How many watch the duty cycle when welding

[robsd]

I really don't much. Even on low settings weld for 5 minutes, sit for 5 minutes. I don't think so. I read a while back not welding to a duty cycle will shorten the life of the welder. But probably not enough to bother a weekend guy like myself. I only weld a little bit but like last weekend I was welding up some plates to short up some weak spots on the finsh mower. Once I got all the plates sized and fitted it was not stop welding for over an hour.

On another note you see below I have a HH 140, I still find myself using the stick on things like this. IE not perfectly clean metal. The mig is still 1st choice on 16ga tubing projects.

Rob

[migwelder05]

well when i stick weld i dont because my stick is a little crappy harbor freight one

[MAC702]

I've never timed it, but there have been times that I knew I was past it!

[ArtisanFarms]

I never have, but using a 350A machine I'd have to try hard to go over the duty cycle

[Sberry]

I never pay attn to it, remember the rating is at rated output, the lower current you go the higher the cycle is.

[moya034]

Look up the manual for your welding machine. They usually have a graph in them that plots the duty cycle in relation to a given output setting.

Just because your welding machine may have thermal cut off circuitry, doesn't mean you should use it.

[Mr Meck]

Have Miller MP65E. 650 amps at 100%. What duty cycle?

[Krunch]

650 amps at 100%.

So YOU'RE the one who keeps making my lights dim!

[LNGXDRM]

I used to pay closer attention to how long I was welding so I wouldn't exceed the duty cycle... Now I think my enternal clock just tells me.

[Mr Meck]

Krunch, It ain't me. Honest. MPE 65 is 460 3phase. So if your lights are dimming it's the power companies fault. It is the other double banked 460 3 phase I air gouge with that's causing your dimming problem. I get only 600 amps at 60% with that one. Really I need a 110 to weld 12ga with...

[robsd]

Have Miller MP65E. 650 amps at 100%. What duty cycle?

Yall don't count!!!!

Yeah I usually spend a lot of time cutting, fitting, clamping, maybe tacking. But when I'm ready to make it one piece, I have a pocket full of rods and cut loose! I don't want to stop. Maybe I shortened the life from 35 to 30 years!

BTW, welding this time of year is a lot more fun!

[cope]

Yall don't count!!!!

Yeah I usually spend a lot of time cutting, fitting, clamping, maybe tacking. But when I'm ready to make it one piece, I have a pocket full of rods and cut loose! I don't want to stop. Maybe I shortened the life from 35 to 30 years!

BTW, welding this time of year is a lot more fun!

Rob, get someone to time you. I suspect you don't weld as long as you think.

[Krunch]

BTW, welding this time of year is a lot more fun!

Am I correct in believing that you can push the duty cycle a little harder when you start up with an ice-cold (barn-cold) transformer stick machine in the winter?

Seems like it would take longer for the windings to heat up ... and that they would cool off a lot faster. Then again, with that much current pumping through, they probably heat up pretty darn fast in summer or winter!

[Sberry]

It has to help. I ran my Linc ac/dc at 105 or 115 for an hour once as fast as I could stick rods in the stinger but it was 50 degrees, Hobart or Miller rates their cycles at 104 ambient I believe.

[TozziWelding]

I never had a machine I had to watch the duty cycle on