If you, unfortunately, end up with the wrong type of welding cable for the job, it can turn out to be quite hazardous for the welder. Not only will it affect the welding performance, but it can also cause some severe problems like overheating and causing the insulation to burn out completely. And since welding requires high voltage input, a burnt insulation layer can lead to fires caused by short circuits. To avoid all of that, it is crucial to find the right welding cable for the job. The perfect welding cable for the job will ensure a safe welding practice while keeping the welder safe from electrical accidents. However, finding the perfect cable size for the job is easier said than done. So, we have prepared this helpful guide that revolves around welding cables. In this guide, we will be covering everything that you should know about welding cable and even offer some quick buying options to get you started.
Introduction To Welding Cables
Before we start discussing the characteristics and qualities of a welding cable, let us try to understand what a welding cable is first and how it differs from other welding accessories. Welding cables are also commonly called welding leads and the function of these cables is to attach the ground camp as well as the electrode to the main power source. As for the important qualities of a welding cable, the factors that affect its performance the most are the flexibility of the cable and its reliability according to the job. A welding cable should be strong enough to avoid wear and tear so that its insulation layer would not get damaged during welding. But, the cable should also bend easily without permanent deformation so that the welder can easily move it around as required. When you are buying a welding cable, there are 2 factors that you need to carefully think about which are the core of the cable and the insulation coating available on top of the core.
1. Copper Core vs Aluminum Core Welding Cable
The core of a welding cable basically contains hundreds of layers of electrical conductors such as copper or aluminum. As the strand count of the core increases, the flexibility as well as the conductivity of the cable increases. Thus, the core of a welding cable directly affects its performance in various welding jobs. In comparison, copper turns out to be a better electrical conductor than aluminum. Therefore, welding cables that have a copper core are generally more heavy-duty and offer more conductivity. Therefore, you should choose copper-core welding cables for heavy jobs. It also helps to reduce the required diameter of the cable since copper-core welding cables would not need as many layers as aluminum for the same conductivity. However, aluminum-core cables are generally very cheaper and also lightweight in comparison.
2. Different Types Of Welding Cable Insulations
As for the exterior, the insulation of the welding cable is also as important as its core, if not more. This insulation layer is what prevents contact of the core with surrounding objects which can cause electrical incidents. Therefore, buying a cable with high-quality insulation coating is crucial, especially for heavy-duty jobs. The most popular insulation coatings available on welding cables are EPDM, neoprene, and PVC. Out of which, EPDM and Neoprene are preferred options. EMPD and neoprene offer high flexibility and ruggedness. Thus, you can expect these cables to have a long shelf life with a reliable insulation capacity. This coating can also sustain external problems like abrasion and dust without any noticeable damage to the insulation layer. PVC on the other hand offers the best resistance to external cuts or wear and tear. The only problem with PVC coating is the lack of flexibility which is important in a lot of welding jobs.
What Cable Size Should You Choose?
Coming to the next important factor, is the size of the welding cable. The size of the welding cable which is necessary for your job depends on many different factors. First of all, you will have to determine the amperage required for the welding job before you decide on the welding cable size. Apart from that, you will have to check the length of the cable needed for the job as well as the duty cycle of the machine. While a lot of professional welders believe that the size of the cable is affected by its length, it is not the whole story. Instead of just the length, you will have to consider the whole welding circuit before finalizing the welding cable size. It also includes some factors that are usually ignored such as welding leads, ground clamps, holders, etc.
1. Cable Amperage Capacity
The amperage capacity of the welding cable, also known as its ampacity, is basically the amperage of current you can pass through the cable without damaging the core. Exceeding that will increase the core temperature above the design limit and can cause the core to melt, causing problems with the insulation coating. So, it is important to keep the amperage level below the amperage capacity of the cable to maintain its temperature level. For accurate amperage capacity calculation, you again have to check the entire welding circuit instead of just the physical factors of the cable like the cable diameter and length. The cable length is inversely proportional to the amperage capacity of the cable. To put it simply, the amperage capacity of the cable will decrease with an increase in length. It occurs because of the added electrical resistance of the core. And with the increasing resistance, the temperature also increases. On the other hand, the ampacity of the welding cables goes up with an increase in its diameter. Even though the electrical resistance is still comparatively higher, the cross-section of the cable is increasing instead of its length. So, more current can flow through per unit length of the cable with an increased cable diameter. It also minimizes the overall resistance, and the resulting temperature levels as well.
