Welding Tips and Tricks

I Just signed up to the forum and thought I'd say hello and ask a question.
I currently use a 70amp flux core welder(lol,crap I know) and thinking about upgrading to a Miller 215. My question is other than a dedicated 220v outlet and generater is there another way to power this welder? Thanks in advance

Welcome! The Miller 215 is dual voltage, meaning it runs on both 110v and 220v. On 110 these machines perform best on a 20 amp circuit, though it will get by on a 15 amp circuit.

If you have a 220v circuit for the clothes dryer at the house, that 30 amp circuit will run the welder nicely. I made an extension cord to bring the 220 out a window to my garage for welding, for instance, so if your place is laid out right you might have some options.

The 215 is a nice looking machine. What kind of projects do you have in mind?

So the outlet that my dryer plugs into is a 30amp? I'm a noob when it comes to electrical. How did you make an extension cord that works? Would a power inverter work? Thanks bud

Yes, clothes dryer circuits are typically 30 amp. You probably have a dedicated circuit for the dryer, so the circuit breaker will be labeled with its capacity.

My welder came with a NEMA 6-50 plug, so i bought a 6-50 receptacle, red / black / green cable, and a dryer plug, then connected it all together. A junction box houses the connection between the dryer plug and the cable.

Dryer connections can be 3-wire or 4-wire, though, so you'd need to buy parts to fit your situation.

Great info man, I'm gonna do this when I get the welder. If I make a 50-75' cord, which gage should I use 8 or 10? I just saw your question above, I'm making some fitness equipment(power rack, belt squat, bench etc)

Easiest way to find out is check with an electrician. They can look in the code book for the correct chart, and if you make sure they know it’s for a welder this changes the calculations some. Just because the welder has a 50 amp plug doesn’t mean the cord has to be rated for 50 amps unless the welder requires a minimum 50 amp breaker. These calculations may mean you can down size the cord, possibly saving money on a cord that long. Less than 50 ft long it won’t make much difference but 75-100ft it could be a big deal.