Welding Tips and Tricks

FWIW, I'm intentionally staying out of your thread on WeldingWeb.

Mainly because I am no electrician.

RPC will be here tomorrow! Dang that was fast! I don't even have everything set-up yet! Time to add products to carts.

Oscar wrote:Time to add products to carts.

Indeed, it looks like your cart is gonna be even fuller than it was when I was offering my confused advice.

From a post above.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:Kind of overkill to get another 50 amps on your welder, but what do I know...

Doesn't life always seem to be like that...a can of worms once you start doing something...

I do realize it's more than your welder, not trying to bust your chops, but it seems like it's accelerating your shop upgrade!

Not that I should even be talking, I'm into my new shop for at least $150k...yeah, so it includes a house foundation also, it's still needed for the shop in the walkout basement. So if you want to talk about a can of worms, I probably know as well as anyone.

I got a heck of a deal on a Phase Perfect PT-355, 55 amps of continuous pure 3 phase which uses 100 amps of single phase. I found it on craigslist for less than 50% of MSRP, it has about 1 month of use on it, in like new condition. I do use an RPC in my current shop, that's exactly why I bought the Phase Perfect, I educated myself the honest way.

Well, I kinda have to since I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I never got the full 400A out of the machine ever.

I dont have to add too many products to carts, as I have lots of extras here that I can use. Perhaps another week before I have everything running.

She's a big momma.

Oscar wrote:She's a big momma.

She's so big I had to view the entire image to see her!

Looks good!

Oscar wrote:She's a big momma.

Well, that's Texas for ya

Wondering which part of the house Oscar has that set up in. Keep watching the night sky, you'll see the neighborhood go dim when he turns it on...

Not set-up yet......maybe in a couple weeks by the time I make up my mind.

Started the wiring upgrade yesterday.

120ft of 2/0 simpull.












I was a total and utter pain to run this thing. Hated every second of it. But I know voltage drop will be minimized as much as I can minimize it. The wiring will not just power the RPC, but rather a small subpanel that will feed the RPC and my other machines. Decided to run a 125A breaker at a few points along the way.

[content removed]

Decided to use metallic flex conduit to encase the wiring. Got a good deal (naturally, lol) on 1.5" and 1". Not here yet, it's on it's way. You can see the wire bundle on the left consisting of two 2/0 hots, one 4awg ground, and one 8 gauge neutral.

The set-up (for now), which is obviously not physically set-up. Not all breaker's are in place though. Just saying this is what I will be integrating into the cart for the RPC.

The top-right is the 240V 1-Φ disconnect box for everything, with an Eaton BR2125 (on it's way)
Bottom-right is a 240V 1-Φ subpanel that will power the RPC panel (BR2100), and provide power for my other machines via another BR2100 (it will feed my Texas Power Strip)
Bottom left are the RPC panel obviously (which can only accept 4awg at it's input terminals unfortunately), and the 3-pole breaker for the welder.





but the most important thing in all of this are these parts which none of it will work without:











































Now I just have to make the cart for it all. Back to work!

Finally got time to revisit this. Built up the cage.



Using 1/8" sheet for the caster mount plates.

added casters, then had to flip it over. I need to work out some more, it was a chore to flip over this 400lb behemoth.

Oscar wrote:added casters, then had to flip it over. I need to work out some more, it was a chore to flip over this 400lb behemoth.

Looks good.
Will it be partially enclosed? (Just wondering about the wrap around frame.)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, it won't be enclosed. It's just for support, since I will be adding the electrical boxes on top.

geez Oscar, you need over weight permit and a back up horn.

I don't (I'm only 175lbs), but this RPC does!

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With 2/0 copper wire feeding the juice within 2-feet of the RPC panel (all the way from the house main panel), the lights didn't even dim! My 10HP compressor has more in-rush!

That's pretty cool Oscar.

I've got the 3Ph power here, just don't have the 400A welder!

I can understand why people go the inverter route when they don't have 3 phase. Back in the early 2000s 3 phase 480 was considered here since it's right across the street. It was gonna cost $50K then, and that was just the power company quote. Needless to say, I've still got 240 3Ph.

Now I just need some thick steel, as I don't have anything to withstand 400A. I was quite surprised/shocked that the starting caps worked so well. I thought for sure the power company was gonna come to my house to say I blew out some parts on the transformer, but nope. my Evo Rage2 14" saw dims the garage lights more when it starts, than starting this thing! I was and still am impressed. But then again, I REALLY over-did the wiring. Even with 4 breakers inline before power reaches the RPC panel, the sheer size of the wiring made up for everything.

I've got plenty of chunks of thick steel if you want something to weld. I've got some 2 by 8 by 10 and some 3 by 4. I'm not sure I want them all welded up but you could have a piece or two. LOL

Matter of fact, there was just a recent employee theft of some 5 inch diameter and 7 inch diameter stock that got used for lawn mower weights.

I just picked up some 3/4" steel scrap but if you want me to test on those thicker pieces, feel free to mail them to me. I can do cut and etch.