[Webster]

Hi Guys -

I'm new to the forum and have already gained huges amounts of knowledge from everyone on here. I just picked up an older Miller 225v Thunderbolt, and I need to figure out how to wire up a plug that will work. It came with a 3 prong 240v plug. Long story short, I'm renting and don't want to try to rig a plug in the garage for the welder, I have a 5k watt generator with a L1420P female plug which is rated at 125/250v. Can I make an adapter for the two different plugs so i can hook it up to the generator? I'm looking at the plugs and the welder plug is a 3 wire set up with green, red, and black. And it looks like the plug off the generator is a 4 wire set up. Is there any way I can make an adapter to go in between the two? and if so can someone help me out (visually)? So I can start using this bad boy

Thanks

 

[Broccoli1]

Yes you can but that genset ain't gonna run that Welder.

It needs 50amps
but this i how you do what ya want

 

[DSW]

Your genset is too small to run that machine I'm afraid. If its a 5 Kw continuous genset, you may get 20 amps 230v from it. That machine will want almost 50amps @ 230v to run full output. Unfortunately the way those transformers work, you can't cut the input in half and expect to get half the output. You probably won't have enough input amps to get it to strike an arc trying to do that. It's been tried several times. You really neeed at least a 10KW cont genset to get this to work well.

Best bet, is to take a look at the thread on 220v extension cords and then plug into either the 30 amp electric dryer outlet, or the 50 amp elect stove outlet if your rental is so equiped. I ran my 230v welders that way in several places I rented. I'd just roll out the cord and work in the driveway with the unit plugged in to the basement dryer.

 

[Webster]

That's what I was thinking, unfortunately. My dad was saying that it is possible to wire it up like stated, but it would be no where near the amount of juice needed to get it to arc. thanks for the input guys, I'll go search for the thread about the extension cords and go from there.

 

[DSW]

Here you go.

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=11537&highlight=220v+extension+cord


.

 

[Webster]

Okay guys, so I built myself an extension cord I have the female adapter for my 3 prong, and now I tested my dryer plug and I found that its only a 30 amp. So i checked my range plug, and thats a 50 amp but it has a four pin female plug. Now I searched around and it looks like a nema 14-50, so my question is which plug do i need and how do I wire a 10/3 wire to the four pin? :dizzy:

 

[DSW]

Okay guys, so I built myself an extension cord I have the female adapter for my 3 prong, and now I tested my dryer plug and I found that its only a 30 amp. So i checked my range plug, and thats a 50 amp but it has a four pin female plug. Now I searched around and it looks like a nema 14-50, so my question is which plug do i need and how do I wire a 10/3 wire to the four pin? :dizzy:

Your choice on plugs. I have a short 30 amp male plug to 50amp outlet that lets me plug my 50 amp ext cord into a dryer outlet if needed. On the 4 pin, you need the 2 hots and the ground to run the welder. The (white) neutral gets ignored. If you use the 50 amp outlet you can run full power on the machine, but ranges are often a PITA to move so you can weld (especially if the wife want to cook ). The 30 amp will limit your max output, but is often easier to plug into.

 

[Broccoli1]

You'll need a 14-50p ( Plug/Male end)

X=Hot
Y=Hot
W= Neutral (but not needed in this application)
G = ground