welding cable size.

[bobwills]

Ok so i know that this question has been asked before and i know there is those charts out there that tells you the guage that you need. But ok. If i was to buy 100 ft of cable for a welder what would you say would be the size i need. Ok so theres a chart that says you need #2 if you have 100 ft at 200 amp or you can use #4 at 100ft but 150 amps. I will use the dinse conectors so i can use what comes with the powerarc 200 either with the extentions or without. So what im asking is would #4 be good enough if I stay under 150 amps even with the 15 ft of maybe #6 or whatever comes with the powerarc 200. Usually i will be around 120 or so. But im also wondering if the recomended size is a bit of an overkill and can handle over the recomended amount of amps that it says or what.

[Tritium]

Always better to oversize than undersize. Cable size also depends on duty cycle. For example If you have a 200 A welder at 100 percent duty cycle then I would size my cables for 200A at 100% duty cycle also.

Thurmond

[I_Love_Plasma]

I know you mean the actual output cables.. but.

The power arc 200 power consumption at peak is (40A @ 220V). If you get a flexible drop power cable for it it will be cheap it looks like. This way your unit is real close to you. (240v ends and plugs are like 3-20 bucks a piece not a big deal in price there. Depending if you use the crow's foot one or 4 blade. Check around.)
6ga http://www.wireandsupply.com/product_p/so-0604-01.htm $325.00 per 100 feet.
8ga http://www.wireandsupply.com/Product...03-01&CartID=1 $300.00 per 100 feet.

1ga http://www.wireandsupply.com/WELDING...p/wc-1g-01.htm $195.00 per 100 feet x 2 cables + & - =390
2ga http://www.wireandsupply.com/WELDING...p/wc-2g-01.htm $185.00 per 100 feet x 2 cables + & - =370

[bobwills]

Ok but look at this chart. From what it says is if i stay under 150 amps then I can go 100 ft. now it will end up going about 125 ft but it says that " In actual service, the load factor may be much higher than indicated without overheating the cable as the ambient temperature will generally be substantially lower than 104 degrees" So what its saying is I would be fine under the 150 because really I dont weld over 120 so that should be fine. And if I need the more amps then I Can use the just cables that came with it. Does that sound about right

http://www.pacificcabling.com/Specia...rage_chart.htm

[I_Love_Plasma]

Yes you could do it that way.. Not anything against your idea but it's kind of a "bailing wire and duct tape" route as Dad would say. He would give you almost word for word what Thurmond put. How much more is the next gauge number down?

I feel your wallet fire's heat clear over here. I'm a penny pincher when it comes to most everything, Except electrical.

Try it, the worst that can happen is you may have to keep a close feel on the cables and let them cool. If it's warm you're not damaging them. If it's just barely too hot to touch you're causing the insulation to have a shorter life and it will crack way sooner.

Hope this helps,
ILP

[bobwills]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. For #4 gauge I can get 100ft for $115 on ebay. For #2 gauge 50ft from home depot for $100 and 100ft for about 190 but i found 100 feet also on ebay for $165. That last one on ebay seems like a good deal. Bout the best i could find

[MigPlazArc]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. For #4 gauge I can get 100ft for $115 on ebay. For #2 gauge 50ft from home depot for $100 and 100ft for about 190 but i found 100 feet also on ebay for $165. That last one on ebay seems like a good deal. Bout the best i could find

Probably will work, but make sure they are new or not used much...And they have a picture of them that looks right. don't want to pay $165 for cables then show up not what you expected. That is off ebay.

And as long as the big wire is from the welder to the small stuff at the gun it should be fine... But like ILP said, check the cables to make sure they aren't heating up.

[bobwills]

Yeah ill either do that or i seen another set of #2 gauge and they were just $50 more so might go with that. Not sure yet. But im sure the size is an overkill so i prolly would be just fine with #4

[MigPlazArc]

Yeah ill either do that or i seen another set of #2 gauge and they were just $50 more so might go with that. Not sure yet. But im sure the size is an overkill so i prolly would be just fine with #4

Yeah probably, But you'd hate to buy $165 cables then have to buy another set for like $215.

[bobwills]

Well i seen a set or 4 gauge for $115 and set or #2 gauge for like $164 and both say new. Im thinking to just go ahead with the #2 gauge. Worth the extra money im sure. Prolly never regreat it im sure. Then dont have to worry about ever overheating them.

[MigPlazArc]

Well i seen a set or 4 gauge for $115 and set or #2 gauge for like $164 and both say new. Im thinking to just go ahead with the #2 gauge. Worth the extra money im sure. Prolly never regreat it im sure. Then dont have to worry about ever overheating them.

Yeah. Bigger the better...Normally

[bobwills]

Thats what im thinking. And since i found a good deal like that ill prolly go with the #2.