Welding Tips and Tricks

A guy at work gave me a Century AC-DC stick welder that he didn’t want because he bought a new one. He plugged it in to make sure everything worked fine (which it did). I got it home and had to wire up an adapter to plug it into my dryer receptacle. I took a 6ft 30amp dryer cord and plug then wired to a 6-50 welder receptacle and plugged my welder in. I’m using 6013’s and they will only hold an arc on full amperage (250) on AC. Below that and on the full range of DC it only sparks and sticks a little, but never holds an arc. It also seems really difficult to make a large weld bead. Almost like it’s not getting hot enough. That could be user error though. I’ve cleaned all of my material, the ground clamp, and the electrode. This could be a question for an electrician, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

show us pictures of how you wired the 6/50 receptacle. I bet you wired it wrong.

This is the wiring to the receptacle that accepts the 6-50 welder plug. I was told at Lowe’s that the red and green were hot, white was ground, and the black was neutral (which I just capped off).

Don’t use that until you talk with an electrician. It does not look correct to me but I’m not willing to take responsibility for helping over internet.






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Definitely wrong. Green goes in the middle, the two hots on the outside. So the white wouldn't be used, black and red on the outside, and green to the green tinted screw terminal. In your current configuration you are only providing 120 volts to the welder.

to be clearer...leave the red wire where it is, put the black wire where the green one is, put the green one where the white one is, and do not use the white wire, just tape it off well and dead end it.

Louie1961 wrote:to be clearer...leave the red wire where it is, put the black wire where the green one is, put the green one where the white one is, and do not use the white wire, just tape it off well and dead end it.

This is probably correct but to know for certain, you had better open the welder and look at the wiring there. A rule of thumb for wiring colors DOES NOT GUARANTEE how they end up being connected.

Wire colors are just that; colors. You can wire any color to any terminal as long as they are synonymous on both ends. Generally, in these machines it as described above, but that is no way a certainty. Open the box, check, and then correct your plug end if incorrect.

You'll notice the green "tint" on the screw in your receptacle. That is a clue for the ground wire in your application.

This is probably correct but to know for certain, you had better open the welder and look at the wiring there. A rule of thumb for wiring colors DOES NOT GUARANTEE how they end up being connected.

Those wires are not coming from the welder. He bought a commercial 30 amp 4 wire dryer cord and is putting a 6/50 R receptacle on the end of it. The colors are going to be standard in one of those. red and black are hot, white is neutral and green is ground. The welder already had a standard 6/50 plug on it.

Louie1961 wrote: Those wires are not coming from the welder. He bought a commercial 30 amp 4 wire dryer cord and is putting a 6/50 R receptacle on the end of it. The colors are going to be standard in one of those. red and black are hot, white is neutral and green is ground. The welder already had a standard 6/50 plug on it.

Thank you, I read that. It still implies that the welder has those same colors coordinated on it internally. Hence, my strong advice to open the box and check. 10 minutes with a screw driver is a whole lot cheaper than a shop fire.

It doesn't matter in the least if the welder has a standard plug on it and it worked when he picked it up. He hasn't changed a thing on a previously working welder.

Louie1961 wrote:It doesn't matter in the least if the welder has a standard plug on it and it worked when he picked it up. He hasn't changed a thing on a previously working welder.

If he no longer has a reference to how it was wire at the receptacle, then assuming a color scheme can be hazardous. That is the point.

I shy away from undocumented advice that may cause harm, damage or injury to others without sufficient due diligence as a guide. Your advice, while probably correct as I said, presumes the wiring at the welder to be in accordance with standards. This may, or may not be true. Opening the carcass and confirming it is the most prudent. Perhaps this will clarify things for you.

That's just silly. If you were installing a new circuit from the panel, would you still open the welder to check the wires? Come on man. No one has made any modifications to the welder, and the colors inside the welder don't matter, since he knows it worked on his buddy's 240 volt outlet.

Louie1961 wrote:That's just silly. If you were installing a new circuit from the panel, would you still open the welder to check the wires? Come on man. No one has made any modifications to the welder, and the colors inside the welder don't matter, since he knows it worked on his buddy's 240 volt outlet.

Dead rucking right I would. Why wouldn’t I? To save 10 minutes versus protecting an expensive piece of equipment? That you wouldn’t is frightening. Like I said, I avoid making unsafe and unfounded recommendations over the internet.

and what if all the wires inside the welder are all one color? (all black for instance) Then what?

Louie1961 wrote:and what if all the wires inside the welder are all one color? (all black for instance) Then what?

I have yet to see that. But I have seen green and white used interchangeably, I agree with Cj, check and make sure


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I agree with Louie. If the welder worked properly and has not been modified, it is good to go. The thing that needs fixing is the custom made receptacle. The purchased pigtail for the 4-wire plug (or rather, it's color scheme) can only be trusted if and only if the house receptacle that accepts that plug is wired correctly. If that is checked before hand, then the wiring scheme can be followed through at the new 6-50R receptacle. Best best = voltage multi-meter to probe things to verify voltages before-hand.

