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Welding off two truck batteries

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batteries flux core mobile welding spool gun
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koenbro

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I am looking at options for welding in the field (say in an off-roading setting). I plan to install a second battery on my truck, and with the dual (2x 12V ) setting, thinking of using a MIG spool gun (like those used for Alu MIG) but with flux core wire, so no gas needed. All I need is to somehow regulate the current to say, 125 Amps or whatever, and it should work, right?

This would be useful if I need to do off-grid emergency repairs. I have an onboard compressor that can drive air tools, so can cut and clean steel to prep for welding.

Any thoughts?
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Sounds like an interesting idea. If I was more electrical savvy I might be able to suggest a way to limit and control the voltage and amperage up and down. Voltage regulator ??? Resistors or other regulating components to dial the amperage up or down. Typically amperage is regulated through wire feed speed. Not sure how that is done in the machines though.
 
#3 ·
I used to carry an electrode holder and some cables so I could wire two batteries in series. That was for ARC (stick) welding - I never thought about a deluxe (FCAW) emergency setup.

Any particular reason you want the added complication of wire feed control?

I would not be at all surprised if there is an inverter FCAW that runs (briefly) from 12 or 24 volts. Or an ARC welder for that matter.

Jack
 
#7 · (Edited)
koenbro said:
I am looking at options for welding in the field (say in an off-roading setting). I plan to install a second battery on my truck, and with the dual (2x 12V ) setting, thinking of using a MIG spool gun (like those used for Alu MIG) but with flux core wire, so no gas needed. All I need is to somehow regulate the current to say, 125 Amps or whatever, and it should work, right?

This would be useful if I need to do off-grid emergency repairs. I have an onboard compressor that can drive air tools, so can cut and clean steel to prep for welding.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I picked an old Century portable mig machine out of the landfill, several years ago. It runs off of two 12 volt batteries, and lays down a very smooth bead. I'm assuming the drive motor is 12 volt, and has speed control. You can, probably, find a cheap speed control on Amazon that you can wire up to control the wire feed on the spool gun after you determine what voltage the drive motor requires. Doubt you need to control voltage.
 

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#8 ·
Wire feed welding off of two car batteries appears
to be doable. The Go-welder and the Century portable
welder both have satisfied users. Maybe an old fluxcore
welder could be hacked up to make a portable wire feeder.
Drive motor voltage may be an issue.
Seems like stick welding with two car batteries could be
frustrating because of low open circuit volts.and no current
control.
 
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#10 ·
I believe this to be correct information but I can't remember the place where I read it. During WWII many Jeeps (and probably other vehicles) had 24 volt electrical systems. There was some sort of field kit available to allow arc welding repairs to be made on the spot. Must have worked fairly well.
 
#13 ·
There is an old hippie, ran for a while a solar company in the day before grid connection. The battery of choice for off grid storage was always golf cart batteries. These are 6 volt high capacity batteries. This guy now runs around with a small pickup load of these batteries & welding leads.

It is my sense that you'd need a lot of big batteries to supply the energy need for welding. I'd think 12 healthy golf cart batteries, six in series, two parallel banks would make a nice weld. You'll need current control to weld well.

Wire feed processes need voltage control to work well whether MIG or flux core.
 
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#14 ·
Willie B said:
It is my sense that you'd need a lot of big batteries to supply the energy need for welding
Click to expand...
Yup, but at that point you, by the time you nickel-and-dime yourself to death with all those parts, might as well build a miniature "off grid" set-up to get yourself 240V/120V AC power from an DC-AC Inverter just for welding. Or a healthy sized generator and call it a day.
 
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#15 ·
Weldordie said:
I picked an old Century portable mig machine out of the landfill, several years ago. It runs off of two 12 volt batteries, and lays down a very smooth bead. I'm assuming the drive motor is 12 volt, and has speed control. You can, probably, find a cheap speed control on Amazon that you can wire up to control the wire feed on the spool gun after you determine what voltage the drive motor requires. Doubt you need to control voltage.
Click to expand...
IIRC, Snap-On peddled these units in the 80's with their brand for about 5 times Century's price. Saw one on a Cat dealer service truck, the mechanic wasn't much of a welder but liked it for fixing small stuff. The truck had a pair of 8D batteries setup for 24V jump starts or running the welder.
 
#16 ·
Oscar said:
Yup, but at that point you, by the time you nickel-and-dime yourself to death with all those parts, might as well build a miniature "off grid" set-up to get yourself 240V/120V AC power from an DC-AC Inverter just for welding. Or a healthy sized generator and call it a day.
Click to expand...
As I mentioned, I just used an electrode holder to ARC weld with two batteries. Obviously, there is not enough energy to rebuild a trailer or repair a truck frame but there was enough for quite a few spot welds to get me out of trouble.

Jack
 
#17 ·
Oscar said:
Yup, but at that point you, by the time you nickel-and-dime yourself to death with all those parts, might as well build a miniature "off grid" set-up to get yourself 240V/120V AC power from an DC-AC Inverter just for welding. Or a healthy sized generator and call it a day.
Click to expand...
Well Gee! I never said I'd do it. If I'm going to throw money away, it won't be on a boatload of batteries to weld.
 
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Discussion starter · #18 ·
Oscar said:
Generator? Problem solved. :)
Click to expand...
I do not intend to carry a generator so a full blown 120/240V welder is out for now.


Flux core with 24V should be doable unless i am missing something, and it would be the lightest, most portable solution. Wouldn’t expect a lot of welding in the field but if something breaks it’d be nice to be able to join it back together. Just a few inches of weld.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
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#19 ·
I can't believe nobody knows about premier power welders? My dad had one when we four wheeled alot, they run off of the special alternator not batteries. You can use any process and enough duty for pretty big jobs axle tubes, weld entire spring packs together crank'er up and cut tie rods off. plus the better model has an A/C inverter to make 120v. Plus the hand wound alternators are world famous alone and will be the last one you ever buy. Dads answer to all these problems was to just stop offroading and sold the Bronco.

https://premierpowerwelder.com/shop/welding-systems/premier-power-welder-ultimate-system/
 
#20 ·
BMX Welder said:
I can't believe nobody knows about premier power welders? My dad had one when we four wheeled alot, they run off of the special alternator not batteries. You can use any process and enough duty for pretty big jobs axle tubes, weld entire spring packs together crank'er up and cut tie rods off. plus the better model has an A/C inverter to make 120v. Plus the hand wound alternators are world famous alone and will be the last one you ever buy. Dads answer to all these problems was to just stop offroading and sold the Bronco.

https://premierpowerwelder.com/shop/welding-systems/premier-power-welder-ultimate-system/
Click to expand...

In my case:


Premier Power Welder, the Ultimate Under Hood Welding System
Complete systems starting at $1299.95


300A Ground Earth Clamp Stick Welder Cable For MMA ARC Welding Inverter Machine
$29.00

​
Jack

 
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