duty cycle
New User
Joined: Dec 2003
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Duty cycle is a welding equipment specification which defines the number of minutes, within a 10 minute period, during which a given welder can safely produce a particular welding current.For example, a 150 amp. welder with a 30% duty cycle must be "rested" for at least 7 minutes after 3 minutes of continuous welding.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 941
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In a few years of using my 175 amp Lincoln Mig, I've only hit the duty cycle limit once. That was when I was welding with .045 wire and near the max current of the machine. I had set up several joints and was laying down a long series of beads without stopping to make up the next joint. The machine eventually quit welding, and I wondered why. It turned out the thermal safety trip inside had gone off. It took 15 minutes or so before the machine cooled off enough for the thermal limit to reset itself.
Most of the time, you weld for a couple of minutes and stop to get the next part ready. This easily keeps you below the duty cycle limit.
Most of the time, you weld for a couple of minutes and stop to get the next part ready. This easily keeps you below the duty cycle limit.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,922
Likes: 153
I'm considering a new Hobart ac dc stick welder. My old Wards welder is on it's last leg & I want dc. I don't like Lincons because you can't dial your heat, in there welders only have have the clicks, no fine tuning.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,959
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From: USA
At home I've never exceeded the duty cycle of my welder. I don't remember what the duty cycle on it is, but it's on average for a quality 200 amp MIG. Most of the stuff I weld with it doesn't require full power and I'm not in a big hurry when I'm working at home. At work, we weld constantly, all day, weld after weld, with only a few seconds between each weld (high production work). Our machines are huge Miller industrials, run on 480 3-phase, and hold up to the demand. If I used my home welder that way, I'd probably kill it in short order.
