16 replies to this topic

[dhende84]

Anyone ever tried welding off a generator? If so, what size did you use?
My Mini is in a lock up so I don't have any access to mains electricity. I've got a 90 amp MIG welder and will be doing the usual Mini metal work jobs.

[Rich.]

You need to find the manual for the welders current draw, because its an inverter its not as straight as welding at 40a is using 40a of power.

You may find you struggle with a cheap genny due to how dirty the power coming from it is, which is why you can get specific welding generators with a very flat output as opposed to the huge peaks and troughs you get with the machine mart type gennys.

Rich

[dhende84]

Manual??? Sadly bought it second hand years ago with no box or manual. Its a Clarke Pro 90.
Was looking to hire a generator for weekend/week chunks rather than spend £1000 or so on a proper bit of kit, and certainly not a cheap bottom of the range job (already know that won't do)!

[jimmyH]

Have welded of a Gene, we were using a 3 phase gene though that was meant for the job. even that struggled and it was a fairly big one.

[jay whiting]

I have also welded from a geni but the one i used was a trailor mounted 27.5kva derv, enough to power a small village.

[dhende84]

Hmmm anyone in the midland need some spare electricity in the weeks leading up to Christmas?

[hutch8282]

Hi There

I have a council garage with no power in and needed to do welding but only had a generator. The generator produces 8 amps at 240 volts and was able to run my gasless mig off on the bottom two power settings and on the slowest wire feed. Don’t know what power the welder is using but it was fine for body work.

Hope this helps

Hutch

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[dhende84]

Thanks for that.I think that the ones I was looking to hire are slightly bigger than the one you used, so that is promising.

[CLM]

You know, if you are going to be renting one anyways... what about just renting a petrol powered mig welder as a unit? Then it is a given that the genny can run the welder as they would be one unit?

Chris

[dhende84]

There is that I suppose, but then its an Arc welder and I would rather MIG weld. Don't like Arc welding...

[Trials_Chizz]

Alright mate,
Not a great pro on generators but being a time served welding engineer that I know! Haha

It's fine to weld of them as we do it alot if were welding boats and jazz only thing is we have welders built onto the generators it's really the same thing though,
You just have too watch the powers as it never really comes steady!
But if you master that then you will be fine!
Best thing to do is get some 1-2mm scrap and try using your welder with the gene you have access to!

Good luck mate and I'm sure you will be alreet!
Happy welding

Edited by Trials_Chizz, 28 November 2010 - 08:33 PM.

[Darkscamp]

We used to weld on site using a Diesel generator because my bos claimed it had a steadier output. Think it was about a 6.5kva unit, but we were using pretty powerfull portable gas migs.

[craig 1010cc]

We use a 6KVA genny at the lockup to run a 130 turbo Mig (and it welds fine), tried it on a 2KVA, it wouldn't weld, just blobbed.

[minidaves]

would say you need good kva, due to the kick start a welder has, so would say 4.5kva to do the job proberly with a 90amp mig, as you want at least 50% in reserve

dave

[shed]

ive tried to weld off a generator and it wasnt capable, was a big bugger of a genny too but i cant remember the size as it was a while ago. since then ive moved from a flat and have a garden... i cant get the mini in it but at least i could weld in the garden/shed if i wanted to do bits like subframe mods (16v)