Want to wire for a Lincoln 225 amp welder:

[Marine5068]

I have a 200amp main service panel in the house and want to run a 20-30 ft wire from the spare breakers to a welding plug for a Lincoln 225 TIG/Stick welder.
What size wire do I need and what breaker size should I use? 8 AWG and 50amp?
Any help thanks.
~Stan

[awright]

The manual for the machine will tell you the recommended wire size for various length of run and the recommended breaker rating. Lincoln (and Miller) provides manuals on their website for downloading. You really should have the manual for your welder on hand anyway. www.lincolnelectric.com. Click on products, then operator manuals. Have the code number of your machine on hand.

awright

[Marine5068]

No manual. It's a very old machine.
I'll look for a model number on the machine and try to find a manual on-line.

[tkanzler]

Look for a plate with line voltage and amperage, and if possible, the lowest duty-cycle. You can use the duty cycle and rated current to 'undersize' the branch circuit conductors, but you don't have to. But you should at least have the rated current from the nameplate to size the branch circuit conductors.

Of course, if it does have a nameplate, it should have the model number on it somewhere, and a call to Lincoln will enable them to fill in the blanks for you, and probably source a manual for the machine, too.

[joiseystud]

What type of plug does it have? Can you identify it from this photo?

http://www.nooutage.com/images/nema-config-1ph-250v.gif

[Marine5068]

Thanks Aw & TK. Some good advice to look for.
Thanks for the chart too Joisey.
I'll check it all out and post my results.
Just hope the feed wire isn't too too much money.
I'd like to set up the welder finally.
Thanks again guys.
~Stan

[MAC702]

50A 2-pole 240V breaker and minimum #12 wire. The smaller wire is perfectly fine because this machine has a 20% duty cycle. There are thousands of these installations all across the country.

Many opt for larger wire, but that is completely up to you. You need three wires: two hots and a ground. If you use NM cable (Romex) that would be 12/2, 10/2, or 8/2, etc, as they don't count the uninsulated ground in the wire count for the cable.

If it has the standard welder plug (as it did when it was new) you will need a NEMA 6-50R receptacle.

I do this for a living.

[joiseystud]

you cant run 50A on #12 wire legally per NEC. You need #8 for copper wire if your circuit protection is 50A.

[Sandy]

There's a derating factor allowable for circuits which feed only welding equipment. The derating (downsizing of the wire) is based on the duty cycle of a particular piece of equipment or model.

[joiseystud]

Sandy, can you give me the code reference for that so I can read up?

[tkanzler]

Sandy, can you give me the code reference for that so I can read up?

NEC Art. 630, specifically 630.11(A) for individual welders, used with Table 630.11(A) which is the circuit uprating multipliers based on welder duty-cycle.

[joiseystud]

thanks for the info. My suggestion is unless this is being hardwired that the normal sizing practice be used. Its just easy to think that some day someone might mistake that ckt for a 50A ckt and overload it with something else. Also i think if you ever see the chance that you would use plasma on that ckt the derating goes out the window. I will set mine up with two receptacles on 1 ckt with both plasma and welder connected this way i can cut for however long I want then go right to welding withing taking the time to let the wires cool.

[Brownie]

I wonder if anyone can help here. Im new to welding , i have a lincoln 225 stick welder. I have installed a 50 amp breaker in the fuse panel, i have 200 amp service in the garage where the welder is located, and i have run 10/2 wire from the panel. The penetration into the metal is not as good as it should be......Have i missed anything?

[DSW]

Brownie check to see what the voltage is at the panel and at the plug between the two hot leads. It should be the same at both and about 230v give or take about 10 volts. Since it sounds like the machine welds, I'd guess the voltage is good and your input is not the issue here. Usually if you have the machine wired wrong it simply will not work.

