relays in mig welder question

[chester dylan]

my mig has just stopped and tripped the 32 amp braker so iv popped the side panal of and reset the braker pulled the trigger and im getting big sparks out of the relay iv not pulled the primary winding wires out to meter them yet but im just wondering are they going to be relays desined for a welder they look like bog standard relays.
Normaly i would by corect replacements but at this time of year thats going to take a week or so so iv got some well over specked relays i could put in

 

[the snooper]

over spec is fine

 

[Spark plug]

By relay, do you mean the main contractor that switches the main supply either to or from the transformer?

If so you should be ok changing it for a suitably rated equivilant, I would try to go over the top a bit as the original is probable specifically designed to switch the high current inductive loads found in a welder.

 

[chester dylan]

thought so i think im going to sack of one of the relays which is only there for if you want to use it for mma thanks for the quick replys

 

[chester dylan]

all good only slight hitch was the 24 v relay i had on the shelf was dc not ac so had to slip a bridge rectefier in there the relay is well over spec but not as much as the bridge i will replace it at some time its to much of a waste leaving a 600 v bridge thats only working at 24 v anr the relay is rated up to 48v on the coil so there shuld be no chance the increace in voltage by recterfing will burn it out

 

[chester dylan]

just pulled apart the old relay to find out why it was tripping.
its been arking on the output side getting hot then its melted the plastic between live and nutral and then shorted out.
never seen a relay do that before may be when i rewound the transformer i didnt get all the enamal of the end of the wire before termanting it in the relay
i can see this welder ending up like triggers brush rewound transformer up rated fan and now a new relay what next