I am fortunate in having 3 phase electricity available in my workshop. Would something like a 350amp mig welder with a seperate wire feeder be a good bet for Locost style chassis?

3-phase welders are much less popular that single phase, and it might be a good way of getting a decent welder at a good price.

All opinions welcome

John

Sounds like a very good idea. The industrial ones are much better and like you say the 2nd hand market demand for them is small so they are relatively cheap. Make sure you get one you can still get spares for though.

The only problem or possible benefit is that you wont be able to do jobs for friends and family with it as they wont have three phase, unless the item to be repaired can be brought to you of course.

As i've got better with my welding I've done odd jobs for people at their homes which I couldn't do with a 3 phase welder.

Engineer at work was advising me that 3 phase in the home is a BAD IDEA. Just from a safety point of view really.

He said that single phase throws your hands open if you get a shock, due to the fact its a sign (SP?) wave. 3 phase though is constant and so when you get a shock you grip the offending article and fry.

He got hit with a 3 phase shock once, and even stood (lying by the end of it) on a rubber matt with boots on he very nearly died.

So from a technical point of view it would be great, but from a safety point of view go steady!

EDIT - opps! Read workshop and thought of a back garden outhouse... my bad!

[Edited on 6/6/08 by Dangle_kt]

This is in a workshop, not at home - it's hard to get installed in domestic premises even if you want it.

Some 3phase equipment can be strapped to work of single phase successfully.

On the Mig, as ^^^ make sure you can get spares, but it should be a euro torch anyway on 'proper' equipment, so not a problem for consumables.

For a locost chassis 350A might be overkill! Check the MINIMUM setting is low enough

Regards

Hugh

If 3 phase is so dangerous why is it common in engineering workshops and factories, sounds like bad maintainance to me, as said I wish I had 3 phase at home could save a fortune on equipment
Tony

3 phase is 3 * 240v sine waves 120 degrees apart.
Domestic power is just one of the three phases being used.
Add the 3 phases together and the resultant voltage is nil, so it saves on the neutral wire as used for domestic power supplies.

Darren

[Edited on 6/6/08 by turbodisplay]

Nahh 220v at 16A @50/60hz can kill you just as easily as a 3phase system can,
the only difference being grabbing 1 120 degreed rotated phase in each hand does a more thorough job than one fase and a 0/null.

just don't touch the mains or any part of the welder except knobs and torches. when in opperation.

I'd go for 3 phase because the result of the arc or anything for that matter is far smoother then single phase. also 3phase motors for instance are more power efficient.

grtz Thomas

Size of it will be a factor, I choose a bigger 2 phase 220 Volt Mig over a smaller one, and It stays mostly on the shop.
A smaller one has more portability, you may use it more that way.