My guess is that your issue is with something else, like your technique or your rod choice. If this is the case you'd be best off starting a new thread to ask questions rather than using this one. Post up as much info as possible so we can help. Amps you have the machine set at, Ac, Dc+ or Dc-, Rod being used and size, material thickness, rod angle, arc length, travel speed ( how much weld you got out of one rod is a good idea of speed) and so on... the more info you give the better we can help. Also don't forget to post picts so we can see the issue you are having. "lack of penetration" doesn't mean much in itself, but that with a few picts can explain a lot more.

I can think of any number of common newbie mistakes with stick that would cause your issue of "lack of penetration". With the info above we can help get you going in the right direction.

Good luck.

[Brownie]

I went to home depot to talk to someone about this. I think ive solved the problem. I switched to 8/2 wire with a 50amp breaker for the panel.... He seems to think the way i had it before, not enough current was getting through to the welder, therefore thats the reason i was only getting sparks and a bit of surface weld, but not anything that would actually hold as a proper weld . Thanks for your reply, and ill keep you posted!!!

Cheers,

Brownie

[Groo]

is that 30' before or after all the twists and turns?

6 gauge would be the best, but you could probably squeak by with 8.

don't forget to put it in conduit if it is not in the studs.

[Brownie]

Im confused here..... Ive got everything wired ok here i think....
Ive got 8 guage wire, red and black wires to the plug, ground as well. White wire taped off.
To the panel,
I have double pole 50 amp breaker , incoming the panel says 200, ( i assume its 200 amp) The red and black wires from the plug are attached. Ground to the panel bar , white as well.
Ive checked the plug , there is power to it, yet the welder will not turn on. At first i thought it was the welder ( Lincoln ac225) but after trying it out at work, it works fine.....cant seem to figure out why it wont work at home.......Anybody???

[CosmicRambler]

Try spreading or pinching the pins on the plug. Not making good contact inside the power receptacle. Common problem, cheap Chinese junk, more so. Usually get it with 115 VAC but is possible with 220 VAC.

About all it can be if you have proper power at the receptacle and welder works at a different source.

[Brownie]

Ill give it a shot....hope it works.... very frustrating ! haha. thanks for the reply, ill keep you posted...Cheers!

[mechanic416]

The Lincoln AC225 calls for a minimum 40amp circuit ( chart is for copper wire )

Rated Ampacity Wire Gauge
10 Amps 18 Gauge
13 Amps 16 Gauge
15 Amps 14 Gauge
20 Amps 12 Gauge
30 Amps 10 Gauge
45 Amps 8 Gauge
60 Amps 6 Gauge
80 Amps 4 Gauge
100 Amps 2 Gauge
150 Amps 1/0 Gauge
200 Amps 2/0 Gauge

[bigb]

Im confused here..... Ive got everything wired ok here i think....
Ive got 8 guage wire, red and black wires to the plug, ground as well. White wire taped off.
To the panel,
I have double pole 50 amp breaker , incoming the panel says 200, ( i assume its 200 amp) The red and black wires from the plug are attached. Ground to the panel bar , white as well.
Ive checked the plug , there is power to it, yet the welder will not turn on. At first i thought it was the welder ( Lincoln ac225) but after trying it out at work, it works fine.....cant seem to figure out why it wont work at home.......Anybody???

What brand is your electric panel and is your two pole breaker one inch wide or two inches wide?

[Brownie]

By the chart you sent, i think the wire is correct, i have a 50 amp breaker, bought at home depot, a stablock panel .....breaker is double pole, total width is about an inch.

[bigb]

By the chart you sent, i think the wire is correct, i have a 50 amp breaker, bought at home depot, a stablock panel .....breaker is double pole, total width is about an inch.

You will notice in your Stab-Lok panel the buss is made up of one inch squares separated by plastic dividers. You must put the two pole breaker in so it straddles one of the plastic dividers, so half of it is in one square and half in another, or you will not get 240 volts. In other words, move it up or down 1/2 space.

[Brownie]

I think thats what the problem is.....( or at least i hope so ) haha.
I will try that . It does make total sense!!! . Ill keep you posted
Thanks a lot boss