Welder Extension Cord
Ive been looking to make a 50ft 230v extension cord for my MIG machine but after pricing 8-3 rubber cord I realized it cost over $17 a meter (over $5 a foot). This seems unbelievably expensive considering 50ft is going to run me about $300 once everything is considered. This cant be right because ive seen 50ft welder extension cable online for half that cost, but Id like to make my own because I can't find a store close to home. Any advice would be great. Thanks What is the input power requirement for the MIG? The cost of copper is WAY up these days - some incidents of robbers holding construction workers at gunpoint while they make off with copper tubing and wiring. A 30-amp, single-phase, 220 volt device, such as a clothes dryer can be run from 10-3 with ground. Welding lead cable is not the same as power cable and one should not be substituted for the other. Arc welding cable typically carries no more than 80-90 volts at high amperage. The insulation on it is consistent with that voltage level. There would be safety issues when the voltage is nearly triple the design point. I dont know if this explains much but the welder i am using is a MIG-PAK 15 230v single phase requiring at least 22 amps. It has a maximum output of 33 volts and the amperage range is 30-175 amps. If I missed any info you need im sure i can get it for you. Will 50' of 10-3 be enough or will it limit the capabilty of the machine? If it will that would be a huge relief since I believe 10-3 is much cheaper. Thx If it will run a dryer circuit, it should be able to handle up to 30 amps at 220 volts single phase AC. Most 10 guage copper is solid wire, not intended to be flexed and certainly the insulation is not intended to be dragged or moved around. You probably already have a welder receptacle. Got a 220 volt 30 amp circuit breaker pair? Originally Posted by thePlumber I dont know if this explains much but the welder i am using is a MIG-PAK 15 230v single phase requiring at least 22 amps. It has a maximum output of 33 volts and the amperage range is 30-175 amps. If I missed any info you need im sure i can get it for you. Will 50' of 10-3 be enough or will it limit the capabilty of the machine? If it will that would be a huge relief since I believe 10-3 is much cheaper. Thx Do yo speak of 10-3 NM cable? If so, NM is not acceptable as an extension cord. If not, what type of cable are you refferring to? Im talking about SOW Rubber cord, I dont have a welder receptacle I was planing on making an adapter for a dryer recept. Would 50ft of 10-3 SOW handle the load of a 30a welder or will I need 8-3? Im not really concerned with ruggedness, just load and the distance (50ft or 17m). I assume if you need an adapter to plug your welder into a 30 amp plug in that you have a typical 50 amp welder. IMO you shouldn't run it on either 10-3 or a dryer outlet. Why not install a 50 amp circuit in the area you plan to use the welder? It isn't all that difficult to add the proper circuit, especially once you have figured out how/where to run the wire. The welder is 30a not 50a, sorry for the mix up. I am looking to make an extension cord for my 30a 230v MIG machine and have been getting conflicting advice. It needs to be 50ft or 16m long and I hope to plug it into my dryer receptacle (230v, 30a plug, 40a breaker). I have been told by some that I need 8-3 SOW extension cord and by others that claim to have tried this say I can use 10-3 SOW. Which is correct? 8-3 SOW will run me about $17 a metre (depressing) and obviously if I can get away with 10-3 I would much rather do that. Here are the MIG machine specs straight from the manual if it helps INPUT - Single Phase Only Volts/Freq: 230v/60hz Input Current: 20a - rated output Rated Output (230v Input) Duty Cycle: 30% Amps: 130 Volts: 20 Output Range Welding Current Range: Dc output - 30 -175 amps Maximum Open Circuit Voltage: 33 Recommended Input Cable Fuse Sizes at Rated Output Fuse Size: 40a Input Amps: 20 Power cord: 50a, 250v three prong plug (NEMA type 6-50P) Input Supply Conductor: (Copper, type 75*C wire in conduit) 8 AWG Ground Wire Conductor: (Copper, type 75*C wire in conduit) 10 AWG also if it helps the machine came from the factory with a 12-3, 8ft power cord installed just found this posted in another forum: Author: MAC702 WeldingWeb Foreman 99 is correct: Lincoln's manual does indeed say to use #8. Yet, the Miller manual for the SAME CLASS machine says #14!! Now, as an experienced industrial/commercial/residential electrician I can see that Lincoln is going WAY overkill by assuming a 50A circuit at 100% duty cycle, which the NEMA 6-50 hardware is capable of. The machine itself can be powered by #14 up to 67 feet, like the Miller manual recommends. The Miller manual is using the derating factors available to welding machines. The Lincoln manual is using the maximum ampacity of the plug. They went completely different directions from normal 30A residential circuitry. I've always hated the lack of information provided by owners' manuals in this area, but this was especially weird. So, in short, #14 will work up to 67 feet to meet minimum NEC Codes that apply to welding machines. #10 will meet ampacity requirements of a 100% duty cycle machine, something to which your machine could never come close. #12 is where I make a compromise as it provides more than the minimum and at GREAT cost savings over #10. The only excuse for a #8 recommendation is CYA. Now, the wiring in the wall I would make #10, as the cost savings here are not nearly so great as they are with extension cords, and you never have to deal with the extra weight, size, and coiling resistance anyway. hope this helps the next guy Originally Posted by thePlumber Im talking about SOW Rubber cord, I dont have a welder receptacle I was planing on making an adapter for a dryer recept. Would 50ft of 10-3 SOW handle the load of a 30a welder or will I need 8-3? Im not really concerned with ruggedness, just load and the distance (50ft or 17m). The posts that followed mine explained things quite well. One thing. You can use s J ow cord as well. The J means it is rated for 300 volts instead of the 600 of s O cord. SJ should be a little less expensive than SO cord. Thanks nap i'll keep my eyes out for the 300v sjow cord. I think im finally on the right track! lol
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