Welding Tips and Tricks

I don't know why I'm asking because I know the answer. I guess I'm looking for positive reinforcement? I have both a Lincoln power mig 210mp and a square wave tig 200 and lincoln says the max amps they draw on 220 volts, respectively, is 14.7 and 22. There is a very inexpensive 50' 220 extension cord on ebay ($27.77 with free shipping) that has only 10 gauge wire in it.
10 gauge will carry 30 amps. So I see no problem using this extension code with either of these welders. Reinforce me here.

Here's the extension cord - there is also a cord with 8 gauge wire but it is four times the $$ so why buy it if 8 gauge isn't needed?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/50-220-Volt-50 ... 1438.l2649

The ebay title for the cord says 8/3 rated but if you read the specs up below the thing only has 10 gauge wire in it.

A physically larger conductor will give less voltage drop. Voltage drop increases with the load, so if it was me, I'd get the genuine 8/3. Which I did for my extensions. Been a while since I got 'em, but IIRC they came from Welding Supplies from IOC. Decent price and good quality cables.

Voltage drops for 50', 220v@22A:
#10: 2.2volt
#8: 1.4volt

Guidance is no more than 5% voltage drop so either cord will work.

What a crock of.......

I'm going to contact that seller. I really dislike those kind of shenanigans.

But yes, both 10/3 or 8/3 would work equally well so long as your outlet voltage is not sagging already on it's own due to the power grid it's on.

It wasn't the seller. I just clicked around and that extension cord is on Amazon and other places and all of them have the same description so the wording came from the manufacturer's write up probably. They are also three times that price everywhere else so the supply that particular seller has on hand are from a buy out somewhere or they were obtained illegally or something.

I'm going to get one.

jerje wrote:It wasn't the seller. I just clicked around and that extension cord is on Amazon and other places and all of them have the same description so the wording came from the manufacturer's write up probably. They are also three times that price everywhere else so the supply that particular seller has on hand are from a buy out somewhere or they were obtained illegally or something.

I'm going to get one.

Even if that is the case, it's still the seller's responsibility to ensure listing accuracy is it not? Or am I way off base?

I'm not an attorney so I don't know but the write up on that ad IS inaccurate in both the title and in the specs because, while the specs do admit to 10 gauge wire, they also say the cord will carry 50 amps, and 10 gauge will not carry 50 amps. The cord will do what I want so I'm cool, but it could burn someone's house or shop down under the wrong circumstances I suppose. I'm going to mark it with white indelible marker "30 amp only" or something like that when it gets here.

Here is the FTC write up on truth in advertising but I'm too lazy to read it. From what little I did read they are the ones to go after whoever is responsible.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/media-r ... dvertising

Well if it appears to be too good to be true, etc. etc. This whole deal turned into a real snafu; ebay has cancelled the auctions on these extension cords, sent me an email saying there were problems with the seller after I'd bought mine, and I got a refund through paypal.

I found another one though, 10' shorter so 40' long, through Amazon, that has #8 wire, and just bought one. We will see if this one sticks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072C ... UTF8&psc=1

That one looks pretty good.

Yep it's better. I wondered if you had turned them in - which would have been OK.

To be clear, 10ga wire can be used for more than 30A. 30A is the rating for regular residential wiring, there are other ratings for wire in other conditions such as in free air. Further codes allow wiring to electric welders to be undersized based on the duty rating of the welder.

The second one I ordered got here and was 8 gauge. Very nice 40' cord and I'm pleased with it.

That was a good deal. One thing I got on my last cord that I really like is a handle molded into the male end. It makes it easy to pull it out. Sometimes these things are so tight you almost need a pry bar to get them out.