Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey y’all

I did some more structural columns today, bit of a drizzly day, and it was raining periodically too. Got me wondering, is there any risks to welding in rain? Will it affect your welds?

I expected the weather so I took along a propane blowtorch and cooked the steel nice and hot to dry it off before welding. But some beads it was still pouring rain down as I was welding. Anyone know if that risks weakening your beads? I did over weld the joints to be safe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve done a lot of code structural welding. QC would never allow us to weld in the direct rain. We had a construct a shelter cover somehow. Usually with fire blanket and wire or rope.
Preheat with propane weed burner to remove standing water from metal. Never allow rain to fall on a hot weld.
Keep your weld gloves dry. Wet welding gloves will allow you to become part of the circuit and you will get zapped just from changing your electrodes.

There's no upside to welding in the rain. Water in the arc turns to hydrogen and oxygen, both undesirable contaminants. Water on hot beads causes rapid cooling and embrittlement. Standing on wet ground with wet clothes and gloves is asking for a shock.

you can hold hands with your significant other and walk in the rain. you can dance in the rain. but I bet a sawbuck, if you weld in the rain with wet gloves, that will get your putter to flutter.

BillE.Dee wrote:you can hold hands with your significant other and walk in the rain. you can dance in the rain. but I bet a sawbuck, if you weld in the rain with wet gloves, that will get your putter to flutter.

I did feel a couple tingles, that’s when I decided I’d best switch to my spare gloves


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Coldman wrote:There's no upside to welding in the rain. Water in the arc turns to hydrogen and oxygen, both undesirable contaminants. Water on hot beads causes rapid cooling and embrittlement. Standing on wet ground with wet clothes and gloves is asking for a shock.

Hydrogen precipitation! Reason 1, welding with 7018 in the rain or direct contact with water totally negates the use of 7018. Even if it doesn’t crack right away it definitely will.

Poland308 wrote:

Coldman wrote:There's no upside to welding in the rain. Water in the arc turns to hydrogen and oxygen, both undesirable contaminants. Water on hot beads causes rapid cooling and embrittlement. Standing on wet ground with wet clothes and gloves is asking for a shock.

Hydrogen precipitation! Reason 1, welding with 7018 in the rain or direct contact with water totally negates the use of 7018. Even if it doesn’t crack right away it definitely will.

I agree 7018 is a do not.
It is pain to weld rain and do it right

Dave

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk