Mig Welders: How to Get the Most Out of Your 115 Volt Wire Feed Welder

16-09-2022

Those little 115v wire welders you see at Lowes and Home Depot sell like hot cakes. Home Depot seems to always have the Lincoln Electric Weld Pak HD in stock. And Lowes seems to always have the Lincoln Electric Pro Core 125 MIG/Flow-Wire Welder. Every time I visit Lowes or Home Depot, I can’t help but notice that the soldering supply shelves have grown like crazy between my frequent visits. My theory is that cable TV shows like Orange County Choppers and Monster Garage helped bring welding and fabrication into the American mainstream and even created a buzz around welding and fabrication. It seems like every red-blooded American man with an ounce of testosterone in his gonads wants to make something out of metal and the only real way to do it is with a welding machine. Having a welder in your garage also gives you bragging rights and makes you think you have a lot more friends than you really do (sort of like having a Bass boat).

But what scares me a little and should scare a lot of people is that there is no welding police. No one to blow the whistle and stop people from welding things they shouldn’t be welding. It’s as if a sixteen year old had the freedom to walk into a motorcycle shop and jump on a crotch rocket that would go 180 mph. I guess that’s part of living in free America.

What country!

These little wire welders have some limitations. Let’s be clear about it. There are just a few jobs you shouldn’t do with a 115v mig welder.

But cheer up. There are many jobs you can do and do well with one of these 115v welders.

The purpose of this article is to explain how to get the most out of your 115v wire feed welder and ensure you are getting the proper penetration on what you are welding.

First of all, if you are welding a thin sheet metal side panel patch for a Nissan Altima, don’t worry. Penetration will be the least of your worries. But if you’re thinking of welding something heavier, like a home-built Hummer kit using 3-inch square tubing with 3/16-inch wall thickness, that’s a whole different story. This is a situation where you will really be pushing the limits of any 115v wire feed welder.

I think any time you weld something that would likely injure someone if the welds fail, a 220-230v MIG welding machine should be used. That said, there will still be times when people need to push the limits of their 115v MIG welding wire feed welder.

Here are 7 things you can do to help increase your chances of penetration when you really need it.

1. Use flux cored wire such as Hobart Fabshield 21b and set machine to full voltage, then adjust wire feed accordingly. The flux core simply penetrates better than bare wire on 115v wire feeders. Be sure to follow the recommendations on the cable for polarity. There has been a lot of disappointment about not changing polarity when needed.

2. Plug it into a dedicated 20-amp circuit. Most home circuits are 15 amps. You may have a 20 amp one in your garage. If not, consider getting one.

3. No, I repeat, do not use an extension cord. If you must use one, you’re better off using the shortest and thickest you can find to avoid a power drop. Even then, your machine will probably weld as if it has been castrated. Get it? no balls Okay, moving on to #4.

4. Preheat the joint even with a small propane torch, heating a joint up to 150 degrees is like having another 10% extra amperage.

5. Do not weld downhill. Instead, weld uphill. Uphill vertical welds get more penetration than any other position joint because gravity keeps the puddle behind the arc.

6. Clean the metal with a grinder. Not having to penetrate through hot rolled scale, rust or paint will greatly increase your penetration.

7. Get some small pieces of metal the same thickness as the welding task at hand and weld a T-joint. Then break it up with a drift and a hammer. If it breaks easily, you are in trouble and need to adjust the machine and/or technique until you can weld multiple joints that do not break or, if they do break, show good penetration at the corner of the joint.

By following these 7 welding tips to get better penetration with your 115 volt wire feed welder, you will get the most out of your mig welder.