Welding Tips and Tricks

Does flux core wire have to be protected from humidity like rods?

Hi drross,

Welcome to our little asylum.

There may be some alloys/fluxes that require special treatment and storage, but I leave the same roll of NR-211 on my 115 VAC Lincoln SP 135+ until it's used up. I've never noticed any difference in the welding characteristics of the wire over time. I'm in North Central Texas where it gets pretty humid in the summer.

That said, I will certainly defer to the more knowledgeable and experienced members of the forum for information that's less anecdotal and more technical.

ldb

Yeah it also gets a bit sticky down here in Key West, FL. We have been running the AC since early March mostly to keep the humidity down. Thanks for the response.

drross wrote:Yeah it also gets a bit sticky down here in Key West, FL. We have been running the AC since early March mostly to keep the humidity down. Thanks for the response.

I don't know jack about flux core but I do love Key West. Got drunk and passed out at Smathers beach...wow was that a sunburn!

You will not affect the flux in a cored wire with humidity unless it takes you a year to use a spool. You should only need enough humidity control to keep the surface of the sire from showing rust.

If you go a few weeks between uses, it never hurts to run out a foot or two of wire and cut it off, just to avoid moisture absorption in the weld start, as a cored wire that didn't ball tight on the last stop may allow moisture to be wicked in to the flux.

Steve S

Great tip, Steve. I hadn't thought of doing that. Thanks.

ldb