Speaking from experience, I'm pretty sure Grant doesn't have enough time to make a video per week. The research and development that goes into them alone takes a huge chunk of that time, not to forget scripting, getting quality shots of each step, editing, reworking things, finishing stuff, uploading, ...
Thanks for your concern Matt. Actually the insulation on the primary coils would have to be compromised to allow the mains voltage into the core, and even then it would only be one core.The 240 volt scenario would require a complete compromise of both MOTs at the same time with no resistance between the cores, as well as a compromise of the secondaries at the exact same time you were touching it barehanded and all risks I'm aware of and comfortable with. How would you have done it differently?
Yesterday was the first time I run into one for your videos. I spent Sunday watch all the videos you have uploaded that I could. You SIR are nothing short of a genius and your videos are going to save me a ton of money! Can't wait to watch more and duplicate some of your ideas. Simply put Brilliant! Thank you for sharing to the world.
I'm now working on this project as an engineering student. I remember watching your videos when I was younger and being so inspired by them. I'll never forget you man. I also definitely don't have the stones to build a scariac, I'll be sticking to the Variac thank you.
You nailed it Steve. 1 vid a week would be a good path to burnout or divorce and an unhappy life. Even 1 project video every 2 weeks is borderline sustainable :) That's one of the reasons I do the quick clips in-between.
To the idiots with the remarks about it being a death trap? If you don't have enough common sense to follow these simple directions and do it with confidence ,and that you can use it safely , then you shouldn't attempt to build it. I mean if people feel that they need a fire department close to their home before they cook on a stove top, then they shouldn't cook at all THIS WAS A GREAT DIY'R
Why i loved your channel: 1- no boring safety BS, we all know it ! :) 2- usually these kind of vids are done by old experienced people but without any idea of how to edit a video to make it kinda fun, entertaining and easy to watch and follow. Just hold a cam and pause between steps :S quick note though, you missed alot of basic knowledge but i guess this is targeted to the people with these basic knowledge than an average person. this is my second video and am in love
Flattened copper pipes for connections. This really is building from scratch! Alternatively, and for much more money (:)), you could go to a good industrial electrical supply store and by lugs, bus bars, junction boxes and so on. But I like your way better. Keep em coming, Grant!
If it outputs 200+ amps, it can easily do 1/4" in a single pass, or up to perhaps 1/2" reasonably with multiple passes. You can always weld thicker material by beveling the joint and then doing multiple passes, but at a certain point it becomes more hassle than it's worth. Also, at a certain point, the welder just doesn't put out enough heat to melt the base metal, but by the time you're at 200+ amps, you're past that, I think.
Probably anywhere from a slight tingle to a nasty shock. I suppose it could be deadly, but that's probably not very likely with 37 volts. Any other welders have any real experience with being shocked? In the rain maybe?
Dear King of Random, I really enjoy your videos (I have to admit that I'm a bit selective but enjoyment is defenitely happening), but I would very much like to learn more about the whys of your projects. You always tell us, what you do but nothing or very little about the backgrounds for this. Obviously you have a well-grounded knowledge of electronics and physics else you wouldn't even come up with this stuff. Could you give a few more background informations? Why you chose which kind of wire or what characteristics of the wire made you choose it for example? Maybe even write a book or something...
I think "180 out of phase" could be correct. That's the way I learned it, but I see your point since the power comes from a 240 v single-phase transformer. It's just different perspectives on the terminology, but perhaps a more appropriate term would have been 180 degrees offset or 180 degree phase shift? In either case the 240v is one complete sine wave. Thanks for making me think! :)
I'm going to make this soon. I'm gonna do the same. also instead of using 2 120v plugs imma use 1 240v plug and just use the 2 hot leads and the ground. I'll cut out the neutral wire
I agree. I have heard that AC is a little more dangerous and as a rule of thumb, what you would feel in DC, you can feel with half that amount in AC. I haven't been brave enough to touch these electrodes bare-handed though so can't verify that from experience.
+Ruslan McCabe I also live in country with 240. You can skip the step but only if your electrical outlet is able to give enough current. If it's not able, you have to combine two, but in the same phase and not in serie but paralel, just on different circuit breaker. Or find outlet wich has enough current. Typical in rooms is 10A, you need lil more, in my opinion I use 32A in the backyard.
+Cliff Fox (KU4GW) Wire the two primaries in parallel, not in series, that way you only need 120V... Reduces the risk of burning out your home wiring ;)
+Ronald Delvax I'd actually say that it increases your chances of something burning. If the voltages are more than 1V apart you may have serious problems due to eddy currents and may burn up your transformer.
