Welding Tips and Tricks

G'day I have a Boss arc 200 inverter stick welder
Max 200 amp and was wondering if anyone could tell me what size generator I would need to run it properly without harm.
Specs say it is 9.2 Kva @ max output.
Thanks in advance. Dave.

I would say about 10,000 watts should be fine. But read the generator requirements of your welder carefully. I have a tig inverter by Everlast, they require a generator to be designated as clean Power by the generator manufacturer. Using generators without this designation will void the warrantee and possibly cause damage.

Thanks dsmabe for the reply. Bought second hand and can't find any info on gen requirements,will keep looking though. Thanks again Dave b

9.2kva out means somthing like 13000 watts input if it is a transformer type and you want full power out assuming 70% efficiency

I think if the OP is reading 9.2Kva on the back of the machine we can assume its the " total absorbed power rating " meaning you don't need to figure power factor or anything else into the equation it will draw 9.2 maximum so this is the same as 9.2Kw - we've had this same discussion several times & advise will vary - but the important things in my opinion are ensure the revs / frequency of the generator are set accurately - ensure it is an AVR type & check on an oscilloscope that the output has a reasonable wave form ( yes there are some very bad ones about ) as to size if you are looking for the smallest that will run it so you can go mobile I would say round the 9.2 up to 10 then multiply by 1-1/2 so 15 Kva should handle it ( this is a common factor if you read the specs on sites such as Rtech ) if you are running a generator at home due to lack of electrical connection the go at least double to factor in some leeway on duty cycle & allow for some lighting & other sundry items you tend to forget - Otto I believe has recommended a factor of 4 & I agree entirely with his reasoning - but is somewhat expensive as an option for casual home use - if it were in industry where reliability over prolonged hours use is important then I'd totally agree - running on small generators is something of a minefield & if you plan on having to buy a welder for portable use I think the safest bet is go to " Everlast " or somewhere similar that does both & let them advise & sell you a compatible generator & welder - then there is no confusion on warranty issues.

I have a everlast welder and they say the generator must be designated as clean power by the manufacturer. Problem with everlast, at least last time I checked, they don't carry any generators anywhere near big enough for a welder. Their largest is a 6500 watt(surge) diesel that "is not recommended for sensitive electronics". I looked around some but haven't found any generators in the 10-15k watt range that advertise as clean power. Id like to set up a mobile rig sooner or later but looks like I'll be looking for a engine driven welder when I try that.