Inverter welder running off boat inverter - what could possible go wrong.....

[GHA]

Just about to find out....

Google says should be OK

Thinking is out in the anchorage if the inverter can handle tacking with 1.6mm stainless rods then lots fabrication can be done just tacked then find some proper power to finish off. Inverter datasheet says > 6000W SURGE POWER; 4500W for 10sec, 6000w for 2sec
3000W - 12V Pure Sine Wave Sunshine Power Inverter - Sunshine Solar - Sunshine Solar Limited

Tentative try with a 1Kw honda genny could just get a tiny tack but it wasn't happy so didn't try for more than a moment.

Long term cruising a little inverter welder is such a useful tool, easy to make so many of the little brackets & stuff that make life easier full time on a boat. I'm pretty rubbish welder but it won't break & the inverter welder must have paid for itself from stuff given to me in the boatyard from helping out other people.

So who's done it in the real world?

Let's give it a go....... ??

 

[GHA]

YAY!!!!! ???? Tentatively...

Seems OK, welder set to about 85A which is likely to be more like 70 going down the wires, hot for 1.6mm rods. Inverter didn't make any grumpy noises. Pulled 180A from 2 x T105, so what's that - just over 2Kw? Maybe not the nicest thing to do to a couple of trojans but LiFePo4 will eat that when they get installed.

SO looks cheery so far, gonna be Mr Popular in the anchorage ?

 

[Graham376]

Tentative try with a 1Kw honda genny could just get a tiny tack but it wasn't happy so didn't try for more than a moment.
So who's done it in the real world?
Let's give it a go....... ??

Inverter welder worked fine, 80 amps 1.5mm rod on our Honda 20i so guess your inverter shouldn't have a problem. Knowing you, you'll give it a try anyway, whatever is said here

 

[GHA]

Knowing you, you'll give it a try anyway, whatever is said here

Of course!! Nice to pop into the real world to check. ?

Galley can do more than make a spot of lunch now ? ..

No illusions of ever being Lloyds registered craftsman but not breaking is way above looking pretty. Really not that difficult to weld stainless, even I can do it. ?

Anyone going cruising long term, long distance really really have a good think about getting a little inverter welder and some practice, so useful to get the boat the way you want it, even those with a plastic boat.. ?

A few offcuts and guitar amp has a safe home....

 

[vas]

I've also got fair success running various inverter loads off a Victron Multiplus 3000/24
the one mostly used is the softstart inverter for the watermaker, Victron happily provides 1800W for an hour, no issues. Softstart is done with a 3ph inverter running a 3ph motor at varying rpm (cannot do that with normal 230V single phase motor)
however a similar inverter setup to run the hydraulic stabilisers oil pump (similar load) craps out at the inverter driving the 3p pump motor...
My TIG inv. welder worked (v.briefly didn't want more than a couple of spots)

 

[Beneteau381]

YAY!!!!! ???? Tentatively...

Seems OK, welder set to about 85A which is likely to be more like 70 going down the wires, hot for 1.6mm rods. Inverter didn't make any grumpy noises. Pulled 180A from 2 x T105, so what's that - just over 2Kw? Maybe not the nicest thing to do to a couple of trojans but LiFePo4 will eat that when they get installed.

SO looks cheery so far, gonna be Mr Popular in the anchorage ?

Lithium getting cheaper! 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Up to 7000 Deep Cycle with BMS for Campers RV Solar Marine Golf Carts, Emergency Power, Run in Series or Parallel : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

 

[GHA]

Lithium getting cheaper! 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Up to 7000 Deep Cycle with BMS for Campers RV Solar Marine Golf Carts, Emergency Power, Run in Series or Parallel : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Already got 300Ah Catl. Cost 70 quid more than those ?

 

[steadyeddy]

Welders have come a long way in the last few years a lot smaller and powerful

 

[Beneteau381]

Already got 300Ah Catl. Cost 70 quid more than those ?

Heading your way tomoz, whats buoy 21 looking like?

 

[dgadee]

Do you have argon onboard?

 

[Adios]

Do you have argon onboard?

stick/arc welding doesn't need argon. Most stainless used for things I do is too thin for stick welding, warps a lot even if it doesn't burn through so I have only used tig for stainless but that looks around 3mm and i really need to get some stainless rods to give it a try...

 

[GHA]

Heading your way tomoz, whats buoy 21 looking like?

Green's probably a pretty safe bet ?
Not been up for a look for a few days but never that busy.

 

[GHA]

Do you have argon onboard?

Nope, only stick which doesn't need any gas. Tig looks nice but for me the little box provides huge value onboard already, having a good chance of fixing or even fitting on long passages feels comforting . Steel boat so now it's one step further towards self sufficiency. Which, for me anyway, is way way up there. ?

 

[fredrussell]

Those mole grips are a work of art!!

 

[GHA]

Those mole grips are a work of art!!

??? Can't throw them out now ?
Then there's Stainless Stanley .....

Might make a little figurehead one day ?

 

[Beneteau381]

Green's probably a pretty safe bet ?
Not been up for a look for a few days but never that busy.

At Culatra now, well dug in, wind abating tomoz hopefully

 

[GHA]

At Culatra now, well dug in, wind abating tomoz hopefully

Gigging tomorrow but drop by next week with all your bust bits of stainless ?