+Sarah Szabo Switch the PRIMARY sides in parallel... It's the same as plugging two devices in the same socket, and completely harmless... NEVER EVER switch SECONDARY coils parralel, that way you wil almost allways create a short circuit, since there's almost always a slight difference in voltage... Secondary coils are galvanically separated from the primaries, so you can use them in series without any problems, even if the primaries are parrallel...
I have a video on salvaging the microwave parts that shows the capacitor, and discharging it. Just click the annotation at the end that says "Microwave Hack" to see that. Thanks for asking.
I've built this Arch/stick welder, and his spot welder and the scaryach. All work well !!! Except the spot welder instead of 3 wraps I should have wrapped 3 times around the transformer . Thanks Grant !
Sadly, your comment went unnoticed. Probably because those that read it didn't really grasp what you did. Perhaps you should re-post it as a primary comment and include the pertinent "PHASING" data required to make it work properly. It's a far better and more logical wiring scheme than what TKOR did . Wakodahatchee Chris.
@@cdrive5757 you are right. i totally forgot about that comment. I remember making this welder like 5 years ago when u was 14 years old. I dont know how i didn’t die hahaha. Now im studying engineering!
@@CazaVideos005 I'm guessing that's a typo. Five years ago I would have been 70. I'm thrilled to see that you're setting your sites on an EE or ET career. I was beginning to believe that this generation would produce nothing but subjective majors such as Arts and Sociology. You're gonna actually make an honest and rewarding living! BTW: I guess by now you realize that wiring the primaries in parallel also draws twice the input current. If the OP had wired it with a 240V plug it would have been preferable in a shop environment, where 240V is common. Wakodahatchee Chris
@@cdrive5757 maybe it was even longer ago! Im loving the career that i chose! And yeah you are right. I live in Chile, so i have 220v sockets. But i understand what you mean. Cheers!
One day this video will be resourceful for me. Electrical hazards terrify me, mostly due to my ignorance of how it works. Until then I'll just educate myself, save some money, and do small projects before tackling this project. Thanks for uploading your projects :)
I've got a lot of transformers lying around, but this is project for a professional in AC and dc power. So if your an armature I just recommend buying an actual welder
Yeah,i guess so Its not really for professionals in AC and DC power, once you can follow instructions and you have the right tools you can do it. for example, I made one project called the spot-welder and it was a success, I was contemplating on making this project but my house just do not have the amount of power needed. p.s I'm only 17 years of age.
Yeah,i guess so www.svarbazar.cz/phprs/image/200803191816_schematic.gif connect it like this. You dont need to double the voltage (its not safe) But be sure to unplug it when you are not using it because it will heat itself even when you are not welding. (and don't mind 110V written there just connect it like this even when you have 240V at home)
MOSKAU15 That will give you enough voltage, but since the transformers are now in parallel it will pull about twice as much current from the source plug which might cause the breaker to flip.
Relsek Of course you will need twice of the current. But if you have 2x800W tranformers, you will need at a rough guess about (I = P/U = 800W / 230V) = 3,5A for each of them. That is 7Amps and regular breakers are for 16A at least here in Europe
Eh not exactly, you do when you know what to put in your panel and what gauge wire to run to where you need it, i had a dedicated 240 in my shop just for my cracker box lol
We get 240 normally also. Its used for the few things that need it, like a washer/dryer etc. If he cared he could have plugged in there which is inconvenient.
Years ago I had a welder that worked off a car battery. To help with striking the arc and maintaining a constant weld it had a small solenoid which pulled the stick off the workpiece every time it fired up and allowed it to return under spring pressure when the current was broken. It may sound as thought the weld wouldn't be strong, but it helped maintain a constant weld across the joint.
You could if you really put your mind to it. With how much time and money you need to spend on miscellaneous parts it probably makes more sense to go to harbor freight and just buy a welder for $80-120 bucks that's guaranteed to work though.
Have a little faith in yourself. And besides, f*cking up is how we learn. Like SoulxReaper366 said, being able to make tools can save you a lot of money over time--build yourself a base collection of tools and you'll be amazed what you can fabricate. Using tools to make more tools--custom tools for one-off jobs that it'd be a big waste of money to buy a tool for. That sort of thing. And everything you do makes you a little better at fixing/making things.
Ya, sorry, I wasn't being sarcastic. I like the "innocent" stuff, and the more challenging stuff too. I was just trying to comment on how quickly we got down to business on this channel. Emeril would be proud- kicking it up a notch. Keep up the good work.