2. Welder’s Duty Cycle
If you are a professional welder, you must be familiar with the duty cycle of a welding machine. The duty cycle of a welding machine basically tells you how long you can use the machine efficiently before you should turn it off and keep it on rest for every 10-minute interval. If your machine has a 30% duty cycle rating, it means that you can use the machine at maximum amperage level for 3 minutes and then need to keep it at rest for 7 minutes. As the duty cycle of the welding machine increases, the length of the cable required for the job also increases. It happens because, with a higher duty cycle, the cable will be utilized for a longer period of time before it reaches a critical temperature level. And, the time needed for heat dissipation heat to reach the operating temperature level again is also shorter. So, you will need longer and larger cables with high-duty cycle welders.
Welding Cable Reference Table
By far, you must have understood the importance of choosing the right size and length of the welding cable for the job. If you go with a long cable with a rather smaller diameter for a heavy-duty job, you will have the benefit of flexibility but the hazards of burns and electric short circuits severely outweigh the benefits. And if the amperage level of the machine is too high, the resulting electric shock could be fatal for the welder. Therefore, you will have to carefully calculate the size of the cable before you start the job to stay safe and also maintain accuracy and precision on your welds. For that, you will have to consider a lot of factors like the duty cycle, amperage capacity, circuit length, etc. But, you can avoid the complicated calculation and simply refer to a comparison table that will guide you toward the perfect cable size for the job. Welding cables are usually categorized based on their gauge rating which is represented in AWG or American wire gauge. You can consider the gauge rating to be the opposite of the cable diameter. The higher the gauge rating, the smaller will be its diameter. To put it in perspective, a welding cable having a 29 rating would be thinner than one having AWG 5 rating. Here’s a basic comparison table of various welding cable sizes that you can refer to before you choose the appropriate welding cable for your job. We will still recommend getting your choice checked out by a professional before you put it to work, to be on the safe side.
What Are The Best Options?
Now that you have understood all you needed to know about welding cables, you can easily choose the perfect option based on the factors we have discussed so far. You can also refer to the comparison chart that is presented above to find out the perfect gauge rating for your job. However, it still won’t be an easy task since there are hundreds of welding accessories suppliers on the market and all of them offer a wide range of selections for welding cable. You can find a lot of options even after you’ve decided on the length and size of the welding cable that you need. To make the task easier for you, we are bringing 2 of the most popular options on the market right here. Consider checking out these cables and you will probably find them to be the most compatible option for your welding job.
1. A Complete Package – 100 ft. Tweco Leads
As the name suggests, if you are looking for a complete welding package, then the Welding Lead Package from Excelene would be a great deal. Even though this is a premium set of welding accessories, you will find a wide range of helpful accessories on the set which surely makes it worth the price tag. It includes 100 feet of welding cable having a 1/0 AWG gauge rating. So, you can surely use this cable for heavy-duty applications. Apart from the cable, the Excelene Welding Lead Package also consists of a 300 Amps ground clamp from Tweco as well as a Tewco 250 Amps electrode holder. Such a high amperage rating surely indicates compatibility with heavy-duty applications. And if you are in need of connectors, you will also find Tweco 2-MPC-1 Cable Connectors included in the package.
2. 100 ft. EWCS 2 AWG Cable – Made in the USA
On the other hand, if you already have a decent welder with all accessories and just need a cable to pair with the machine, the EWCS 2 Gauge Premium Extra Flexible Welding Cable will be a great pick. This cable is suitable for up to 600 Volts and you will get 100 feet of cable included in the package just like our previous pick. It also has a highly flexible 30 gauge copper stranding to ensure a strong core. Despite being the cheaper alternative between the two, the EWCS Welding Cable has some more added benefits. It is ensured by EWCS to be sunlight-resistant and water-resistant. So, using the cable outdoors would not be a problem with the EWCS Welding Cable. And as for the temperature range, the EWCS Welding Cable can work with a -50 to 105 degrees celsius temperature range which is pretty good for standard applications.
Conclusion
Today, we have discussed a lot about welding cables and some crucial parameters that revolve around it such as cable size, diameter, gauge rating, and much more. So if you are a beginner welder, this is the right place for you to understand some important cable parameters and find the perfect option for your welding applications. Apart from the diameter, you will also have to check out the cable length and amperage capacity and compare it against the machine’s parameters to get an idea about its compatibility with your task. We have also offered handy recommendations for welding cable that you can get right now and see if that fits your job. Source: Welding Cable Size Chart Comment * Name * Email * Website
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