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Anonymous
Welding machine trips breaker 2017-04-04 03:33:17 Post No. 1155696
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Welding machine trips breaker 2017-04-04 03:33:17 Post No. 1155696
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I've got this old welding machine that started tripping the breakers if I try to switch it on, after it overheated one time. It supposedly has a thermal shutdown switch, but that one might have failed due to the whole thing being a cheap POS, it's basically just a large transformer in a box, no capacitors or circuit boards of any type. Also it's rated for 5% duty cycle at 135 amps. Breakers are B type so fairly fast for this type of welding machine. Thing is it basically never tripped the breakers before that one overheat shutdown. It still turns on fine if I don't connect mass to anything. So- what's the likely cause of this; or rather, is there any chance it might be something else than a short circuit in one of the windings from thermal damage?
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>>1155696
My cheap stick welder is also mostly a transformer in a box. Mine calls for a 110v 20 amp service. Have you checked what the amperage is the breaker rated for? I believe 20 amp is the minimum for any welder.
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They're for 16 amps. B type so rated to trip at 3-5x rated current. Used to work fine. 230 V mains so I guess they're equivalent to 32 amps in a 110 V system?
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>>1155711
>Used to work fine.
If you had no problem welding in the past, then maybe the breaker is worn out. Breakers do wear out in time.
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Winding in the primary could have melted when it overheated and are shorting out now. Would have to ohm test to be sure.
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>>1155717
Second this go grab a $12 replacement breaker and put it in and see if it works better. They sometimes just get trippy after a while.
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>>1155717
more likely the welder is a cheap piece of shit and it self welded itself out of shame
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>>1155696
>mass connection trips breaker
Your primary and secondary winding insulation might be compromised. Grab live phase tester and try testing mass.
Are you sure it's breaker and not combined breaker with leak current protection?
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Nah it's just a regular breaker. And today it seems to work again. Wtf. It's a bit colder than yesterday, apart from that nothing changed but the breaker doesn't trip anymore. Idk
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>>1155696
does it trip the breaker regardless of what its set at? turn it way down and see if it trips when you strike in. 135A will trip a normal breaker usually
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>>1155696
5% duty cycle is 30 seconds.
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>>1155696
>is there any chance it might be something else than a short circuit in one of the windings from thermal damage?
Bingo. Ohmmeter will tell you.
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Replace the breaker with a nickle. It only costs $0.05 :^)
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