A Hose but I Would replaced the cable.
But is costly too.

Dave

 

Bout 8 or 9 hundred dollars for 200 feet of 1/0

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If you need to repair just a few small areas, Liquid Tape as shown in the link below does a good job. Using heat-shrink tubing over it can make the repair last longer, at the expense of reducing the flexibility of that area. If the entire cable is falling apart, replacing it is safer, easier and cheaper in the long run.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner...om/p/Gardner-Bender-Black-Liquid-Electrical-Tape-4-oz-LTB-400/100119178#overlay

View attachment Liquid Tape.png​

 

As stated, the only real solution is new cables, but I was caught in a similar predicament. If you are confident you are going to get the machine up and running, now's the time to make sure everything is up to snuff including new cables. Think about what you are using it for, are cables that long really necessary? When I brought my Sears buzz box home from a farm auction (one of those $40 bargains coated in pigeon droppings) one lead had definitely seen more sunlight and was in sad shape. I wasn't sure if it worked so I wrapped the cable in electrical tape to test it out. 10 years later I'm a little ashamed to admit it's still wrapped in tape which is why I say buy new while you're in there. If you do cheap out like I did, another layer of protection could be the wiring harness snake sold for automotive wiring in a variety of sizes, or the flexible protective layer sold for small hydraulic lines. Definitely not OSHA approved, but it keeps your fingers further away from the spark show if the dog pees on your lead.

 

For me, if there's a crack in your positive cable - replace it. THAT is dangerous. If you have a crack in your negative cable, that's no problem. Personally, I use 3M Super 88 electrical tape. Adhesive lined heat shrink tube works well.

Just go ahead and buy new cables, though. If you have a crack in your positive and youre standing on wet dirt, you're liable to get electrocuted. It isn't fun. Especially if you have the welder turned up.

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A good SA 200 deserves new cables.

 

What size cable do yall think? 1 gauge?

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I would go heavier 1/0 or 2/0 depending on your lengths.


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Agreed with just biting the bullet and buying new cable. You will appreciate it in the long run! I just purchased 50 feet of #2 for my Hobart welder from: https://ramweldingsupply.com/

Happy Welding!!

 

Don't forget that the old cable has good scrap value. Especially if you strip off the insulation.

 

You could use a bunch of heat shrink. Slide it over the cable and shrink it with a heat gun, it would look pretty good and get you by until you could get new cables. The professionals will probably laugh at this idea, but for the hobbyists it may work for while.

 

Heat shrink tube is not cheap either. I once had a bunch of 4/0 cable that was given to me with crumbly insulation. We pulled it through some small fire hose and used it for extension cables that just laid around on the floor. Worked real good for that. The Labor and Industries inspector was really impressed with the "protection" I put on the leads. If he saw the insulation inside, his head would have exploded. :dizzy:

 

If buy a new cable sell the old one on Craigslist.

Dave

 

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUTS! Once I get the cables 'unrolled' I'll see the actual condition. Then make decision of what to do. I'm planning on selling the welder once I get it up and going again. Only the right buyer would need that much cable. And if he needed that much cable I'm sure he would want new cable. It's way to much of a welder for me, my Lincoln 225 AC works for me. Besides I need the shop space. I remember using it as a kid around the farm, and working with Dad - so I have some good memories of it. Thanks again, Ernie

 

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUTS! Once I get the cables 'unrolled' I'll see the actual condition. Then make decision of what to do. I'm planning on selling the welder once I get it up and going again. Only the right buyer would need that much cable. And if he needed that much cable I'm sure he would want new cable. It's way to much of a welder for me, my Lincoln 225 AC works for me. Besides I need the shop space. I remember using it as a kid around the farm, and working with Dad - so I have some good memories of it. Thanks again, Ernie

For some, that would be a good enough reason to keep it. Particularly if you're keeping the farm too. I do understand the space situation; although I don't have much/enough myself, somehow I now have six arc welders (two needing cosmetic restoration), one large spot welder and a plasma cutter. View attachment beer.gif

 

You've got 150' to play with.... maybe you can come up with 2 leads of "good" cable about 25' or more long. Let the buyer get what he needs.

 

[emoji106][emoji106]That’s pretty much what I did.

The “shorter” leads were great to use as extensions (or?) for my shop welders using Tweco connectors.

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I have a couple too. , I had one I sold, I bought it as much for the 2 chunks of lead as I did the machine. I lost some in a fire and wanted a couple more 2/0 100 ft. I used them a time maybe, dont recall but the price was right for the insurance and its not over yet. I have enough to outfit everything I am using, all connected, 2 extensio0n work grounds whips/leads, 2 stingers in a Y. I dont use as much as I used to on the same job, from bench to machine to bench etc due to the fact we been using wire indoors. When it was all stick it was common, its why a common ground came to be. Multiple benches, on equipment from the same machine and moving a work ground was a problem along with moving stinger.

 

No need to post a pic, Lis collection of clamps and machines looks similar.

 

No need to post a pic, Lis collection of clamps and machines looks similar.

 

I think a decently tooled shop has a dc buzzer,,, or better and I like some lead on it. I even like some lead on some jobs on inverter, nice to be able to hop with the stinger. I have heavier service, if I was working on heavy all the time would have a machine a step up but I really like as much on common 50A as it can, just so much simpler. Its not a deal breaker to have something else but I dont care anymore, am all for easy.