Stick welder

[Glen Vassallo]

Hi all,
I just got my first stick welder. It's an old one but the owner said that it works fine. The label says "Varios fabricken B.V Groningen Holland type-VT.175". The problem is that the cables were missing, so I bought the cables but I am not sure which goes where. The welder isn't marked. Does it make any difference how you hook the wires up? Thanks
Glen

 

[porschedude996TT]

We need more info, like is it a straight AC or is it both AC and DC? How many knobs? Maybe some pictures...

 

[luvit]

Is this Arc Welder AC only? -- If so, it does make a difference on how to hookup the wires.
If it's DC, then you typically swap the wires as you need your polarity (or there is a polarity switch).
If you haven't bought the cables, yet, checkout this thread for cable sizes.
.

 

[luvit]

hey, man.
checkout my pic of my lincoln AC stick buzz box
my glove is pointing to the ground clamp cable. It's a large bar coil.
The stinger cable is the nut at 6 o'clock on the bottom of the dial.
Hope this helps if you have an AC-only welder!
.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

Hi,
Thanks guys for the info and the photo. I will post pics soon. How can I tell if it is either an Ac or a DC welding set? Thanks
Glen

 

[luvit]

I'm only guessing it would stand out pretty obvious..
If it were DC, it may say it somewhere on the box.
There's a chance if it were DC, that it may also support AC, so another label for a switch.
Also, DC would have a polarity switch IF your cables are hard-wired, like mine..

I believe if you don't see any of those 3 clues, above, it would be an AC only welder, like mine.
.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

Hi all,
Thanks for the tips. I was talking to an electrician friend of mine and he told me to use a tester (those screwdriver types) to determine which cable goes where. The socket that illuminates is the stinger and the one that doesn't is the ground. What do you guys think? Thanks
Glen

 

[Bobhdus]

I'm thinking it would only light up if you touched the other end to ground lug and even then I doubt you would be able to tell which direction the current is going. Once you strike an arc with a rod it will be obvious if it's AC as it has a unique sound to it (unless you don't have much welding experience with DC). You really should post some pictures. It would be pretty obvious what it is based on the spec chart or the front view of the welder. Did you do a google search to find info on it? The name sounds almost German to me. You might look into it. It may have an unusual power requirement. I can't look it up right now.

 

[king nero]

if it weighs a tonne, only has one large knob which mechanically moves something, and it's old, you've got a AC only welder.

 

[luvit]

if it weighs a tonne, only has one large knob which mechanically moves something, and it's old, you've got a AC only welder.

i concur with this!
.

 

[Murphy4570]

I'm thinking it would only light up if you touched the other end to ground lug and even then I doubt you would be able to tell which direction the current is going. Once you strike an arc with a rod it will be obvious if it's AC as it has a unique sound to it (unless you don't have much welding experience with DC). You really should post some pictures. It would be pretty obvious what it is based on the spec chart or the front view of the welder. Did you do a google search to find info on it? The name sounds almost German to me. You might look into it. It may have an unusual power requirement. I can't look it up right now.

Now that you mention it, AC stick welding does have a funny buzzing sound to it. Much different sounding than both FCAW and MIG welding. Not the easiest to weld with either, took me some practice and changing my stitch pattern a couple times to get good looking welds with 6011 rod. You definitely can't weld AC stick using the same pattern that you use for MIG or FCAW. I learned that the hard way, or "why is it melting through???".

His welder is probably just an old AC machine, as those are relatively cheap and plentiful. DC machines are more rare in comparison, IMO.

 

[dr_clyde]

I would avoid the temptation to use a standard test light to check polarity out of the output leads. You would be creating a dead short using transformed welding current. Think how an electrode works.... You will cook your test light in short order. Besides, current flows only between the two leads. You wouldn't be able to tell polarity with a test light, even if it didn't fry.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

Thanks for the info guys. It is an AC only machine. It is made in Holland, bobhdus. Will I do any damage if I use the cables the other way round? Thanks again for the interest!!
Glen

 

[king nero]

there's no such thing as polarity on an AC machine, so it doesn't matter.

most of us were tought on such a machine, they're old but still serve their purpose.
Happy welding!

edit: as I'm from Belgium, right next to Holland, bobhdus makes a point: regular voltage is either 220V or 380-400 V.

You'll probably see jumper wires when you open the machine, it should be marked how to connect incoming current.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

Hi all,
I was able to clean and read the information plate on the front of the machine. It reads as follows;

Primary Secondary

N 10 KVA Ue 62V
U 220/415V I 35-175A
I 45/25 Duty cycle
Freq 50-60Hz 175A-35%
class F insulation
Maybe this info may be of some help to you much more experienced welders.
thanks

 

[king nero]

what's important is that you'll need to supply either 220V or 415 (that should be anything from 380 to 415).

 

[racingtadpole]

Hi all,
I was able to clean and read the information plate on the front of the machine. It reads as follows;

Primary Secondary

N 10 KVA Ue 62V
U 220/415V I 35-175A
I 45/25 Duty cycle
Freq 50-60Hz 175A-35%
class F insulation
Maybe this info may be of some help to you much more experienced welders.
thanks

Input Voltage can be set for either 220 or 415
Max Current of 175Amps at 35% duty cycle

As its an AC unit, there is no polarity because the Voltage is alternating between positive and negative 60 times a second (50 a second here).

Hope that is of some help