Bush Welding - Batteries?

Submitted: Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:25
ThreadID: 64822 Views:4072 Replies:9 FollowUps:17
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I've read a couple of threads about bush welding in the archive. Really impressive! But what I haven't found is one important thing: How long will the batteries last? 5-10 mins? Cause there's no use for me trying to weld things together in the bush, when there's not enough power left to get the starter running in the end...
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Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:31

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:31
tommyboy

how long is a piece of string???????

no simple answer...depends upon how how fully charged your batteries are in the first place....and how much welding you do!

what I can tell you from experience is that I have welded springs and spring hangers on both sides of a trailer.....say consumed 5 full length rods and never had an issue with the batteries and they were probably at least 3/4 charged at start

I have welded spring hangers and a trailer frame with a MIG and that was not an issue either

I dont think you draw as much power as you would imagine

Cheers

Bungarra


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Follow Up By: tommyboy - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:45

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:45
5 rods!? Oh my god, your skin must have been burned...;-)
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:40

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:40
Took just 2 minutes to find this

Welding

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Follow Up By: tommyboy - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:43

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 09:43
Yeah, I've read this article, but as far as I can see it contains nothing about how long they actually welded...
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Reply By: Willem - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 13:19

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 13:19
Tom

Most welds you are going to do out bush are not major jobs. You would normally not even use one rod.

The current draw on the batteries is negligible. If there are more that one vehicle travelling together with dual battery systems then they can use their auxilliary batteries for welding.

If you vehicle is in good condition then you should not have cause to weld out bush. But things do break from time to time especially on vehicles which are overloaded.

Last year we welded a spare wheel carrier bracket out on a claypan 500 kilometres due west from Alice Springs. Quite a bit of preparation was done and the welding only used up ½ a stick.


Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:41

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:41
"If you vehicle is in good condition then you should not have cause to weld out bush."

Gday Willem, I must disagree :-))

On trips in recent years, we've needed to weld up a few things - a broken upper rear control arm on a Prado on the Madigan Line; had to weld an axle flange back onto a Trak Shak camper trailer in the GVD; and a front spring hanger back onto a Patrol. Also could have got the welder out for a broken lower wishbone on a 100series on a previous Madigan Line trip, but that one was nursed home.

All had nothing to do with the condition of the vehicle.

But agree 100% that welding uses very little battery power - voltage hardly goes down after a weldijng job.

Cheers
Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:58

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:58
So, if you plan and execute your trip well, you won't need to take EPIRB, emergency food, emergency fuel, tool kit ???????
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 07:49

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 07:49
Look here fellas


Read what I said proprely and then you will learn something. I have been on this forum long enough to choose my words carefully. Both of you blokes are learned people so take care not to shoot from the hip! I said "should not"

Parts of vehicles do break as a result of the vehicles being overloaded and also as a result of drivers being inexperienced over the terrain they are traversing OR from vehicle malfunction.

What you take with you on a trip is entirely up to you. I know that I carry too much stuff but I have shifted the load to be carried in the trailer to take the weight strain off the tug.


Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 11:00

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 11:00
Gday Willem,
I read your words proprely. :-))

Your original statement and reply both suggest that there is no need for a bush welder if you take a vehicle in good condition.

I still disagree!!!

Cheers
Phil
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 12:11

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 at 12:11
Bloody hell, Phil...Yer being Pigheaded again :-)


I said nothing about NOT taking welding gear. I said "you should not have cause to weld out bush" Where in the English language does this suggest that you should not carry welding gear???

I carry welding gear myself

The same analogy applies to a First Aid Kit. If you are fit and healthy and don't have any accidents along the way you should not have cause to use the kit!!!!!!! Does this mean you should not carry a kit???


Go figure..........................LOL

Cheers


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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 14:28

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 14:28
tommyboy, I carry a Readywlder IIMIG welder.
It needs 24V (2 batteries in series) and is a SERIOUS piece of gear.
Can be gasless or gas. Can weld aluminium, steel, s/s.
Bought it in Adelaide for $700 (new).
Weighs about 7kg.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
AnswerID: 342721

Follow Up By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:25

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:25
Peter,

where abouts in Adelaide? Have you got a contact No. for the place. How long ago was it that you bought it. Been looking for one myself. Thanks very much.