I wanted to add... if you add some bridge rectifiers ( you can get a pack of 6, 1000 volt 50 amp bridge rectifiers on Amazon for like $30) and use another microwave transformer core, and wind it with about 6 loops of 2 gauge wire to make an inductor. you would have a very nice and smooth DC welder that will weld beautifully.
If you're not REALLY well versed in how electrical components work, even attempting to make one of these is just an elaborate and creative method of suicide. I'd have burnt myself to a black crisp for sure trying to make one of these, no matter how careful I was with wearing proper insulating gear.
I've been hording parts for this welder for over a year now and tried to get another youtuber to do a video but he never did so here I am...lol... you get them flybacks figured out....
ZorkTheDestroyer666 Yeah output of this is pretty save (only 30 something volts). Input voltage can be dangerous if you are not skilled with it. I have seen so much dangerous projects than this (like crazy russian running magnetron without any cover and touching output .__. )
ZorkTheDestroyer666 Yeah I know but its not fun to dance in rythm of 50Hz when isolation on primary windings fail and short to core and nothing have to shot down breakers because green wire is snaped. Also I really don't like "doubling" the voltage by connection primary from 2 different breaker circuits. I would rather connect those transformers paralel so I only need double current instead of voltage.
I was wondering if you could just attach a 240 v plug and just use that Instead of 2 120v plugs. also do you need a variable power source? or can you just plug it straight in.
You definitely need variable power. The main reason I can think of, apart from being able to regulate easily how much power your pumping out, is because of the different types of electrodes. For example, E6010s use anywhere from 65 to 75 amps (the conversion for volts is something you could find online real easily). He was using an electrode similar to this. But E7018s use anywhere from 90 to 120 amps. Without variable amperage/voltage there's no way of knowing what electrode your ghetto rig can handle and no way of knowing if it's too much power for one, which could end up melting the whole electrode (very dangerous) in a matter of seconds. So yes you need variable power haha
Just do a youtube search for "electrocution" or "arc flash", then you will understand why people who work with electricity every day think this guy is a hazard to himself, and anyone that copies his philosophy. Electricity kills... don't play games with it.
squee222 I agree that it can kill and arc flash burns can lead to blindness and ultimately skincancers on uncovered skin over the long haul. However, he is not careless in his demonstartions, he protects himself. He does need to explicityly state the hazards of each project a bit more explicitly though so that anyone wishing to try it can know what protective equipment and the mandatory and optional tools needed should and could be used. I do think however that experimental displays such as this are a modern day start on (alright a lot is left out) Farady's lectures at the Royal Society. They do contribute a great deal to understanding and I think experimentation needs to be encouraged.
Instead of 240vac, the same can be done with 120vac, but you will still need two outlets (each on different circuit breakers), on the same buss. In some cases, one might have two outlets relatively close that are on the same 120vac bus but go to two different circuit breakers. In the video, he wired 2 transformer primaries in series and connected to two outlets each connected to a circuit breaker, each on a separate 120vac buss. The the Y plug connects the hot to one end of primary coil with the other side of the Y plug hot connecting the that circuit's hot to the one end of the other primary coil. Neither neutral or ground were mentioned. Then the two primary coils other leads are connected together with the end result of having two 120 volts coils connected in series. Lack of grounding in this is very scary. The way to do this with two outlets on different circuit breakers on the same 120v buss is to forget the Y adapter plug and just run an extension cord from each outlet to each transformer. Things should be the same on the secondary coil.
this is awesome. i have been looking for an arc welder but didnt think i would use it that often. and i didnt want to spend hundreds of dollarson one. htis is perfect for me
Interesting thought. i didn't think anyone would really be interested in seeing that part of it. But if I get enough requests, then perhaps one day I will?
For the miny arc furnace, I would use the outlet behind the Electric Stove or Washers. They are 240 volts and the plug can be bought at Home Depot for cheap. This way you don't have to run a cord thru out your house.
In the US we simply dont get it, its rare for a house to have 240. You can always wire one in though, it's not hard, but it's not like other countries that run on 220. Every single stove and washer I've owned in the past 30 years has been 110v....I'm in California
is there any way i can do it without that funky power plug @ 3:37 so it can just use one outlet? my thought is that i could use a real variac that goes to 240v(versus the scariac), or i could alter our hand wound coils to get a good balance of voltage and power. would either of these methods work, or would that leave me at a loss for power?
