Help needed with welding

[Timmy]

Hey all
I'm after some help please guys, I've been looking for a welder, I been told I need to get one with about 150-160amp out put. I know gas shielded with rust nova makes it Easier to weld.

I have seen some on ebay but the ones above 130amps need a phase transformer block, one add said that the power ring on a house hold circuit won't supply the amps on a 240v plug.

Do better welders have this transformer built in or is it wrong. I been pulling my hair out with this could someone help please,

[chrisd1986]

Mine runs off the house mains but im not sure what ampage it kicks out but I know that the ones that machine mart sell have to be hard wired into rhe mains or ditted with a 16 amp plug

[Johnny A]

I have a 160amp welder that is a normal house plug but TBH out of 6 power settings i've never needed more than setting 4 (setting 2 for panel welding)

[Novasport]

Plug into a cooker socket if you have one, they are usually higher amperage

[Martin.p]

I know how you feel. The more you read about what's best, the harder it seems to get in picking one.
Get the best your money can afford.
I ended up getting this power craft one. Cheep make I belive. But it's gas and gassles.
And was simple to discard the small hobbie gas bottle and add a proper one.
Its 30-135Amp (1-6 power settings) I've welded thin tubing, car panels, and the spit which held the car up. And I've used probably setting 2-5 so it's worked out at being a good range IMO. I will say though, the feed speed control on this machine is only 'ok' it's very sensitive with the knob. And I find when threading new wire through the torch it sometimes gets caught just befor the exit.
but for around £130 delivered I'm happy with it.
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/martinstu/C745AC2C-ADA9-43F7-90CC-F5FE1582EED2-791-000000A70451DB81_zps99455209.jpg

[Martin.p]

Oh and it's fan cooled and a non live torch. (Things that seemed to be best to look for)

[Novasport]

Portamig, ESAB, Miller & Lincoln are some of the best welders

[dgbnova#1]

Depends whst your skills are and budget really definitely use gas not flux core for a start 130 - 160 a get yourself a bottle they are the
Size as pub bottles and get Argo shield if ure new to welding. You can use co2 it's cheaper but Argo is better on rusty buckets.
I had a cebora 130 for years ran it off house mains for the whole time I had it and welded cars to 5mm plate no problem

[w88rdy]

House mains is fine, what you need is a dedicated 16a blue plug point if you are going to get one of the 16a welders, plugging it into a cooker socket at 32a which is rated the same as most domestic house sockets will do naff all different when the welder plug has a 13a fuse installed , you can plug it wherever you like but it won't change that lol

back to welders themselves a 13a plug in Jonnie will do and saves bang on with the cebora 130s there good welders

[Benn]

Mines meant to be on a bigger socket, but everyone i've seen runs them on a 13amp.
I've been using mine over a year on a 13amp and it's been fine. I have a clarks 151turbo. From machine mart.

[Timmy]

Thanks for the help if I get one that's 130amp and run a 13a house hold plug that should be enought to stitch weld my engine bay seams and weld in a plate kit,.?

[dan23]

gasless is ****e
you need one that uses gas a 130 amp welder will be fine just get a 130 amp (or above if your welding over 5 mm plate) that's uses a standard 240 volt 13 amp 3 pin plug
quite a few in machine mart probably heaps more out there if you know where to look
also get a welding screen that you wear on your head you need to use 2 hands on the torch you cant do this if you have a hand held screen that useally come with the welder (auto darkening screens makes thing 10 times easier)

[Benn]

Thanks for the help if I get one that's 130amp and run a 13a house hold plug that should be enought to stitch weld my engine bay seams and weld in a plate kit,.?

Just try and plug it direct in to a socket, as a rolled up extension lead can get hot.