Welder used as generator for house power

[Buck Parrish]

I have a customer that wants to use his welder to power his house during utilities power outages.
Have you ever heard of doing this ? Will it work correctly ? Will it burn up computer boards on appliances ?

 

[winnie]

Welder? No.

But many engine powered welders are specifically designed as dual purpose welder or generators.

Never used one. But if the manufacturer specs check out this is plausible.

-Jon

 

[Buck Parrish]

Thanks

 

[WasGSOHM]

The source impedance for the average outlet is 1/2 ohm, meaning you can pull 240A for a while before the breaker trips.
One welder I saw had a source impedance of one ohm.
Sounds iffy, though.

He could try it on a 2 ohm, 60 A load (if he can find one) but I'd watch from another room.

 

[ptonsparky]

There are a lot of welders that ride around on the back of farmers trucks that are dual duty and will easily run a house. Depends on what he has.

 

[zbang]

It does depend.... I recall some of the older truck-mounted Lincolns did have a convenience outlet, but it was 110v DC.

 

[synchro]

Miller Bobcats are pretty common and current models have a 9500W 120/240V output:

https://www.millerwelds.com/-/media/miller-electric/imported-mam-assets/spec-sheets/b/6/2/ed441-bobcat-225--english.pdf

 

[OldSparks]

There are MANY welder/generators on the market (and on the street). I have one with a 10KW A/C rating with either single phase 120/240V or 3-phase 480V outputs. Very useful machine. 20HP twin cylinder Honda powers it.

 

[Hv&Lv]

We did it for years and never had a problem.
It was an old Lincoln

Used it to crank cranes also.

 

[WasGSOHM]

There are MANY welder/generators on the market (and on the street). I have one with a 10KW A/C rating with either single phase 120/240V or 3-phase 480V outputs. Very useful machine. 20HP twin cylinder Honda powers it.

20 hp = 15 kw.
100 x (10 kw/15 kw) = 67%, very good efficiency.
Too good. . .?
But I don't doubt it works well.

 

[Eddie702]

I had an 18hp Miller Legend welder that put out 5kw had 120v and 240 volt receptacles like any other generator

 

[WasGSOHM]

I had an 18hp Miller Legend welder that put out 5kw had 120v and 240 volt receptacles like any other generator

13w in, and 5 kw out, of generator that's probably 95% efficient?

And I bought a jump starter/tire inflator at a large popular store. It sort of worked a few weeks.
A discharge test showed that the "9 AH" battery came in at 2 AH.
Then I found out that quality jump starters cost 10x what I paid.

FTC, where are you?

 

[Todd0x1]

13w in, and 5 kw out, of generator that's probably 95% efficient?

And I bought a jump starter/tire inflator at a large popular store. It sort of worked a few weeks.
A discharge test showed that the "9 AH" battery came in at 2 AH.
Then I found out that quality jump starters cost 10x what I paid.

FTC, where are you?

Not to say the battery in the cheap jumpstarter is any good, but SLA battery listed capacity is based on a 20 hour discharge rate. At high rates of discharge the capacity is substantially less. For example on the 9ah battery listed below which is from a reputable manufacturer, the capacity at a 27 amp discharge rate is 3.6ah, and will obviously nosedive at event greater discharge currents.

9ah battery datasheet

https://www.mkbattery.com/application/files/6915/7375/4398/ES9-12.pdf

I got tired of messing with jump starters, have noticed that 99% of dead batteries happen at my shop so I just leave a group 31 truck battery on a hand truck with a pair of jumper cables.

 

[kwired]

I got tired of messing with jump starters, have noticed that 99% of dead batteries happen at my shop so I just leave a group 31 truck battery on a hand truck with a pair of jumper cables.

