How thick can a 250 amp welder weld?

HughF said:

Bill, we need to see the data plate to see if this machine will be up to the job. If you're wanting to use mig for some of the heavy, multi-pass stuff that you would do in the farm repair shop (buckets, trailer repairs etc) I'd be looking to get a 400a power source with a separate feeder, cheap as chips off ebay, you can't give that old stuff away now.

If it's just gates and railing repairs or bodywork, thin stuff then the cebora will be OK but really you need something that will push 30v at 60% duty for the heavy stuff.

I assume there's 3 phase at the farm?

Much as I think employers should provide kit for people to use, I also think there is value in investing in your own stuff. Have you considered buying a mig power source yourself and using it at work?

My money would be on the 250 quid lincoln invertec v-300 that is on eBay at the moment and the sterling feeder that's 75 quid... make up a nice 10m interconnect from some sy cable and you're sorted. The invertec v-300 will also run on single phase with a jumper change. And will do stick.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from yigao.

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I have now asked for the dataplate, but suspect it may take a while to get.

Unfortunately the workshop only has single phase, and that's poor - to run the 180a oil cooled for long periods there's a bit of wire wrapped around the circuit breaker, so more than 30 ish amps is probably asking for trouble...

I would love to be able to get a monster of a 3ph unit for the almost zero price that they tend to be. I know some can be made to work on single but I can't tell what is and isn't suitable. The trouble of getting a wrong unit hardly bears thinking about.
Also paying someone to go collect such things which never tend to be local, plus messing around if there's any niggles or setting up to do makes them less cheap.

The thick bucket edges, brackets etc are probably about twice a year on average - so hardly all that important - but it would be good to blast them with a MIG quicker than stick.

As for buying it myself, I don't think so .

Everything apart from the actual welder, handheld mask and the two grinders belong to me. So that's a good helmet, squares, gloves, rod storage, clamps and more clamps plus anything else. The only person who'll really gain from a big mig is the bloke paying my wages. Not a lot of sense in me spending my wages for him to use it to save on my wages...

I have now asked for the dataplate, but suspect it may take a while to get.Unfortunately the workshop only has single phase, and that's poor - to run the 180a oil cooled for long periods there's a bit of wire wrapped around the circuit breaker, so more than 30 ish amps is probably asking for trouble...I would love to be able to get a monster of a 3ph unit for the almost zero price that they tend to be. I know some can be made to work on single but I can't tell what is and isn't suitable. The trouble of getting a wrong unit hardly bears thinking about.Also paying someone to go collect such things which never tend to be local, plus messing around if there's any niggles or setting up to do makes them less cheap.The thick bucket edges, brackets etc are probably about twice a year on average - so hardly all that important - but it would be good to blast them with a MIG quicker than stick.As for buying it myself, I don't think soEverything apart from the actual welder, handheld mask and the two grinders belong to me. So that's a good helmet, squares, gloves, rod storage, clamps and more clamps plus anything else. The only person who'll really gain from a big mig is the bloke paying my wages. Not a lot of sense in me spending my wages for him to use it to save on my wages...

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1) 120 & 220V "compact" welders sold mostly at discount stores.
- Used for welding sheet metal to about 3/16"
- Mostly used with "Flux Core" wire
- Some can be used with shielding gas (true MIG)
- Have nameplate ratings at 80% "duty cycle" or more of 190A or less.
- NOT suited for welding anything over 1/4" or "big projects", sure they can be made to work.
- Steel only on smaller units, AL ability on advanced units.
- $350 to $

2) 220V "Mid-range" MIG welders from the LWS (some carried at discount type stores)
- Used mostly for 1/8" thru 1/4" material (single pass) and up to 5/8" with multiple passes (larger units).
- MIG as-built, but can be converted to flux
- Nameplate ratings at 60% duty cycle of at least 180A (200A-250A typical)
- Suitable for light to medium production welding of material 1/2" and thinner.
- Steel only on the entry-level units unless a "spool gun" is used, more advanced units can weld steel and Al easily with a spook gun.
- $850 to $

3) 220v+ "3 phase" welders
- Used on metals from 16ga to 1"
- MIG only
- Nameplate ratings at 20% - 30% duty cycle of 250A and greater (to ~400A)
- Suitable for industrial applications and robotic welding.
- Will weld almost anything weldable with the MIG process
- $ to $10,000 and more.

I own and use a Miller brand MillerMatic 251 in MIG mode with mixed gas and 0.035" wire. I CANNOT make good quality welds on 1/16" steel, it warps too much because the minimum current is too high. I will make BEAUTIFUL welds on 3/16" to 5/16" steel with nearly 100% penitration and no beveling. Whatever you weld togather will STAY togather.

I looked for a long time at welders and really wanted to stay under $ for everything. In the end, I could not justify spending even $650 on some small welder that would not make quality welds with good voltage controls. I spent about $ in total for everything I needed on a good used MM 251 and am GLAD I got the larger unit!

There IS a noticable difference in the weld quality and arc quality of the larger "full frame" machines over the compact units.

When it comes to MIG welders, there are three "classes" of machines, I will get some discussion on the limits, but in *general*....1) 120 & 220V "compact" welders sold mostly at discount stores.- Used for welding sheet metal to about 3/16"- Mostly used with "Flux Core" wire- Some can be used with shielding gas (true MIG)- Have nameplate ratings at 80% "duty cycle" or more of 190A or less.- NOT suited for welding anything over 1/4" or "big projects", sure they can be made to work.- Steel only on smaller units, AL ability on advanced units.- $350 to $) 220V "Mid-range" MIG welders from the LWS (some carried at discount type stores)- Used mostly for 1/8" thru 1/4" material (single pass) and up to 5/8" with multiple passes (larger units).- MIG as-built, but can be converted to flux- Nameplate ratings at 60% duty cycle of at least 180A (200A-250A typical)- Suitable for light to medium production welding of material 1/2" and thinner.- Steel only on the entry-level units unless a "spool gun" is used, more advanced units can weld steel and Al easily with a spook gun.- $850 to $) 220v+ "3 phase" welders- Used on metals from 16ga to 1"- MIG only- Nameplate ratings at 20% - 30% duty cycle of 250A and greater (to ~400A)- Suitable for industrial applications and robotic welding.- Will weld almost anything weldable with the MIG process- $ to $10,000 and more.I own and use a Miller brand MillerMatic 251 in MIG mode with mixed gas and 0.035" wire. I CANNOT make good quality welds on 1/16" steel, it warps too much because the minimum current is too high. I will make BEAUTIFUL welds on 3/16" to 5/16" steel with nearly 100% penitration and no beveling. Whatever you weld togather will STAY togather.I looked for a long time at welders and really wanted to stay under $ for everything. In the end, I could not justify spending even $650 on some small welder that would not make quality welds with good voltage controls. I spent about $ in total for everything I needed on a good used MM 251 and am GLAD I got the larger unit!There IS a noticable difference in the weld quality and arc quality of the larger "full frame" machines over the compact units.

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