Looking for electrical advice

[rcowan]

Amen

I look for a simple answer to what for me is a simple question. I want to run my welder. What wire and breaker do I need. The answers usually start with something line "The NEC says..."

RC

Of all the forums they added to this site electric should have been one. The service guide is written for a guy that understands it and probably doesn't need it,, ha, but there should be some layman's terms of recommendations, could be a step above code and minimum standards and wouldn't confuse the crap out of the diy crowd which tends to purchase these units. I think it could and should go as far as every welding student have a class or 2 to understand some basics of the equipment in the world they gonna live in, short circuit, wire sizing, duty cycle, breakers, etc. It amazes me sometimes,,, I can understand it in some cases, but we got engineers and phd types never used an electric drill.
They have sold a billion 30A screw in fuses got installed in overloaded circuits over the years, probably a few 30A breakers too considering the number on the shelves at hwd stores. Bet money a fair share of them got installed in places they shouldn'tt have been.

[usmcpop]

It was easy back in the old days when there were screw-in fuses and 100% copper pennies.

[Roger]

HH135 has 25 amp circuit breaker on back of welder next to power cord. HH140 also has circuit breaker in same location amp rating isn't listed in manual I have but it should also be 25 amp circuit breaker. The welder will work on 15amp circuit welding 18 gage steel and thinner. Can provide full rated output on 20amp circuit but is pulling more than 20 amps at highest setting and works without blowing circuit breaker because circuit breakers are slow blow devices.

Drive motor is protected by PTC thermister that acts as self reseting thermal overload protection. Wikipedia explains how this works.