Any welders or fabricators welding with a pacemaker .I like some feed back from others like me that have to make the decision to weld or not to weld. I have read the manufactures warnings against tig or any type of welding. But i like to here from the crafter that does or does not weld. If they had experience the pacemaker laps in pacing there heart electrical system . GOOD HEALTH TO ALL
I would check with a doctor but some people on here have been able to weld with them, by wearing a lead vest, like they use for doing x rays, there was a really good thread somewhere
If it's a defibulator and pacemaker combo like most of the new ones are I would say don't do it but that's just my opinion. Any doctor will probably say no also to cover their behinds. That vest idea sounds interesting.
some people say not to, it makes sense because of the high amounts of RF energy, I would like to what the guy who uses the lead vest has to say, maby he will chime in. I think he talked to his doctor, I belive one of those vests will block nearly anything, the trick is not only does the pacemaker have to be protected, but also the leads.
My best friend and more like a big brother to me was just told not only no but "hell No" when he asked his doctor if he could weld after getting the pacemaker. I'd sure check with my doctor before doing any welding with electricity.
here's some really good info, they also say to twist the cables, this causes the frequencies in the cables to cancel each other, it's the same trick that a lot of electronics use. anyway, really good info here http://www.pacemakerclub.com/public/jpage/1/p/story/a/storypage/sid/13302/content.do
I don't think it would be a lead vest? Lead is conductive, it would have to be a non conductive material, wouldn't it? I think my welding days would be over, sadly, Don't you get hit across the arms from one to the other once in a while? Ask your doc to be sure, good health to you.
Pure conjecture on my part, but most Doc's I've met wouldn't know crap about this. I would talk with the manufacturer first and then as you are - those in the same boat - but make sure they have the same unit as you - otherwise it could be apples and oranges. Lead ?? No expert here, but where I work we shield high end electronics with grounded metals - AFTER they are already encased by lead (the lead is used for other reasons)- so I sorta think the lead isn't the optimal material in terms of shielding. I remember some real sensitive stuff was shielded with Mu Metal. (sp?)
There's no way you're gonna get much of an arc out of a little pacemaker 3 of the 4 things I welded this week I used a torch, it's fun.
Thats for the help, I might have to learn how to gas weld my chassis .Any body know how to shield emf's from your body ,
I teach Welding at a major trade school. Welding and pacemakers do not mix. Period. Any kind of welding beyond the oxy acetylene gas torch. We has a guy in the Welding Programs prep shop who was responsible for the cutting of materials and then the repair of equipment etc. Basically program support duties. He got sick and had to be fitted with a pacemaker. From that point on he was not even allowed in the Welding building. He had to be transferred to another program and worked the remainder of his working life. He was a rodder also and is now retired and restricted to buying parts and assembling cars. Any welding work he has someone do it for him.
yea, a simple faraday cage. aka, a tin foil vest. which is grounded of course. hopefully to the common ground for the welder. now wether you want negative or positive ground.... that will shield emf. "the electric field inside a conductor is zero" <- physics class there are other issues though... but if a faraday cage can stop the lightning discharges from a tesla coil, it should stop anything from a welder. tesla coils shoot arcs up to tens of feet with thousands of volts of electric potential.
The airline I flew for used to do their own maintenance on the inertial navigation systems. The shielded room they used to test the units after overhaul, was an 8x8x8foot copper mesh box. My guess, is that you would need some sort of a conductive mesh jacket or vest. It wouldn't have to be copper, aluminum has approximately the same conductivity. A conversation with an electrical engineer that works on high end devises in the hospital appliance industry would be a good place to start. Bob Bob
My father welded for 42 years at his job before retiring When he got his pacemaker the docs said NO MORE WELDING not even a small job at home. Bad news I lost a great welder, but now he just laughs at me and tell me to keep practicing, but I did get all of his welders and equipment. I would listen to the doctor.
I am not certain on this Clik, but the frequencies that cause problems for defibrolators and pacemakers is in the high frequency band. AM radio waves are 1600kc = 1.6 meg quite long and are everywhere. If they were a problem then these devices would be virtually useless. Even wavelengths in the 2 meter band ( around 150 megacycles ) are very common and travel line of sight. That would make FM radio waves and microwave radio waves a serious problem. As the frequency increases, the effectiveness of the Faraday cage increases, so it could be an effective shield.
My dad had a pace maker and a valve replacement, he was told not to weld with a high freek being used. High freek is used in tig welding aluminum. I'am a part time welding teacher for the last 8 years. But ask your doctor or maker of your pace maker to be sure.
Squirrel, I've got to say it...I don't care who you are. That's funny right there! Hahahahahaha!!! Good luck with everything, dragster.
I do with a new St Judes model (no defib). The rep checked into for me and said it doesn't say yes or no. It did say to keep the leads away and off your body and not to make short repeating welds - better to have long continuous welds. I would suggest starting out sitting on the floor about 10 foot away and have someone else weld. Slowly move closer and then try it. I haven't had any problems and weld whatever I want. I should add that I am mig welding with a 225 Lincoln 110 volt.
It got me thinking of the segment in Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, when Sid Caesar is trapped in the basement. He grabs the two high voltage wires, says, "Somethings gotta work", and then jams the ends of the wire together. All you can see is the bright blue arc from the short circuit. You're right Squirrel, I wasn't addressing the issue of field strength, and yes that would be the other extremely important consideration. Bob
this is why I posted the info above from the pacemakers club, there was some really good info on welding with a pacemaker right from the pacemaker manufacturer
I wonder how much of the "don't weld if you have a pacemaker!" comes from the malpractice insurance company?
Found this ! Because of the random nature of the EM energy generated during welding (including AC arc, DC arc, MIG, TIG, plasma) it is difficult to predict the effect on your heart device. The EM energy generated from a welding arc can cause your pacemaker to continuously pace the heart. If your heart is beating on its own, this may result in an irregular heart rate. The intense EM energy generated when spot welding or starting a bead may cause your pacemaker (including the pacemaker function of an implantable defibrillator) to pause temporarily if it were pacing your heart. Your implantable defibrillator could detect the EM energy from the welder (especially when spotwelding) as a fast heart rhythm, causing it to deliver a shock. Will welding or using a chain saw damage my pacemaker or implantable defibrillator in any way? No, use of these tools will not cause any permanent damage or re-programming to your pacemaker or implantable defibrillator. Any potential effects will end when the welding is stopped or when the chain saw is turned off. Source(s): http://www.heartdiseaseweb.info
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