Welding with batteries

Vis, I havent tried welding with batteries but i am a competent welder (fitter and turner by trade),, I would love to give it a go.. From what i can gather , 2 batteries is ok but 3 is better.. Most ordinary stick welders operate on about 45v AC so i guess 36 volts DC is better than 24 V dc.. As for welding panhard or silimar, if its fabricated , its gererally mild steel so ok for general purpose rods. Anything like spring steel or welding dissimilar metals or stainless, use WeldAll rods, you can buy a handyman pack with 10 and 12 guage rods for about $30, made by CIG. They will weld just about anything. Also if you reverse the polarity so the handpiece and rod is negative, you will deposit more metal to the job more easily, this also works with a mains driven DC welder.. Michael

Hi Viz,
I come from a similair trade back ground as Michael,using 24v with 10g rods i get chook shht welds, using 36v 10g Gp rods i have welded spring hangers with great strong results using starting batteries with out any adverse affects. Deep cycle batts are not to keen to give up max amps quickley with out shortening service life.But when you have to weld you have to weld.!.


Tassie.

Hey Viz,

one of my favourite topics. How to get yourself out of the poo in the great outback (depsite having tried to avoid getting into it in the first place lol)

Have a look at this Blog entry I did in respect to a few trailer issues we had on the Sandy Blight Junction Road last year. May help. There's also a great article on bush welding on the LC cool site (Toyota 80 series owners).

A day of bush welding

3 batteries are better with a stick as it gets you closer to that magic 40. It gets hard to regulate the ampage though as I discovered, particularly when you're using cables for added resistance. It's usually a combo of all things including, cables, rod size and length. I also did a post not long after I got home on the very subject which got quite a few good responses.


Bush welding post

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Hope this helps.

Cheers Mick

Hi viz,
It is very important to keep your welding rods (flux) as dry as possible. Nice dry rods makes it easier to make the initial arc strike, after that the rods dry themselves out rather quickly :-))

KK

Hi Viz,

I ran a post a while ago (post 69010) which was in regards to using a compact welder (4kg) with a generator but this comes down to how much room you have etc. worth a read!
However one of the replies turned up this little beauty from Piranha Off road
$1150.00
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