MIG WELDER

[cider_eater]

We have a Mig welder and keep tripping the main line
any one on here had same problem?

 

[roscoe erf]

We have a Mig welder and keep tripping the main line
any one on here had same problem?

Rcd type trips

 

[cider_eater]

in the main box where all the switches are.

 

[roscoe erf]

in the main box where all the switches are.

There are different classes of rcd you need the industrial type rating as the domestic type will trip continually type c or d

 

[Bury the Trash]

New one ? Could just be to high a draw...... turn the power down a bit and see....

 

[livestock 1]

There are different classes of rcd you need the industrial type rating as the domestic type will trip continually type c or d

Is that a big job or not to change the trip?

 

[roscoe erf]

Is that a big job or not to change the trip?

Not a big job I had to do mine in one shed as the welder tripped it but wasn’t in the other shed

 

[TheTallGuy]

Really we need more details to give a reliable answer. Firstly, what size welder is it & is it a transformer or inverter welder. How is it powered 13A or 16A plug etc. Does it run for a while or is it an instant trip? Which "trip" is going off & what rating is it?

 

[The Stig]

Give the transformer a good blow off with the airline.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Depends if it’s tripping the breaker or the main RCD. What rating is the breaker and size of mig? Does it do it on all power settings. If RCD is going it’s pointing towards a fault. We have an issue with the furthest shed from our supply with things like shearing machines occasionally tripping nain RCD at incoming supply. Have 99% put it down to voltage drop but funnily we were able to run three shearing machines off two extension leads across the yard last time but not from supply in said shed!!!

 

[TheTallGuy]

Depends if it’s tripping the breaker or the main RCD. What rating is the breaker and size of mig? Does it do it on all power settings. If RCD is going it’s pointing towards a fault. We have an issue with the furthest shed from our supply with things like shearing machines occasionally tripping nain RCD at incoming supply. Have 99% put it down to voltage drop but funnily we were able to run three shearing machines off two extension leads across the yard last time but not from supply in said shed!!!

Unlikely to be voltage drop if it is tripping an RCD - more likely to be a fault in the wiring somewhere such as damp or contamination somewhere - unless your RCD is actually a prehistoric VOELCB, in which case it should be replaced ASAP.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Unlikely to be voltage drop if it is tripping an RCD - more likely to be a fault in the wiring somewhere such as damp or contamination somewhere - unless your RCD is actually a prehistoric VOELCB, in which case it should be replaced ASAP.

No this RCD is only about 5 yrs old max when a new supply was put into workshop. The electrician doing the upgrade work fitted a standalone RCD isolator on the supply as the consumer unit only had an isolator. A few sparkys have looked into the problem when doing other things and haven’t found anything. We’ve been through it many times aswell. We even tried isolating most other things to experiment, for some reason it only goes with motor startup! Inverter welder, hand held grinders etc are ok, even tried some electric heaters, halogen lamps and kettle etc to load up the circuit but would not mimic the fault. We found a dirty connection at an isolator switch and thought we cracked it but fault was there again!!

 

[TheTallGuy]

No this RCD is only about 5 yrs old max when a new supply was put into workshop. The electrician doing the upgrade work fitted a standalone RCD isolator on the supply as the consumer unit only had an isolator. A few sparkys have looked into the problem when doing other things and haven’t found anything. We’ve been through it many times aswell. We even tried isolating most other things to experiment, for some reason it only goes with motor startup! Inverter welder, hand held grinders etc are ok, even tried some electric heaters, halogen lamps and kettle etc to load up the circuit but would not mimic the fault. We found a dirty connection at an isolator switch and thought we cracked it but fault was there again!!

For a modern RCD to trip (unless faulty) there has to be an imbalance in the currents in line & neutral or the three phases and neutral if it is 3 phase. The only way for this to happen is if current is finding a path via earth somewhere downstream of the RCD. A voltage drop doesn't cause current to "disappear" to earth, so there must be something else coming into play. The most common issue I have found where motors trip RCDs on startup is failing start or run caps on single phase and dying inverters/vfds on three phase systems.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

For a modern RCD to trip (unless faulty) there has to be an imbalance in the currents in line & neutral or the three phases and neutral if it is 3 phase. The only way for this to happen is if current is finding a path via earth somewhere downstream of the RCD. A voltage drop doesn't cause current to "disappear" to earth, so there must be something else coming into play. The most common issue I have found where motors trip RCDs on startup is failing start or run caps on single phase and dying inverters/vfds on three phase systems.

The slight mystery is that It happens with shearing machines (not ours but they’re never the same two or three) that behave on an extension lead from another building that goes through the same RCD!! There’s guaranteed a fault somewhere!

 

[defender]

Sounds like it needs B type breakers replaced by C type as suggested above either that or the socket you plug in to is faulty
Have you got a socket tester?

 

[cider_eater]

The make is Linkoln
ill Have electrician out suppler out to sort it out.

 

[The Stig]

Have you tried cleaning the transformer with the airline? A build up of dust will cause it to trip. Do the simple things first!

 

[cider_eater]

all done
cheers

 

[roscoe erf]

all done
cheers

don't leave us hanging