Clarke 145tn

[IHJ]

Hi, i am going to buy a Clarke 145tn arc welder. My uncle has one and i have used it and i quite like it. When he rung up machine mart to order it the man was very helpful, but i rung up this morning and was told that this welder MUST be wired directly into a 20amp supply and that it wont even work off a normal household 13amp socket and if you did try to use it it would damage the components and void the warranty. I am now rather confused as my uncles 145tn welds happily away off a household socket.

Could anyone shed some light on this?

Many Thanks,
James

 

[madkayaker]

fine on 13A but you will blow fuses on higher settings. as for blowing sensitive electronics there isn't any its a AC transformer! (big lump of copper wraped round lump of steel) but if you are using alot or at higher current get a bigger supply wired in

 

[Wozzaaah]

It CAN'T damage the internal components, the 13A fuse is the weakest link.
You'll be able to use that machine ok on most of it's settings though it will possibly pop the fuse if you use it flat out for any length of time.
That sort of advice is typical of MM, to use a term often quoted by Weldequip, they're 'box movers', they actually know very little about the products they sell. Having said that, they are correct to err on the side of caution.

 

[madkayaker]

beet you to is wozz

 

[madkayaker]

and if you are using the Carlisle store there very useless as the staff last about a week

 

[IHJ]

Thanks, electrician is round at our house at the moment anyway so i might get a socket for the big blue plugs fitted, would this be suitable? Anyway not often ill be welding on full, i could use the old method of putting a screwdriver bit instead of a fuse, they seem to fit quite nicely!

 

[Wozzaaah]

If you have an opportunity to get a 16A supply wired in then most definitely get it.

 

[IHJ]

and if you are using the Carlisle store there very useless as the staff last about a week

Im not sure, i just used the main number on the website then went on http://www.saynoto0870.com so it didnt cost me a fortune!

 

[madkayaker]

get a 16A C type supply put in. as for screw driver bits in plug's NO NO NO there for a reason

 

[IHJ]

Ok, thanks for the advice.

I take it those big blue ones are 16amp?

James

 

[madkayaker]

the blues ones are 240V they come in 16, 32, 64 and 128A!

 

[IHJ]

Ok thanks. Ill try and get it sorted, for now ill just use a 13amp and laugh at that man at machine mart.

 

[madkayaker]

i have a 130A stick set and it doesn't blow fuses that often but in the workshop i use it on a 16A socket

 

[NeilH]

madkayaker is it ok to have a 16a socket wired straight to the fuse box? ie the only fuse is the main one its wired to?

and im talking about the old fuse box with the pull out fuses, not the new posh ones with the trip switches

 

[madkayaker]

as long as the cabling s up to it and the fuse is the same as the plug e.g. 16A (or 15A) for a 16A socket. a 16A fuse doesn't require a isolator but i would normally fit one. A RCD would also be a good idea