Welding Tips and Tricks

I am replacing the motor on a 24in barn type ventilating fan. The used motor I got is smaller diameter and different shape and I have to make new mounting brackets. I plan to make a compression band around the motor with 4 standoff legs welded on to bolt to the fan housing. I would like assemble the pieces with motor and fan assembled on the housing so I can line everything up and gently tack the legs to the ring -disassemble and complete welding. My concern is welding close to the motor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

I weld near electric motors all the time. If you're concerned, cut a few strips of rubber to put under the motor to insulate it from the frame and you should be good. I have never fried one yet. Electricity comes through the material at the point of the arc..it doesn't lollygag around through electronics and such unless you are grounded to it but to be safe...insulate it. I learned the hard way that it's better to take 10 minutes extra to cover your ass than it is to replace something expensive..i.e. never run welding current through a bushing or set of bearings

Thanks for your reply. It will be hard to insulate the motor as it will be clamped into the compression band mount that I would be welding too. I am wondering if I place my ground on the outside ( away from motor ) on each leg ( 4 ) as I tack them if that would be a reasonable precaution ? Thanks again. http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/p ... =2&t=10864#

homeboy wrote:Thanks for your reply. It will be hard to insulate the motor as it will be clamped into the compression band mount that I would be welding too. I am wondering if I place my ground on the outside ( away from motor ) on each leg ( 4 ) as I tack them if that would be a reasonable precaution ? Thanks again. http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/p ... =2&t=10864#

I have welded on flanges that were connected to electric motors and the thought didn't even occur to me.

As long as you provide the easiest path to ground being not through the electric motor, you should be fine. You will have to insulate it to 100% protect it but theoretically, you should be fine.

Are you Tigging, Migging, sticking?

An electric motor consists of copper wire windings, you're not going to damage that with welding. Some single phase motors can have a start capacitor inside the terminal box. I don't think you are going to hurt that one either but you can always disconnect one leg while you weld to be sure. Discharge the capacitor before touching connections by shorting the two capacitor terminals with a pair of insulated long nose pliers or you may brighten up your day.

As exi says its the bearings that need protecting.

Coldman wrote:An electric motor consists of copper wire windings, you're not going to damage that with welding. Some single phase motors can have a start capacitor inside the terminal box. I don't think you are going to hurt that one either but you can always disconnect one leg while you weld to be sure. Discharge the capacitor before touching connections by shorting the two capacitor terminals with a pair of insulated long nose pliers or you may brighten up your day.

As exi says its the bearings that need protecting.

My smart ass buddy fooled me into discharging an old TV tube one time with my thumb and forefinger. He was coy about it too, he just asked me if I could help him hold something for a second and I said "sure I will"! Holy shit!

Thanks again for the help. I use flux core -the motor wiring is disconnected- it does have a capacitor so I will be carefull around that. Guess now I have no excuse to do nothing tomorrow. Have a good day

Exnail ! I just want you to know I can read! I like Any beer in a bottle.

Poland308 wrote:Exnail ! I just want you to know I can read! I like Any beer in a bottle.

??? You lost me there Josh.

I'll have a Tooheys please. A pint. Suggest we meet at my local footy club.

I got pizza and the games on

Poland308 wrote:Exnail ! I just want you to know I can read! I like Any beer in a bottle.

OHHHHH...now I got it I guess I could have worded that a little better

This beer you speak of, Exnail:

1) Do you ship to Australia?

2) Is the liquid in question that which I have found Americans commonly refer to as beer...or is it actually proper beer?



Kym

Lol, I got thrown on that comment too.

If you are fluxcoring, protect the openings to the motor, a hot piece of slag or metal or spark or whatever could burn the laquer off the wire in the winding, then you would have a problem, a big boom when its powered

MosquitoMoto wrote:This beer you speak of, Exnail:

1) Do you ship to Australia?

2) Is the liquid in question that which I have found Americans commonly refer to as beer...or is it actually proper beer?



Kym

You guys are mean But I guess I did walk into that one..We sell proper beer over here but the most popular ones are pissy water(read cheap). Craft beers are the hot sellers now...which one would you like me to send you guys to forget this thread

Olivero - thanks for the suggestion. This is a box type wall fan with the blades mounted directly on the motor shaft. The motor is the sealed type for farm use so I should be ok. Have a good day.

[
You guys are mean But I guess I did walk into that one..We sell proper beer over here but the most popular ones are pissy water(read cheap). Craft beers are the hot sellers now...which one would you like me to send you guys to forget this thread [/quote]

I'll have an Anchor Liberty Ale thanks. Put it in your fridge and I'll pick it up on my way through next time.

And no sneaky sneaky drinkin it while I'm not there.

Deal

GTAW? A plain motor won't be touched. Motor controllers can be hurt from HF so use lift arc instead.

I fried a triac motor controller with HF doing some overhead welding. Ouch.

At this point the motor is sitting on the bench -not connected to anything. Sounds like with all this help if I screw it up I did something really really stupid. Thanks

Haha, I feel like that sometimes too

Got it done. Everything worked like a charm. Thanks for all the help.