Is using an arc welder harder in the cold?

[Emo]

I fired up the welder last Sunday for a play and to build a stand for the budgie cage. I struggled to get an arc going for a while on every new rod. The rods are dry but kept in the garage where it's pretty cold.

[philhod]

The rods could still be a bit damp. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes before you use them.

[Steve F]

Pre heat them and it'll be easier to strick an Arc. I like welding in the cold, the cheapie welder runs longer and I stay cooler Normally I'll weld the easy stuff with a new cold rod and once it's warmed move on to the harder stuff then go back to the easy stuff initially with the next new rod.

Cheers
Steve

[Shadow]

I have an inverter arc welder and have yet to have any real problem getting an arc so maybe thier is some validity to thier "easy start" feature the welder is supposed to have.

A box of rods never lasts me more than a couple months though, so i never have any damp rods.

[V8Patrol]

Yep.... the cold weather makes it harder to get an arc going........


reason why .........



cause the voltage has dropped

Cold damp weather produces leaks over the powerpole insulators
+
people are using heaters etc
+
additional lighting is used on colder days
+
about a billion other things that suck up the electricty.


We used to get a huge drop in our voltage levels, usually around 4ish in the arvo, the reasons were from the usage level increases ........
Farmers cranking up their milking plants, kids getting home from skewl, industry lights being turned on, heaters being turned on etc etc

It was actually that bad that you couldnt run a 9"grinder some times, getting the mig to work was near on imposiable ( massive arc fluctuations )


Now we're on 3 phase ................



No more voltage drop




&





I can run my mig / lathe / arc welder / full lighting / along with the 9" & 4" grinders, + just about every other electrical tool in the shed, ALL @ the same time !!!! without a single drop of loss in power.

( its usually about then that the neighbor starts complaining tho )


Kingy

[Shadow]

Yep.... the cold weather makes it harder to get an arc going........


reason why .........



cause the voltage has dropped

Cold damp weather produces leaks over the powerpole insulators
+
people are using heaters etc
+
additional lighting is used on colder days
+
about a billion other things that suck up the electricty.


We used to get a huge drop in our voltage levels, usually around 4ish in the arvo, the reasons were from the usage level increases ........
Farmers cranking up their milking plants, kids getting home from skewl, industry lights being turned on, heaters being turned on etc etc

It was actually that bad that you couldnt run a 9"grinder some times, getting the mig to work was near on imposiable ( massive arc fluctuations )


Now we're on 3 phase ................



No more voltage drop




&





I can run my mig / lathe / arc welder / full lighting / along with the 9" & 4" grinders, + just about every other electrical tool in the shed, ALL @ the same time !!!! without a single drop of loss in power.

( its usually about then that the neighbor starts complaining tho )


Kingy

I dont think this is right.

Most pole transformers are variable and will maintain a constant output voltage independant of the load (until they are overloaded of course, which wont happen that often).

Within your own premesis you could notice a voltage drop if you yourself have alot of power draw running which is stressing the mains into you building, but dont think its possible for neighbours to cause a drop in your voltage.

Also 3 phase is nothing but 3 lots of the same power you used to get. the 3 phases are normally distributed evenly throughout the neighbourhood, ie, in 1 street, 5 houses on phase 1, 5 opn phase 2, 6 on phase 3.

So having 3 phase is not going to insulate you from the problems you proposed. What is more likely, is that when you had 3 phase installed, your mains were upgraded and can now handle more current. Also if your sparky was smart(i think he is required to evenly distribute power over the phases) he would have evenly distributed your personal load over the 3 phases, again reducing the likelihood of overloading any one phase.