I had some welding I needed to do in my back yard so I hauled the welder out of the shop and hooked it up at the house to my hot tub. The Breaker pops even though it is the right current rating, 50 AMPS. I think this is because it is a ground fault breaker and I dont believe you can use a welder with a GFCI breaker. I kind of suspected this before I hooked it up.
Jimmie
My guess is that there is something wrong with the welding machine if it pops a GFCI breaker due to ground fault. Does this happen when you turn it on, start welding, does it happen on high amps only, etc?
i
I have various welders running off a 30A 230V supply and the GFCI covers the entire house and never a problem with any welder tripping a breaker or GFCI. One point though when the house wiring was done the garage 30A supply has the heaviest duty domestic breaker available in the UK because of the type of loading the various kit in the garage would give it. As Iggy asked at what point does it trip?.
Breakers heat up and cool down many times over their lifetimes. The metals inside change. They can become "weak". For a cheap fix, replace it with an equivalent straight breaker (no GFCI), and if it still pops, look for another problem. Even if it's good, and keeps popping, the GFCI will just cause you headaches when welding, and your work will suffer.
What I'd do, anyway.
Steve
Apparently I have a bad GFCI breaker, this may be what was wrong with the hot tub too. I replaced the 50 amp GFCI breaker located at the hot tub with a simple disconnect and replaced the 50 amp Breaker in the main panel with a GFCI breaker, no more problems. For the next week this will be my temporary welder hookup.
Jimmie.
I use my Lincoln Mig on a 50 AMP 224v GFCI. Maybe your welder has a ground fault?? Patrick
The OP said this breaker is normally used for a hot tub. Hot tubs *must* be connected to a GFCI circuit.
GWE
Yes, and now that he has wired it without a GFCI, we have the potential to read about him in the newspaper. Hooking a hot tub and a welding machine on the same circuit is not the best set up. The best setup would be to have a separate circuit for the welder. AND to put the GFCI back on the hot tub. Unless it's weak or fried, in which case, it will keep kicking out. In that case, a bank loan to buy a new GFCI would be in order.
IMHO
Steve
Not sure now, either. But, still, I would think the best way would be to have the GFCI on the tub, and a separate breaker and run to the welder.
Film at eleven.
Steve
I understood that there is still a GFI, but it is the panel breaker, rather than at the hot tub. Bob
Most guys don't have enough room in the panel for an extra breaker. The OP has a GFCI in the circuit now, and his welder is working. He can't weld and run his hot tub at the same time, so that shouldn't be an issue.
GWE
I have done the same thing. However, when any circuit is loaded up with more load than it can handle, and juggling use comes into play just to avoid overload, the circuit is just that. Overloaded.
I have a couple of these circuits at my cabin. You can't run the toaster and microwave at the same time. The problem will be cured this season, and new breakers and circuits run. Running more draw than a circuit is designed for can be done, and it's done all the time. Sometimes it's done because that's all ya got. And it can be safe. It's just not the best way to handle electricity.
A breaker is heated up each time it is overloaded. That takes a toll over a long time. Then, one time, it doesn't work, and you got a problem.
Steve
Nope it is still GFCI protected, now it is protected in the distibution panel instead of at the disconnect.
The OP Jimmie
"Jimmie D" wrote
Can you still weld and run the spa at the same time?
Steve
Hot tub wasnt working so I just diconnected it. I got a lot more done on my backyard projects than I planned so maybe the hot tub will be working Friday when I hook it back up to a working circuit and I can use it to celebrate finishing repairs to my daughters trampoline and gym set. Actually I didnt know the hot tub had not been working as we drained it for the winter and hadnt set it back up yet.
Jimmie
No the spa is disconnected until I finish my welding.. I am thinking of running a circuit back there for the welder. The patio is 16 X 28. I bet Ill have a real chance of floating that past the wife.
Jimmie
Do you want to weld on the patio? How is it made, what is underneath it?
i
If it was left up to me I probably would. I did this time because it was a special project she wanted done. But seriously I have put too much money in it to make it a nice place to relax to mess it up. When I built the patio I pulled a permit with the city, got inspections and built it as if I were going to add a room on to the house so I could if I wanted to later on.. There is a lot of room to work there, its in the shade in the afternoon and it beats the heck out of working in the driveway. I do think I wiill run a
220 circuit back there in the guise of having a place to plug in the camper when our daughter has guest.Jimmie
I am not sure what will happen when a welding spark falls through the crack between the wood planking and falls onto dry stuff like sawdust, leaves etc... May take a while to get the fire big enough to be noticeable.
i
Personally, when I hear "patio", it think concrete slab, not a wood or composite "deck".
DJ
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