BlackLead
Well-known member
I did a search, but didn't turn up what I was looking for. If you aren't able to weld on a table, how do you ground the piece you're working on? My brush cutter is far too big and heavy. What methods do you use?
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Workpiece grounding in field?
- Thread starter BlackLead
- Start date
alfazer
Well-known member
don't you just clip the ground to the workpiece, or is there something here I'm not getting?
EvilWelder
Well-known member
I just grind the paint off in a spot and attach my ground clamp, been doing it for years.
CAOS
Well-known member
Use a Vise Grip chain grip then connect the ground clamp to that. Solid ground and no chance of arc burns.
I'm not sure if this is the issue here, but some people make the mistake that the 'ground' clamp in welding needs to lead to a connection to the earth, like the ground on your house wiring. It doesn't. It simply needs to complete the circuit between the machine, the welding lead, and the workpiece.
Otherwise, you just need to attach the ground clamp to a clean piece of exposed metal on the piece you're welding.
Otherwise, you just need to attach the ground clamp to a clean piece of exposed metal on the piece you're welding.
Yeah, I guess I wasn't very clear. I'm not talking about the machine work clamp, I'm talking about grounding the workpiece itself.
"According to ANSI Z49.1, "Safety in Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes," the workpiece or the metal table that the workpiece rests upon must be grounded. We must connect the workpiece or work table to a suitable ground, such as a metal building frame. The ground connection should be independent or separate from the welding circuit connection." (from the Lincoln Electric website)
The "independent or separate from the welding circuit connection" part is what has me bollixed. How can I do that in my back yard?
"According to ANSI Z49.1, "Safety in Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes," the workpiece or the metal table that the workpiece rests upon must be grounded. We must connect the workpiece or work table to a suitable ground, such as a metal building frame. The ground connection should be independent or separate from the welding circuit connection." (from the Lincoln Electric website)
The "independent or separate from the welding circuit connection" part is what has me bollixed. How can I do that in my back yard?
CAOS
Well-known member
Buildings are grounded to the earth by 10' ground rods that are usually made out of 3/4" copper. They are then pounded into the ground and are connected to a building in so many intervals. Everything in the building eventually gets tied into these ground rods. So connecting the table to the steel in the building ties into these ground rods. Its just an added safety precaution, lets say you forgot to ground out the work piece, but you had a four plug receptacle mounted to your table. It is possible to turn the electrical cord into your ground. Remember electricity will ALWAYS take the path of least resistance.
Just make sure you have a clean spot of metal to connect your ground clamp to and you do not have to worry about a second ground. Your power source will already be "earth grounded"
Just make sure you have a clean spot of metal to connect your ground clamp to and you do not have to worry about a second ground. Your power source will already be "earth grounded"
bad_idea
Well-known member
I don't worry about that. Attach the machine ground to the piece and get it. Sounds like one of those CYA safety rules.
sberry
Banned
This does not apply to a remote piece. In a workplace osha does not ungrounded work tables, it probably should be grounded regardless of welding. Steel fabrication table could have all kinds of potential exposure to becoming energized.
There are circumstances as were mentioned. Permanent installation of electric equipment to these benches can have issues with welding. I have metal building, I bonded the bench to it and a common point with welded rebar, fed the bench 2 wire from GFCI circuit. Should I lay a grounded tool plugged in on this bench there is no potential pathway via the cord/circuit to carry a welding current. But,,,, it is still grounded to the electric system. I used isolated G recept fed it 2 wire. Bench welded to building.
There are circumstances as were mentioned. Permanent installation of electric equipment to these benches can have issues with welding. I have metal building, I bonded the bench to it and a common point with welded rebar, fed the bench 2 wire from GFCI circuit. Should I lay a grounded tool plugged in on this bench there is no potential pathway via the cord/circuit to carry a welding current. But,,,, it is still grounded to the electric system. I used isolated G recept fed it 2 wire. Bench welded to building.
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sberry
Banned
Now, if this were a portable steel bench and I was going to use electric tools and weld on it would be to have a grounded receptical to it fed by a cord, no need to worry about welding currents as this bench is not interconnected to building via other pathways. If you are using tools from all gfci all this is probably moot.
Kind isnt the same as my situation where I have multiple welding machines connected to common work ground, a rod welded to building and benches with a lug in the middle to bolt machine work leads to.
Kind isnt the same as my situation where I have multiple welding machines connected to common work ground, a rod welded to building and benches with a lug in the middle to bolt machine work leads to.
sberry
Banned
The point, not earth grounding,,, but, take a 3 wire cord, pinch a "Hot" current carrying conductor to this bench {assuming you pinch this one conductor and dont shear it to a short) with ungrounded bench the whole table could potentially be energized at 120v, even several amps current flowing on it without tripping a breaker.
This happens, I went to a farm recently got a blast from some old farmer boogered the ground on something. I stopped and fixed the thing before he killed someone. The rest of the place the electrician wired but when I got zapped I went wha wo, I went found it. Some cobble job he applied to an ungrounded steel bench.
This happens, I went to a farm recently got a blast from some old farmer boogered the ground on something. I stopped and fixed the thing before he killed someone. The rest of the place the electrician wired but when I got zapped I went wha wo, I went found it. Some cobble job he applied to an ungrounded steel bench.
My understanding is that welders are given the same “in the field” exception” to earth grounding that the construction guys have with their generators.
I have never seen a construction generator grounded to earth and many an inspector of various groups walk right by.
I have never seen a construction generator grounded to earth and many an inspector of various groups walk right by.