Struck lucky ('scuse the pun)

[Feet 'n Inches]

After many searches of eBay, local newspapers etc. etc., I have come upon my crock of gold. A chance bit of conversation with a colleague who lives around 10 minutes from my place of work revealed that he had a single-phase Oxford oil-cooled welder he no longer uses or wants. Having rendered first aid to the hand I bit off, I trundled over to his place, loaded into my car and bought it home. It was a bit late too have a play with it this evening, but the weekend looks promising for a try out.

Cables are a bit on the short side and are in need of renewal, but until I can pick up some new, they will suffice. Which leads me to a question... I was very used to the 3 phase big brothers of the Oxford, plants capable of running 6 gauge (5mm?) gouging rods virtually all day long, with cable lengths perhaps 30 odd feet. The little unit I have acquired will deliver 110 Amps at 50 Volts - what would be the maximum length of cable I could use before suffering any power loss? I'm hoping that I can use around 20 feet which should enable me to work both from my workshop as well as outside should the need arise.

 

[Welderpaul]

Wouldnt have thought 20' would be a problem. Probably don't need to say this, but make sure you use dinse plugs/crimps for connections and that they are well made. POwer loss tends to come from bad/damaged connections/repairs on the cables rather than the length. Someone else will come along shortly and tell you the best size (csa) cable to use!
Well done on your find!

 

[patreusch]

im not 100 percent but i think a 4 gauge would work

 

[Debs.]

What a great result; `just hope you didn`t do yourself an 'unecessary' when relocating it home....they`re such big heavy lumps!

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

just hope you didn`t do yourself an 'unecessary' when relocating it home

... I'm a bit too old and wise for that. A neighbour's help, plus a sack truck made short work of relocating it.

Thanks for the info, Paul, it's been a while since I did cable replacements. Had a nose on eBay for cables today - it looks like either 16mm or 25 mm squared should do the trick.

 

[asmeix6g]

if i was you get an earth as long as you think is needed in 25mm, then get the same for your + lead but have a female dinse plug on the end then get a 2m whip with the tongues on the end in 16mm. that way you can have good quality leads with a nice light whip for the tongues its much easier for working with

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

Thought I'd add a pic of the Oxford and the buzz box I'd been using previously. The observant will notice 1/2 inch holes in the casing of the buzz box - a bit more airflow reduced cut-outs through thermal overload - I was able to lay down more than 2 inches of weld without enforced 5 minute rests.

The headshield is the one I had when I was in the trade, as are the rack clamps (the lower one with two weld repairs... Stubb's 65s I think I used). The V block (one of two) I cut from some 1 1/4 inch steel - ideal for marking out pipework.

At the moment, everything is in what will be my new workshop- currently little more than a storeroom.

 

[clem dog]

Hows about making a small trolley for the welder that way it would be mobile and you would have no needs for long leads.

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

Hows about making a small trolley for the welder that way it would be mobile and you would have no needs for long leads.

It's already in one - the trolley's handle is what the cables are wrapped around... two fixed and two floating castors... nice and easy to move. The cables are just the right length for working outside without having to move the welder... until I get the workshop tidied up, that's about the only safe place to be.

 

[clem dog]

I see it in the pic now. It is nice to have long leads at time but at other times they can end up a nuisance.

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

There's also an old, battered short set with one of the old-style crocodile rod-holders that came with the welder... best of both worlds.