Mick
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 18:08

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 18:08
Was in 2005 Mick O.
Can't track down the name at the mo, but it was a hire company. They did not have them to sell, but were happy to do so. They had a division in Melb or Syd I think, which is where the unit came from.
Have a search on Google. Thats where I originally found them.
I do know another guy who was flogging them about the same time, but he was asking $1200. I definately paid $700 (+ hobby gas reg + hobby gas + extra spools, maybe $900 the lot)

Get back to us if you can't track it down.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 19:38

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 19:38
Mick O
I have a ready welder MIG purchased it last year out of Queensland over the phone and delivered via Australia Post.....if you wish I can look up where it was.....from memory it was a dedicated retail outlet specialising in welding gear..took me some time to find an outlet in Australia

what I can tell you that it is a serious bit of gear...used very successfully last year on a stranded motorist....

there was then and I assume still is two versions......the one I purchased is always live electrically at the tip and the trigger simply feeds the wire.....they also have a dearer version which is more akin to what "the workshop model" that is... dead electrically at the tip and feeds the wire and current when you squeeze the trigger.

I am proficient at either stick or MIG and so didnt find an issue getting used to being live at the tip...so it was worth the saving

cheers

Bungarra
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Follow Up By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:28

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:28
Thanks B,

have sent you a MM re same.

Cheers Mick
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trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:51

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:51
Mick, Lucy has one of those units, if you like I can put you in touch with him and he may be able to recall where he got his from. He lives somewhere near Melbourne
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Follow Up By: V8 Troopie - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 23:52

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 23:52
From their website, there is a dealer in Queensland.
Open pull down menu, third from left to show dealers, select Australia and click on the mauve diamond.
Klaus
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 23:30

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 23:30
Mick O

Have sent you a MM..email bounced

B
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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 14:44

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 14:44
Assume that the arc draws 50 amps.

If you had the arc running CONTINUOUSLY for 60 minutes, you would use 50 amphours from the battery. That would be the maximum you should plan on drawing from an N70 battery - and you should still have enough left to start a warm motor.
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Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:10

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:10
Here is a quote from the Readywelder Manual -


"We recommend a deep cycle gel cell battery,
like Optima Batteries offers, or at least a group 31 marine deep cycle battery as a power source for the Ready
Welder II. A fully charged pair of these batteries will normally yield a minimum duration of about 45 minutes when
welding 1/2” steel or 3/4” aluminum @ approximately 175 amps, while lighter duty welding operations on thinner
metal can offer a duration time of 4 hours or more."
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Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:22

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 15:22
On my last effort, we had three batteries out of the vehicles for 6 hours and did a fair bit of welding on trailer frame. Didn't make any appreciable difference to the batteries and the vehicle started first pop. Carry a multimetre and keep an eye on it that way if concerned.

Link HERE.


Cheers. Mick
''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:48

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 21:48
Mick ya bastard wheres my evening gone?????! I just linked thru and watched almost all of your vids what a fantastic set of vids, you sure had a good time out there. A most enthralling and tremendous review of a great trip. Thanx for a great read.
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Follow Up By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 23:15

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 23:15
Glad you enjoyed em Bonz. Slowly reviewing them and adding snippets of video as I get em loaded.

Cheers Mick
''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 17:13

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 17:13
Our club had a battery welding night where we practiced welding with 24 & 36 volts using 2.5 & 3mm rods. We probably used 5 rods in total over a 1 hour period & the batteries barely dropped in voltage. In reality the arc is drawn for such a short time it uses very little power overall, in fact running the electric winch for 5 minutes would be far more detrimental.
We found it very beneficial to have a try before heading bush as it ensures you have the correct rods & leads whilst getting some real experience of what size rod & voltage welds what thickness of steel.
Cheers Craig...........
AnswerID: 342749

Reply By: Welldone WA - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 20:09

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 20:09
In 1998 I tore a front hanger out of the chassis of my old HJ45 about half way between Dalhousie springs and Oodnaddatta , used 3 batteries in series [1 x 130amp deep cycle + 2 x nz70] all connected with jumper leads and a pair of visegrips as the hand piece . The welding on and off took about half an hour and used 12 x 2.5mm stainless steel rods , the batteries showed no sign of deterioration and the weld is still good ten years and many rough roads later .
AnswerID: 342773

Reply By: tommyboy - Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:48

Monday, Jan 05, 2009 at 22:48
OK, cheers mates, I think I got what I needed. As I don't plan to weld a whole new car together the batteries should last for emergency purpose...
AnswerID: 342790

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