Most them likely only good for passenger cars and light trucks, maybe lawn and garden or other small engine equipment. If you have fleet of HD trucks you maybe better off having higher amp connectors installed on the vehicles and "jumper cables" with matching connectors on it. Maybe an occasional set with the connector on one end and conventional jumper cable clamp on the other for boosting anything not fitted with these connectors (or other people's vehicles/equipment from time to time)

 

[Todd0x1]

Most them likely only good for passenger cars and light trucks, maybe lawn and garden or other small engine equipment. If you have fleet of HD trucks you maybe better off having higher amp connectors installed on the vehicles and "jumper cables" with matching connectors on it. Maybe an occasional set with the connector on one end and conventional jumper cable clamp on the other for boosting anything not fitted with these connectors (or other people's vehicles/equipment from time to time)

Funny you should suggest that. I have long planned to put Anderson SB series connectors on all my vehicles, and make up jumper cables with the connector, and also have a couple inverters, and some other things with the same connector. It's on my to do list but who knows when i'll actually get it done.

 

[kwired]

Funny you should suggest that. I have long planned to put Anderson SB series connectors on all my vehicles, and make up jumper cables with the connector, and also have a couple inverters, and some other things with the same connector. It's on my to do list but who knows when i'll actually get it done.

I'm certain I have seen that a time or two.

Definitely in the military, but they had a connector I have never seen anywhere else, and generally pretty heavy cable when dealing with armored and tracked vehicles. But same connector was on 1/4 ton (jeeps) and 2.5 ton trucks also. They all had 24 volt systems also.

 

[Hv&Lv]

I'm certain I have seen that a time or two.

Definitely in the military, but they had a connector I have never seen anywhere else, and generally pretty heavy cable when dealing with armored and tracked vehicles. But same connector was on 1/4 ton (jeeps) and 2.5 ton trucks also. They all had 24 volt systems also.

Our big trucks have them, and the mechanics truck has the connectors mounted on the truck with jumper cables on the other end for the pickups. They work very well.

 

[paulengr]

Look at say a 10-20 kw Honda or General. Now look at a welder, maybe a nice Bobcat if you use one a lot with a 10-20 kw generator. Basically you are paying for a generator and you get the welder for free.

MANY industrial plants do this. The economics on small portable generators is totally upside down especially because there are so many nice, clean used ones on the market. Just ask around at a couple local welding supply shops and they will fix you up even if you never weld.

 

[retirede]

Look at say a 10-20 kw Honda or General. Now look at a welder, maybe a nice Bobcat if you use one a lot with a 10-20 kw generator. Basically you are paying for a generator and you get the welder for free.

MANY industrial plants do this. The economics on small portable generators is totally upside down especially because there are so many nice, clean used ones on the market. Just ask around at a couple local welding supply shops and they will fix you up even if you never weld.

We had a big storm here about 5 years ago. Some parts without power for 3-4 days. All of the big box plus HF sold out of gennys.

Once power was restored, a bunch of people tried to return them. In spite of the fact that they had been run. Returns were not accepted.

My buddy bought a 4KW in new condition at a yard sale for $100. I borrow it.

 

[norcal]

Look at say a 10-20 kw Honda or General. Now look at a welder, maybe a nice Bobcat if you use one a lot with a 10-20 kw generator. Basically you are paying for a generator and you get the welder for free.

MANY industrial plants do this. The economics on small portable generators is totally upside down especially because there are so many nice, clean used ones on the market. Just ask around at a couple local welding supply shops and they will fix you up even if you never weld.

I pump my own water, so no power, no water, the water heater is nat gas, & the furnace is gas also, neither requires power, decided to buy a 5KW genny & my first choice was Honda, a suggestion was made to get a Miller Bobcat, at that time they had a 8 KW output, the Miller Bobcat 225 NT was about $400 more but got 3KW extra too, and a AC/DC welder too. Well is powered off my shop so added a 3-pole double throw switch w/ a 60A pin & sleeve inlet to plug the gen output into. If need power in the house a extension cord does fine for the fridge.