Problems With Lincoln 175 Run Off of Generator

[ANDY P.]

Hello,

I recently bought a new Linclon 175 HD. I don't have a 220v circuit at home and am moving from Buffalo to Indianapolis in a few months, so I don't want to put one in either. So, to solve my dilema, I bought a slightly used Craftsman 5600 watt (6200 watt surge) generator and built an adaptor cord for the 4 prong twist lock. The welder works, but does some funny things, even on lower settings. So far all I have run is .035 Lincoln innershield. It seems like the arc will get choppy from time to time and will do it it a seemingly repetitious fashion. Bead will run good, gets choppy, runs good get choppy... I think I also can hear a change in the generator's motor sound that seems to follow this pattern. Funny thing though, I can run my 225 amp tombstone on the generator and it runs really good up to about 115-130 amps where it kicks the breaker off. So I suppose my question is, does this sound familiar to anybody? I'm rather new to mig welding and thought I have my settings ok, but maybe not. Also, if it is the generator setup that is the cause, could this be damaging to the welder? I don't quite understand how the tomstone runs so smoothly and the mig doesn't and if the mig is pulling too much juice, how come it doesn't trip the breaker? So, does anybody have any possible suggestions or ideas? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks- Andy

[bhoward]

Some welders will not work properly from a cheap generator. The AC sine wave is not good enough for the welder to control properly. Lincoln puts a warning in some of their manuals that they will not work from a generator.

Brian

[Zrexxer]

I run a Lincoln 175 from a 5000W generator all the time, and never had a problem. The problem here is you have two variables - you have a welder that's never been tested on line power, and you have a used generator with an unknown history. So... you have to approach the diagnostics logically. Since the generator seems to power the transformer welder adequately up to a point, the first step would be to find out if the welder operates properly. You really need to find someone that has 220V single phase wall power and test the 175. Oh, and make sure you wired the adapter correctly... 2 hots and a ground, no neutral in the circuit.

[ANDY P.]

Thank you for the replies- I'm pretty sure the cord is put together right, I double checked which was ground on the generator with a multi-meter and believe I have the two hots correct as well (wired directly to the two on the 3 prong). Am I correct that it doesn't matter which hot goes to which as long as it is hot to hot? I suppose now I need to find someone with a 220 circuit. That is going to be tricky... What brand is the 5000W generator?

This welder was mail ordered and the regulator was crushed during shipping and it gouged up the front label on the welder in the process, but I don't think that anything internal was damaged. I'm hoping not anyway, already going through the hassle of getting the regulator taken care of. I figure the welder would either work or not work if that was the case, but I'm not an electrician.

[ANDY P.]

I emailed Lincoln and they said that the wleder only draws 20 amps and that a minimum of a 4000 watt generator could be used and neither the welder nor generator would be damaged from such use.

[Zrexxer]

Am I correct that it doesn't matter which hot goes to which as long as it is hot to hot? I suppose now I need to find someone with a 220 circuit. That is going to be tricky... What brand is the 5000W generator?

For a single phase AC circuit, yep, hot's hot, ones the same as the other.

My generator is a Honda EG5000. Of course, now that I have the Bobcat with 8000 watts of auxiliary power, the Honda's kind of moot except for portability.

[ANDY P.]

Well I'm embarrassed to report it, but maybe it'll help another new guy out... I decided that since it was official that the setup would pose no damage to my equipment, I decided to give it another go. Upon watching the weld puddle, I could see that the arc would intermittently travel up the wire as if the wire speed was inconsistent or something of the sort. Sure enough, I opened up my mask, took the gun from the work piece, pulled the trigger, watched the wire and noticed that it would feed, then heistate, feed, hesitate.... I opened up the side of the welder, tightened the rollers and gave the burn another shot. Best welds that ever came from this hand followed shortly thereafter... What can I say, I'm a machinist trying to be a welder...

[Roger]

High wire reel drag setting will contribute to about same problem.

[tonyrico]

Mig running on a generator

Disclaimer - I'm new to MIG welding.

I am really glad you posted this question. I have a Generac WheelHorse 8500 surge/5500 run generator powered by a Briggs motor. It provides 120/240. I want to purchase an HH210 but the power requirements it has listed vs the power the gen provides are so close that I figured that maybe I am pushing the envelope.
After reading the replies I will reconsider.
In the brochures, when a welder has a stated input amperage requirement, is that number what the machine requires just to weld, or for it to weld at rated output or at wide open? Also does that input amperage stated on the brochures take into account any intital surge the welder demands, or is that factored in.

Basically what I'm asking is when a welding machine has a listed input amperage requirement on the label is that the maximum it will ever demand
Thanks

[Zrexxer]

when a welder has a stated input amperage requirement, is that number what the machine requires just to weld, or for it to weld at rated output or at wide open?

At rated output.

[84ZMike]

Tony you shouldn't have any problems as I ran my HH210 on a 5500 running watt gen set with no issues at all.

[ANDY P.]

This weekend I had the Lincoln 175 cranked to it's highest setting welding some 1/4 plate with the .035 inner shield and it was welding smooth as butter. The generator bogs down a little, but it never made a difference in the weld.