains supply? Also, if I'm running a Bantam 180, for the sake of argument, off a single-phase supply, can I just run it off a 13 Amp fuse or do I just run it off the 40 Amp supply for the cooker?

Anything you guys can tell me will be really appreciated. Thanks!
Seb

 

[gordon stephenson]

A bit of lateral thinking required Seb, The battery boost on some models is exactly that, A booster for 12volt car starting if your battery is low, I ran a Pickhill bantam 180 for years on just a 13amp 3 pinplug without a problem but never used it on max amps

 

[brightspark]

Hi folks,

I'm new to this forum and new to welding. I did an introductory evening course in the very basics of gas, MMA, MIG and TIG welding and if I'm honest I've got a bit hooked on it and want to go and follow things up with a City & Guilds and, maybe, get a job in welding.

The next C&G course available to me won't be for a while yet, so I've decided to buy myself a welder and try and get as much practice in of the things I've been taught so far.

I can't afford a brand new welder and don't like the look of most of the modern ones in Machine Mart and other catalogues, so I've been on eBay trying to grab a Pickhill/Oxford/Cytringham/Olympic oil-filled welder.

Anyway, my question is to do with the battery charge and boost facility on some models. What exactly is the battery boost for? Is it to help you strike the arc? Is it possible to run the welder just off a car battery or does it have to be connected to a mains supply? Also, if I'm running a Bantam 180, for the sake of argument, off a single-phase supply, can I just run it off a 13 Amp fuse or do I just run it off the 40 Amp supply for the cooker?

Anything you guys can tell me will be really appreciated. Thanks!
Seb

the pickhill 180 wont work of a 13 amp plug. minimum 20 amp best at 30 amp for prolonged heavy work some pickhills have a boost capacitor for striking up easier but with a little practice its not realy neaded u might pick one of them up for between 80 and £140 for a good one. best bet is try before buy on all of its settings

 

[oilcooled :)]

as said its a very handy device for charging battery/batteries in series too. connect battery positive + to welding earth terminal, battery negative to extra terminal. 1 was overnight charge, 2 normal 3 quick all the way up to 8 which was heavy boost for starting engines... . .. very handy