A few Champion 4500 recomendations please

[Cormac]

I bought a portable engine driven Champion 4500 earlier this year and have still not fired it up. I am getting ready to and plan to use it for pipe fence, metal buildings, and misc. duties at a farm. I'd like to get the set up right the first time. How much ground cable and what cable size? The same questions for welding cable? I am thinking 25 feet grounding and 75 feet for welding? Is 50' or 100' more practical. I'll probably move it around in the back of the truck. For those familiar with this gas welder, and bear in mind, I have never welded before and will be learning "on the job", any electrode recomendations that will be forgiving for a novice? This is an AC welder and I was suggested to use a 1/8th 6011 and/or 1/8 7018AC? A lot of questions I know, but I definitely appreciate you responses. Thanks

[enlpck]

See the manual for the reccommended cable sizes based on length.

I would set up with quick connects at the machine, a pair of 25'' leads with quick connects on the ends, and a pair of 50' leads same way, then about a 10' work lead and about a 10' to 15' whip for the electrode holder. This buys you a) cables that arn't excessively long for jobs that don't need long cables, which b) makes them managable, and c) versatile. On, say, a fence job, you clamp the work clamp on near the machine (maybe with the work lead right into the machine) and that leaves you 150' of stinger lead before you need to move the machine, in managable lengths. Long leads are HEAVY, both due to the length, as well as the gauge of wire needed for a long run. I would NOT go longer than 50' for an individual cable unless you have spools on wheels, and probably not then. The connectors are a lot cheaper than the pain from hauling around longer sections.

If cost is an issue, start with a couple 25' sections and 10 to 15' whips for the clamp and holder, and buy more later. The whips can (and should) be lighter gauge than the long sections. This makes them much more managable. My 150 has #6 whips (a tad light in my opinion) which is very easy to manage. The larger machines at work, we run #2 whips, about 10 feet long, which are managable and good to well over 250A.

If you anticipate running at 250A or less, and keeping the total welding circuit under about 200 feet (including both work and stinger leads) 1/0 or 2/0 would be the size for the cable sections. Up to about 150ft total at 250A, #1 (or #2 at reduced duty cycle) should do. Reference: darn near any machine manual, but in this case, the manual for a synchro350, which I had handy.

[Kdredneck]

Right now I think mine are about 75 on the stinger lead and 50 on the work lead. The quick connects are a great idea, need to put some on mine. I would get them as long as you can afford and take care of them, they tend to get expensive. With the pipe fence it is to you advantage to have a long stinger lead, less moving the truck. Like was mentioned earlier, don't go so big and so long that it isn't manageable. They seem so much longer and heavier after a long day welding fence.

For the electrodes, I tend to use what I have. Usually I go with a 6011 or a box of 6010 5p that I picked up on a job. I don't really see the advantage in using the 7018, the lower strength rod will do great. If you are doing the saddle cuts, when you first begin get the fit up as tight as reasonable. Trying to fill a 1/4 in gap overhead without too much practice isn't too much fun.