Wiring Outlet/Breaker for Welder

[ANewBeat]

Can I do it myself, or should I bite the bullet and pay someone who knows what they're doing?

I was given a Lincoln ARC Welder a while back. I would like to wire up an outlet/breaker so I can try to stick metal together.

Details:
Lincoln Electric AC-180-S
Input: Single Phase 230 volts, 60 cycle, 37 amps
Output: Max Welding Current 180 amps at 25 Arc Volts, 115deg C rise, Max OCV - 75 volts, Duty cycle - 20%

The breaker box is in the garage on the opposite wall from where I'd like the outlet. I'd be running the wire in the attic and drop conduit down in front of CBS exterior wall. What wire? What breaker? Am I going to kill myself?

 

[1Garageman]

Few questions.
Have you ever installed a breaker before?
Have you ever worked with installing a breaker that is going to give you 240v?

 

[q miester]

What wire? #8 What breaker? 2pole 40A Am I going to kill myself?depends on your skills

 

[sberry]

With that machine a wire 10 or larger, 40 A breaker is fine.

 

[ANewBeat]

Few questions.
Have you ever installed a breaker before?
Have you ever worked with installing a breaker that is going to give you 240v?

No & no. I think I know what the next response will be...

 

[Featherweight]

You shouldnt exceed 70 or 80% of the amperage of the breaker you install....... You will def need a 50amp breaker...

 

[babzog]

Last year I put in a 60A breaker and #6-2 wire (it's heater wire, 2 conductor, 1 gnd). Picked up the breaker, the panel fitting and receptacle/box from HD and the wire from a local supply house. This was for a 225A AC arc welder but I wanted the capability to upgrade to a good mig down the road.

 

[Coach James]

I installed a new circuit for my welder a year or two ago. I had never done this either but I wanted to. I asked the folks at my welding supply what wire, breaker etc. I had someone that had done many of these to watch me and stop me if I did something wrong. I read the relevant section in 2 or 3 of my electrical books and went to work. Actually pretty easy, but I tend to work slow when doing something new like that.

Glad I did it myself.

Fun

Good learning experience

More confident in what I can do

Know it was done right

Pride in doing it myself

Saved the cost of paid install

Coach

 

[bdog]

It's not rocket science but you could kill your self or burn your house down if you screw up.

I guess it depends on your confidence level.

I tought myself to wire up things by reading the do it yourself books years ago. I have learned other things from doing it and watching others.