Louie1961 wrote:and what if all the wires inside the welder are all one color? (all black for instance) Then what?

Simple. Look at the wiring schematic to trace each terminal to its function. Then at the plug end, ring out the wire with a meter for continuity and secure in the proper end terminal.

That anyone doesn’t see the practical wisdom of opening and checking a machine is beyond me. I have never bought a piece of equipment (lathe, mill, bandsaw, welder, etc) where I haven’t opened and checked all the connections. Especially if it is used equipment. Loose cable connections, ground straps, evidence of prior electrical surges all show themselves quickly if you look.

It’s not whether the machine worked, it’s now that he has removed the original plug he should confirm the wiring scheme from the machine inside. And for Gods sake, stop listening to the mope at Lowe’s!

It’s not whether the machine worked, it’s now that he has removed the original plug he should confirm the wiring scheme from the machine inside.

You misread what he is doing. He has not removed the original plug. The original plug is there and intact. All he is doing is taking one of these dryer cords and putting a receptacle on the end of it (the end that would normally go to the dryer, not the end with the molded plug). He is essentially making a pigtail adapter to go from a a 14/30 receptacle to a 6/50 receptacle. When he wired up his 6/50R, he took one hot leg and ground, making it back into a 120v circuit.

Cord
Receptacle

He is essentially making one of these, which is why I said the wires in the welder don't matter.

This is why we at the beginning of thread that I refused to help over internet.

You just don’t know the whole story unless your on the job.

When dealing with electric someone could die or be injured who has nothing to do with the project.

Stay safe


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Louie1961 wrote: You misread what he is doing. He has not removed the original plug. The original plug is there and intact. All he is doing is taking one of these dryer cords and putting a receptacle on the end of it (the end that would normally go to the dryer, not the end with the molded plug). He is essentially making a pigtail adapter to go from a a 14/30 receptacle to a 6/50 receptacle. When he wired up his 6/50R, he took one hot leg and ground, making it back into a 120v circuit.

Respectfully, and once again, I will tell you I did NOT misread it. My point has always been, unless you know the wiring from the machine, assuming a color scheme is dangerous. If he had the original plug end still in tact, or a picture for reference, he could very likely rely on your original post, as I said. If he no longer has that, confirming the colors inside the machine is not only prudent, but safer.

It's really simple. Assumption is the start of many tragedies.

I agree with his assessment of this situation. What we are lacking is real on the ground information.

The intention to help is good, yet the situation is bad.

Meaning there are no bad people just a muddy situation with to much assumption and little to no facts.

Kind of like our present political situation in the USA

Here are a few red flags.

Original poster has no experience with moving electrons.
Not enough trustworthy information from Original poster.
Not enough pictures.
We can not see inside the machine which was my original concern in Post Number 2 of this thread.
Everything about this post reeks of trouble. Nobody is on the ground making a real world judgement.
To many assumptions being made.
People are now acting sure about muddy information.
Remember Vietnam?

The original poster should hire a licensed electrician to look over the welder. Also that electrician should look at his electric panel also and help him with adaptors and extension cords. Yes, this electrician will cost money and at the same time reduce the risk of death or property damage. Every once in awhile even the most die hard do it yourself needs to "Pay at the toll booth"




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When I bought my Dynasty 200, I had to supply my own plug. The instructions I got from Miller were pretty easy. Green wire to green terminal. White wire to silver colored terminal. Black wire to brass or copper colored terminal. Red wire to be taped off. Red wire is only used if wiring for three-phase operation. Been working like a charm for years. Hope this helps.

CJ737 is correct in this situation.

Not only should the machine be opened and checked but also, the electric service and electric panel of the shop. Hiring a pro to actually visit the site would be smart.

You are dealing with an original poster with no knowledge, very few pictures and people making assumptions that they are correct.

Remember Fukushima, Chernobyl.

Common theme to those disasters was the assumption things would be ok. Do you realize they have no idea what to do with all the radioactive waste at Fukushima

One guy just has to make a phone call and pay a few dollars to be safe

'Stang wrote:When I bought my Dynasty 200, I had to supply my own plug. The instructions I got from Miller were pretty easy. Green wire to green terminal. White wire to silver colored terminal. Black wire to brass or copper colored terminal. Red wire to be taped off. Red wire is only used if wiring for three-phase operation. Been working like a charm for years. Hope this helps.

That is exactly the standard, but in your case, Miller provided you (and me as I have the same machine) a wiring color scheme. I did open mine anyway to check the condition of the screws and found one a tad loose, plus a loose jamb nut on the ground lead. And that is exactly my point- check to be sure, check to be safe.