Electric Welder Circuit Sizes

How to Plan the Electrical Circuit Wiring for Your Welder By: Dave Rongey

Planning a Circuit for an Electric Welder
[ad#block]Question: I want to run a small inverter welder 120 volt in my home,

Here are the specifications for my welder:

• Input: 120 volts
• 20 amps (120 volts)
• 21 amps (240 volts)
• Single phase
• 60 Hz

1. Would 12/2 Romex wire about 25′ suffice, or do I need to use 10/2 Romex?
2. I have the old screw in fuse box, maybe I can find a line with a thirty amp fuse in it.
3. Would a 20 amp fuse work?

I understand about other loads which may be connected to it.
Also, about how many amps can those old cloth covered oily wires in old houses running out of the fuse box usually carry ?
Save me having to measure the gauge, the wiring in this house is a nightmare, someday I will rewire it.
Thanks.

This electrical question came from: Mike, a Homeowner from Phila. PA.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Mike.

Planning an Electrical Circuit for Your Welder

• You really should rewire and get rid off that old house wire.
• The specs about the welder show 120 or 240 volt, so that will depend if you will be running a 120 or 240 volt circuit.
• You should double check your specs because they do not look entirely correct, because the amps for 240 volt should be about half that of the 12o volt, so you need to verify this.
• The #12 gauge Romex is good for 20 amps, and #10 gauge Romex is good for 30 amps.
• I would not advise using an existing circuit with the older house wire for your welder circuit.
• Also, the capacity of the existing old house wire depends on the wire gauge, but I would not trust it very much because it is so old and who know what kind of work has been done to the wiring over the years.
• If you do not plan on rewiring soon, I would urge you to install smoke detectors as well.

Electrical Wiring

Electrical Wire for the Home

Home Electrical Wire

Electrical Wire for the Home
Complete listing of electrical wire types and parts used for home projects
with electrical code information serves as selection guidelines.

For more information about Circuit Wiring
Circuit Wiring

Electrical Circuit Wiring
This article looks at common 120 volt and 240 volt house wiring circuits
and the circuit breakers that are installed
identifying the types and amperage sizes used in most homes.

The following may also be helpful for you:

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring: » You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! « Here's How to Do It: Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book Great for any Home Wiring Project. Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring Perfect for Homeowners, Students, Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians Includes: Wiring GFCI Outlets Wiring Home Electric Circuits 120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits Wiring Light Switches Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring ....and much more. Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring with my Online Video Course: Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example

Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires! The Non-Contact Electrical Tester This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use. The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring! The Plug-In Outlet Tester This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use. Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire! The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

More articles about Electrical, Welder and Home Electrical Wiring:
« Previous	Next »
Electrical Circuit for a Wine Cooler	How Bad Advice Can Burn Your House Down