Naw it can't be that easy....can it? What about the sheilding gas hook up? OK welder guys will this work? I could use a setup like this for doing some sheetmetal work I'm 'bout ready to get into. I know this ain't a HAMB post but if it will work it is definetly a tech-o-matic post.
DAMN, that is SWEET! How did that crazy bastard figure that out? One question though, doesnt that battery booster box run out of juice? How do you recharge those? plug them in?
the automotive alternator works great as a welding power source for either stick or tig. Most engine-driven (portable) welders are nothing more than an alternator (AC, or DC if rectified), or generator (DC) attached to an engine. A 5HP briggs engine will stumble a bit, pushing a 130 amp alt, though. Get closer to 10hp, and you're good to go. The shielding gas flow is generally done with an on-torch valve... operated by your thumb. Sounds cheesy, but works quite well. Ever seen any of the "trail welding kits" the off-road crowd uses so much? Nothing more than an additional alternator... the engine speed varies the amp output. Ive got hours of welding time on these, doing trail-side repairs, farm fabrication, and even some stuff at home when i was too lazy to break out the real welder... so i can assure that it does indeed work. Dont plan on using it to do any type of good welding on aluminum, though... need a high frequency circuit for that...
oh, some links to home-made welders: stick, using salvaged transformers: http://www.dansworkshop.com/Homebuilt%20arc%20welder.shtml MIG: http://home8.inet.tele.dk/jan_p/welder/mig1.htm alternator-based CC/CV, AC/DC, SMAW/TIG/MIG welder: http://www.motherearthrecycling.net/welding/homemade/homemade.htm onboard alternator used for welding: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/on-boardwelder/ Have a few books on the suject, as well as a bunch of other links...also have a home-made 250A, 100% duty cycle SMAW CC/CV, AC/DC and alternator driven AC welder... any questions, leme know... might be able to help. -dan
here is his update to his post http://www.turbomustangs.com/forums/showthread.php?s=574bbc043ee2b90c612cdfbe17d51492&threadid=9099 Garth
I tried to tell yall about "weldernators" a year ago! I was thinking stick, tho, no idea about tig, but sounds pretty simple now that I think about it... I've got a pile of cadillac ~130A alts and a new, heavy set of jumper cables for when I get that 'roundtoit thing. Thought about mounting one in my old volvo, seeing as how I was always under it welding the exhaut back on all the time... compressor motor idea is dope, tho.
Im a bit confused; nothing new! An alternator puts out (after the diodes) an unfiltered DC which is far from pure DC. A generator puts out real DC. Which would be better to use and/or can the pulsating DC from an alternator just be filtered with a big capacitor? By big I mean several thousand microfarads as found in old computer power supplies. Never used a TIG and Im another who loves the Henrob but I do have an old car lot roll around battery jumper that has an 8HP Briggs driving a pair of 12V 100A generators. Will this work for welding thick steel and approximately the maximum thickness? If I convert that unit to a pair of alternators what is needed to weld aluminum? Can I just bypass the diodes and get the high frequency AC which varies by speed but is up around 400 Hz?
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