Welder/generator question

[Pair-a-dice farm]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but.....I've got a Lincoln 225 AC welder, can I run it with a 7500 watt generator? I've got a welding project that I need to do that is 1/2 mile from my shop.

 

[JMOR]

Like most things in life, it depends. Generator has 240v output? then 7500 watts would be about 30 amps, or about 3/5 of the welder's requirement at max output. So, the 'depends' is that if you operate at lower than the higher end current settings, you can probably do some welding.

 

[RodinNS]

You will for a few minutes until the welder starts getting hot and drawing hard, then it will trip the circuit breaker. That's assuming it has a 30 amp breaker. If it's anything less you're not doing anything...

Rod

 

[John T]

It depends on at what current you weld???

Not knowing that and not having the welders current draw specs, I JUST CANT SAY FER SURE.

That being said I can take some semi educated gueses, however:

Some old Lincon 225 AC Buzz Box Welders Ive owened required a 50 amp plug and receptacle and operated at 240 VAC buttttttttttt even at their highest welding current (225 amps) they drew maybe 40 some amps off the AC line. If that were the case they required 40 x 240 = 9600 watts AT THEIR INPUT for continuous duty full load output welding current.

BUTTTTTTTT if youre welding at say 150 amps and the Welder is only drawing say a guess of 30 amps on its input, thats 30 x 240 = 7200 input watts. OF COURSE theres pretty good heat loss inefficiencies in the welder between its input and output and a bunch of the in dont get transferred over to the out (lost as heat) and your genny has to produce enough for all that remember.

MY BEST GUESS IS TRY IT IT MAY WELL WORK IF YOURE NOT WELDING AT REAL HIGH CURRENT It also depends on the gennys real specs and of course the welders specs and inefficiencies and at what current you weld WELL DUH

John T

 

[Pair-a-dice farm]

Thanks, it does have a 240 output, I'm repairing a pipe fence at a cattleguard so it won't be continuous welding. I'm more concerned about damaging the welder than anything else

 

[Duner Wi]

Seems it might work from what I read here. If it were me I might bring along some 1/8" rod. I assume you normally would use 5/32" or 3/16".

 

[Larry in WNY]

The same question was posted on Lincoln's web site and they said a 15,000 watt generator is needed.

Larry
Lincoln Electric Web Site

 

[woodbutcher]

I have a Lincoln 225 that I use in similar situations with my 5500 watt generator. I have caused it to trip the breaker a time or two, but I have always been able to reset it and keep on welding. I've never tried to set the welder above 75 amps, though.
Butch

 

[Pair-a-dice farm]

Thanks for the replies, I guess I don't have anything to loose by trying.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:40:17 05/27/10) Thanks for the replies, I guess I don't have anything to loose by trying.

hat's what I would have done at 7:42AM this morning. :wink:

 

[Anonymous-0]

Read Larry's reply below. You'd be better off to rent an engine drive welder or small inverter to run off your generator. Dave

 

[MarkB_MI]

The problem is that your 7500 watt generator is really a 7500 volt-amp generator. And that rating is peak, not continuous. The inductive load of your welder is going to give the generator a hard time.

 

[buickanddeere]

I wouldn't worry about the welder, it's the generator being strained.
If it was my own applicationand if the rig had to be used extensively. A power factor correction capacitor sized for approx 10amps. This would allow higher welder current settings before tripping the generator breaker.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 23:33:11 05/27/10) I wouldn't worry about the welder, it's the generator being strained.
If it was my own applicationand if the rig had to be used extensively. A power factor correction capacitor sized for approx 10amps. This would allow higher welder current settings before tripping the generator breaker.

All you people drive me nuts! Just hook them together and try it, for God's sake! Everybody & his brother can speculate & guess forever!

 

[Chris (WA)]

Had the same need come up a while back. Couldn't rent a welder/generator when I needed it so I rented a welder AND a generator. Worked just fine. Only ran a couple short 6inch beads at 130 amps. Did a fine job. Got the busted trailer off the side of the freeway! Did a proper repair when I got ot back to the shop but that doesn't take away from that the generator plugged into the welder didn't do it's job!

 

[Pair-a-dice farm]

It worked! I wouldn't want to weld all day but it did what I wanted to do. Renting a welder was not a choice since the closest rental store is 75 miles away and then there is the rental fees/lack of funds issue :lol:
Thanks for all the replies and opinions

 

[bc]

Glad it worked. Now you can tell me and others "how" it worked. Questions such as # of amps, ac or dc, size and kind of rod, kind and thickness of metal, how long of time continuous did you weld, and how long of time overall did you weld? Thanks for providing the information.

 

[LeoinMI]

Next time you can use my portable Generator/arc welder. It works real good for heavy duty projects off site. Just kidding,..I thought I would post a picture of my portable welder that my dad built about 50 years ago. I still have it and it does work really good. I figured that not too many of you seen one like this.

 

[Pair-a-dice farm]

I was welding a pipe fence, 1 1/2" pipe that is about 1/8" thick. I used 1/8" 6011 rod and set the welder on 150 amps. I doubt that I ever welded over 30 seconds without stopping and the total job didn't take over 10 minutes. It pulled the generator down pretty good while I was welding but it kept going. I wouldn't want to do a big job like this but it worked for this one.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Thanks for letting us know how it turned out. I'm happy it worked out for you.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Glad it worked. 150 amps is pretty hot for 1/8". I'm guessing you were getting less amps than indicated on the dial and the fact the generator was getting pulled down. Hopefully no damage to either the welder or generator. Dave

 

[buickanddeere]

You are correct. Dialing up to 150 was required to compensate for low input voltage.

 

[buickanddeere]

It isn't speculation. I run a power factor correction capacitor 100% of the time on my electrical service.
Makes the difference of being able to run the well pump along with the furnace fan, fridge and two freezers.When on generator power.
Do the math with some vector diagrams and see the difference between having a PF of 0.6 vs. 0.9 .

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks Buick. I'm no electrical genious but do know a little about welding and welding machines, unlike some others that wish they did. I know exactly how you feel when you have to keep explaining the importance of a proper transfer switch for a back up generator.LoL Dave

 

[Scott Hightower]

For most projects that generator would be OK. But if you want full capacity of your 50 amp welder you need a 11,000 watt generator.

Scott
Fab Manager
http://www.welders360.com/