Welding Tips and Tricks

Just bought my first welder, the Eastwood 175 MIG. I had been looking at the big name brands, but couldn't pass up the Black Friday special that included free shipping. The Eastwood also came with a spool gun. At any rate, my shop is wired for 220v, but it's got a NEMA 6-20 receptacle, which is what my air compressor plugs into. So the question is, should I just get an adapter that goes from the NEMA 6-50 on the welder to the 6-20 receptacle? Or is doing it that way not the best?

Thanks!
Mike

As long as the plug is rated for at least as many amps as your welder will draw then you will be fine. I personally have replaced the cord ends on most of my 220v equipment to a 30 amp twist lock. That way my generator, wall plugs, and machines all are compatible.

If your outlets in your shop are nema 6-20 which are 20 amp rating, and your welder came with a 6-50 plug(50amp), I would check the name plate on the welder for maximum current draw. If less than 20 amps you would be safe using an adapter or replacing the end of the cord to match the outlets you have. However, if the nameplate current draw is more than 20 amps, you will need to have a new outlet installed to match the current requirement.

Welcome to the forum, Mike.

The spec on that machine says it draws 22A at 220v, so you'd be OK with the 20A circuit on your air compressor. You might trip the breaker if you try to use the machine at full power, but the duty cycle is probably so low at 175A you wouldn't be able to run more than a minute or so anyway. I would guess they use a 50A connector so they can save money by using the same connector on all their machines.

I think I'd install another receptacle so I could leave both my compressor and my welder plugged in all the time

Yes, it draws 22 amps max. I doubt I'll ever have the machine turned up to max power though, because I'll mostly be welding 19-20 gauge sheet metal, and some occasional thin-wall box tubing. My shop is on the opposite end of the house from the breakers, and I'd rather not have to pay the cost of a whole new circuit from that distance. The circuit currently has a 20 amp breaker, and is using 12 gauge wire from the breaker to the receptacle. So I don't think upgrading to a larger capacity breaker is an option, because of the 12 gauge wire. At least that's what the internet is telling me

So I think I'll take my chances on sticking with the 20 amp circuit, and either match the plugs to be the same type as Poland308 suggested, or try to add another receptacle so the compressor and welder can remain plugged in, as TheNovaMan suggested.

Really appreciate all the help!

Mike

Eastwood 175 MIG