A #14 copper conductor can carry at least 15 amps without overheating. every piece of wire is cut. it has at least two ends, they must connect to something to form a circuit. Overheating takes place when these connections aren't up to snuff. A socket is designed for a light bulb, not a welder. All welders should be on a dedicated circuit installed for the purpose. A cable should be run from the distribution panel to a receptacle for the welder to plug into. It should include no other breaks in the wires. All connections should be made with care to ensure that they offer no more resistance than the wire. NO CIRCUIT BREAKER MEASURING CURRENT CAN PROTECT FROM THE HEATING IN A BAD CONNECTION! There are breakers for that purpose, they include computer technology that views the shape of the sine wave of AC current. A high resistance connection will arc intermittently, causing irregularities in the sine wave. These are called Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters. They have been required for certain installations in VT since 1997. Other states followed. Enforcement is spotty, but you should have some in your home.
