power supply for 160amp

[jfg]

I bought an easiarc 165 160amp welder to do a small job that is to much for my mig.

Got the welder home and then realised i don't have a power supply in the house for it.

So now i'm looking at hiring a generator to power it. i'll be using it at close to full power for a period of no more than 20 minutes and the job will be done.

My problem is i'm getting conflicting information about the generator size needed.

Can anyone confirm what size genny i would need?

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Just put a 3 pin 13A plug on it, the biggest electrode you'll use on it realistically is 3.2mm, you'll have no problems off a domestic supply around the 130A mark

 

[dobbslc]

Getting a blue 16amp commando socket wired up would probably be cheaper than hiring a genny then you'll have a decent supply for next time.

 

[Kent]

What does it ask for on the information card? As said a 3.2 will likely run on a 13 amp plug (just have a few spare fuses). It isn't too big a job to drop a 16 amp off the box usually

 

[Richard.]

You don't need a generator to use that comfortably. It's only 160 amps so your not gonna be battering many 4mm electrodes through it before you start giving it's duty cycle a hard time.
As @Arclikeharrypotter said in post 2. A decent 13amp supply will see rutile and low hi 3.2 sticks put down at 110-130 amps without much problem.
And as in post 3 by @dobbslc
If you really want to be using it's top end it's not major to get a dedicated 16amp supply to it. A gen set will cost you more . A lot more. I don't pay much attention to the figures specifically put in machine manuals on speccing a gen size. They always seem on the low side and that can be costly to your machine. Amps (160) x ocv (50ish) then double it to allow for inrush. This will give you 16kva to use it safely at max current. Obviously we don't use it at max all the time so assume a 60% duty your still looking 10kva and still run the risk of damage if you max it out.

 

[rcx132]

My Lincoln welder came with a 13A plug to 16A plug converter! It's never blown the 13 A fuse.

 

[WorkshopChris]

A days hire of a generator capable of powering the welder may be more than the welder purchase price.

 

[brightspark]

if u have a 16 amp fuse or breaker in your distribution board run a bit of 2.5mm twin and earth out of it to a 16 amp blue socket and plug welder in. its only a temporary supply to get u away . then remove it

 

[rcx132]

if u have a 16 amp fuse or breaker in your distribution board run a bit of 2.5mm twin and earth out of it to a 16 amp blue socket and plug welder in. its only a temporary supply to get u away . then remove it

That's what I had at my last garage. Ran a 4mm cable or was it 6mm from the consumer unit to a 32 A plug. Simple. But assumes you have a consumer unit nearby.

 

[anto44]

I can run my thermal arc 175 off a 13amp plug with 3.2mm rods at 120amp with no problems. I've blown the fuse once or twice when I let the rod stick when initiating the arc but other than that its grand. To get the full power out of it i have to plug it into the 16amp plug but for pretty much everything i do 120amp covers me

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

My little miller will run 130A all day long without any issues, I can and have sat there firing electrode after electrode and not skipped a beat!