Mains power

[Furry Freak]

Hi Guys, wasn't quite sure where to post this one.

I have a Butters Weld Wizard 180 amp Mig. Very very pleased with it. But in a standard garage 13amp 3 pin plug, it trips the MCB on my domestic if I turn it up to full power. On notch back and it's fine. Question is - and all legal building standards approval qualified electrician stuff aside - is the answer to take a dedicated socket off the cooker circuit or something like that? Or.. do I use a spare slot and put a bigger MCB in? Don't worry, I am not about to start hacking into cables with a chainsaw, I'll get a little man in, just wanted to know what to tell him. Need to weld some thick channel soon on a project and want to be able to give it the full beans.

FF

 

[weldingscotty803]

16 amp dedicated socket on the wall. ive got a few blue plugs spare i think, i'll have a look if you want them. best man to ask is mk on here, he'll sort you out with what you'd need to tell the sparky

 

[weldingscotty803]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12555

 

[Furry Freak]

Ahh right. Change the plug too. It'll still need a breaker though. Extension would be a good idea so I can get out on the driveway. Cheers buddy.

FF

 

[Hitch]

If you have a spare space on the CU, put it on that one.
As well as the socket(s) get a trip put in the garage so you dont have trapse back and forth if it does go.

 

[Bigjoe]

Has anyone seen our resident sparky lately?

 

[Robotstar5]

Has anyone seen our resident sparky lately?

I think he threw his teddy out of the pram months ago

 

[Furry Freak]

Thanks for the help everyone. The great thing is that the CU is 2 feet from my welding bench. It's in the garage. Either that or I must be welding under the stairs again

FF

 

[the snooper]

If you have a spare space on the CU, put it on that one.
As well as the socket(s) get a trip put in the garage so you dont have trapse back and forth if it does go.

hmm mine both trip at exactly the same time garage and house

 

[Bigjoe]

I think i class c or d breaker is advised for cu as they have a less sensitive initial trip (I think )

 

[Grobes]

Ive got one of these.

This was supplied to me as a welder with 13amp input. I bought it as i am often asked to repair gates and things when im out working (gardening) and i wanted something i could plug into a 13amp socket.

Welds beautifully but trips my 16B mcb in the garage when on or near full garbs..

plugged into domestic sockets in the house (seperate CU with 32B mcb's on the rings) it doesnt trip them.

What can i do ?

cheers.

 

[chunkolini]

I have one of these as wel and have had a problem with tripping apart from tripping over the laeds. I was using it otside on a 50m extension lead (unrolled) recently, still no problems which was a surprise.

Chunko'.

 

[brightspark]

Ive got one of these.

This was supplied to me as a welder with 13amp input. I bought it as i am often asked to repair gates and things when im out working (gardening) and i wanted something i could plug into a 13amp socket.

Welds beautifully but trips my 16B mcb in the garage when on or near full garbs..

plugged into domestic sockets in the house (seperate CU with 32B mcb's on the rings) it doesnt trip them.

What can i do ?

cheers.

providing the wire across to your garage is min 2.5mm u could increase the mcb to 20 amp c type by rights u are suposed to use 30 amp plugs anything over 16 amp but the 16 amp socket will be ok to use as its not carrying full load at 100 percent cycle . ive put that before i:get loads of posts citing the regs which im well aware of and dont need reminding

 

[Grobes]

I have two seperate pairs of tails from the meter (which is in the garage next to the garage CU) and about 500mm of flat cable down to the double rcd socket. Have spoken to my sparky and he also recommends a type C.

Thanks for the help.