Thought I'd share my Weldernator

[82355]

I assumed that much. I was hoping for an explanation.

Martin

 

[pblaze725]

I'm running two alts. One for charging and the other for the welder. I changed over to the steel bracket serp setup. The one on the bottom is the welder.

Wow! That is Bad azz!
I know a guy who converted his AC compressor to on-board air. Did you do that too? If yes, Do you have a thread for that?

 

[badmix]

Very cool. Ive still got the bracket for the airpump, seems easy enuff to must mount another alternator there. hmm.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Do you mean reverse polarity? I have the same question.

I might be missing the obvious - wouldn't be the first time - but how do you reverse polarity for your own rig? The ground is still common to the frame even with the large cable going to the back of the weldernator. The weldernator is not isolated.

 

[Kota4bye]

Wow! That is Bad azz!
I know a guy who converted his AC compressor to on-board air. Did you do that too? If yes, Do you have a thread for that?

I'm pretty sure that is an onld York compressor.

You have a better chance of catching John over on WheelinDixie.

 

[mudbuggy]

Where your cable connections come out of the front bulkhead (next to the radiator)

a set of 2/0 welding cable quick couplers are used.

Then everything plugs into those quick couplers, one is pos, the other is neg. Need to switch polatiry, put the stinger in the neg qc, and the ground hook to the pos.

 

[DrkZide]

Why reverse polarity when welding on the rig itself?

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I understand the method to do it on the wire hookups. As soon as you hook your ground clamp (positive feed) to the rig, haven't you closed the circuit because of the chassis ground from the case of the weldernator?

I think this is an awesome setup. It's just not clicking for me for some reason.

This is how I am seeing it:

 

[driney]

Reverse polarity would be a positive electrode with work grounded.

 

[DrkZide]

I must be braindead today. This normally comes easy to me but for some reason I'm not understanding

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Reverse polarity would be a positive electrode with work grounded.

I may my muddying the water in the way I am saying things...I understand the theory. How can you reverse the polarity due to the nature of the entire grounding of the rig? The rig is one big ground. If you reverse the polarity, and attach the "hot" lead clamp to your own rig - you create a direct short.

Can you weld your own rig without the issue of electrical damage?

 

[MrSchaeferPants]

...you reverse the polarity, and attach the "hot" lead clamp to your own rig - you create a direct short.

Can you weld your own rig without the issue of electrical damage?

Without issue? Or without risk? Risk is always there, but the first thing to go would most likely be the alternator before it destroys anything else. Kinda like the whole tool (alternator) is a fuse. Just my guess, I'm no electricmatition.

 

[driney]

I may my muddying the water in the way I am saying things...I understand the theory. How can you reverse the polarity due to the nature of the entire grounding of the rig? The rig is one big ground. If you reverse the polarity, and attach the "hot" lead clamp to your own rig - you create a direct short.

Can you weld your own rig without the issue of electrical damage?

You are not reversing the polarity of the alternator, you are using reverse polarity in welding terms. The ground cable is what is connected to the vehicle and the electrode is positive. The danger in welding on your own vehicle is when you don't have a good connection with the ground, and the high current from the electrode completes the circuit through some other component.

 

[ct85k10]

I think that when you are welding on another rig you are suppose to ground the positive side to the outer rig and the electrode is on the negative side. so you would need to reverse that set up when welding on your own rig so you don't create a short.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I think that when you are welding on another rig you are suppose to ground the positive side to the outer rig and the electrode is on the negative side. so you would need to reverse that set up when welding on your own rig so you don't create a short.

That makes sense. Thanks for helping the slow kid.

 

[thebluemax]

I really hate to bring a thread back from the dead , but I didn't want to start a new thread?

ANybody know what type of fitting is this or have a part number? I've started building one of these weldernators as time and parts allow.

 

[diesel4me]

It looks like a copper cable connector,I've seen similar ones on house breaker box panels,that go to the neutral bus bar or ground --usually made of aluminum though,but copper ones are probably available....an electrical supply place should have them,or maybe a welding supply shop..

I have tried making a weldenator using a 6 HP Briggs & Stratton pressure washer engine and wheeled cart--but the 37 amp altenator I used wouldn't even melt a 3/32" 6013 rod,it just wanted to stall the engine or smoke the belt...so I reverted it back to stock and use it to boost low batteries when something refuses to start in cold weather--usually my diesels!..it works well for that..I found a 140 amp altenator since then,but havent tried using it,I may just save it to put on my truck instead..

 

[sparkey83]

I will have to give this a try. Thaknks for the info.

 

[HawgEnvy]

quick help needed on this project,please. wired from battery,through toggle switch. NO welding leads attached. 12v to the number 1 terminal on the regulator sparks like a bitch and acts like its shorting out. followed exactly as pics showed. confused an frustrated. any ideas? TIA

 

[Blue85]

It seems like you could use an isolated alternator mount like what is in the CUCV for 24V. Then you could choose polarity even welding on the host rig.