The problem lies in the primary current draw and the size of the cable suppling them. If you will note, he is using the cable that was attached to the microwave.He is using whats on hand. It's rated at no more than 20 amps. By using 240V with both tranys connected in series he kept the current draw below the cables current limit. If you prefer to increase the cable size to 40 amps,wire tranys in parallel and attach to two outlets that you're sure are not on the same breakers, then it will do.
The x-formers primary is rated at 15amps. By adding a 2nd x-former in parallel would double primary current draw which would trip the breaker. By wiring both primaries in series across 240volts the power is doubled but current draw is below the primaries and house breaker rating. His way of doing it was quicker than wiring in a new 240volt line from the electrical panel however, it would not stop one from doing so if they so desire to.
I don't think so. AFAIK, German power is single-phase 240, so there isn't split phases like we do in America with the two legs of 120 power. If the whole system is phased together, you don't get additional voltage by crossing between circuits.
Grant, you should really consider putting a disclaimer in the description or at the start of each arguably dangerous videos. You know, just to remove any possible liability. I know this sounds a bit harsh or perhaps pessimistic, but some people never follow proper safety precautions. Just do it to be safe. Just do it to make other read up on whichever weekend project you are doing. Safety first. Also, love the videos. I also made a stick welder. Not in the same way, but you really inspired me.
You explain things very well like school teacher. I would like to know how you can improved your system, so it can weld different amp. Do you have time to make another video for that?
@@xxkinglucifer7762 I'm not sure, but i think they do it with shunts. Little wedges that fit in between the primary and secondary coils and seperates them by screwing in a knob. More separation less current.
nice little project :) ... I, myself, for safety concerns would still have added a wood seperator block between the 2 lugs on the wood block ... i saw your setup and immediately pictured the screws even slightly loosening and the lugs touching
we already have a default 240 volts can i plug it directly to the outlet?is it necessary that the two transformer have the same specification?and can you show how to put fuse in it for safety purposes..
I wish he still made videos like these
me to
MeinNameIstVamishUndIchTesteWieLangeIchMichAufGooglePlusUndRUclipsNennenKannUndEsSiehtZimlichLangAus Nice name
me too
me to they were grate
Alex Mcquoid great not grate
I list the inspiration to all my projects in the video descriptions :)
Thx
Your legacy lives on
RIP
😭😭😭😭😭
Speaking from experience, I'm pretty sure Grant doesn't have enough time to make a video per week. The research and development that goes into them alone takes a huge chunk of that time, not to forget scripting, getting quality shots of each step, editing, reworking things, finishing stuff, uploading, ...
Thanks for your concern Matt. Actually the insulation on the primary coils would have to be compromised to allow the mains voltage into the core, and even then it would only be one core.The 240 volt scenario would require a complete compromise of both MOTs at the same time with no resistance between the cores, as well as a compromise of the secondaries at the exact same time you were touching it barehanded
and all risks I'm aware of and comfortable with. How would you have done it differently?
Rip man we ll miss you
Like2Truck me too
@Lumpy Tater he died D:
Yesterday was the first time I run into one for your videos. I spent Sunday watch all the videos you have uploaded that I could. You SIR are nothing short of a genius and your videos are going to save me a ton of money! Can't wait to watch more and duplicate some of your ideas. Simply put Brilliant! Thank you for sharing to the world.
Thanks for appreciating that Steve. I have paid over $3 per lug until I realized I could just do this!
I'm now working on this project as an engineering student. I remember watching your videos when I was younger and being so inspired by them. I'll never forget you man.
I also definitely don't have the stones to build a scariac, I'll be sticking to the Variac thank you.
You nailed it Steve. 1 vid a week would be a good path to burnout or divorce and an unhappy life. Even 1 project video every 2 weeks is borderline sustainable :) That's one of the reasons I do the quick clips in-between.
Thanks for your comment kandll! Good info! Do you know the voltage on your DC welder?
To the idiots with the remarks about it being a death trap?
If you don't have enough common sense to follow these simple directions and do it with confidence ,and that you can use it safely , then you shouldn't attempt to build it.
I mean if people feel that they need a fire department close to their home before they cook on a stove top, then they shouldn't cook at all
THIS WAS A GREAT DIY'R
IS a great diy'r
Yes, I built a power distribution station with common sense. Who needs electrical engineering these days?
Why i loved your channel:
1- no boring safety BS, we all know it ! :)
2- usually these kind of vids are done by old experienced people but without any idea of how to edit a video to make it kinda fun, entertaining and easy to watch and follow. Just hold a cam and pause between steps :S
quick note though, you missed alot of basic knowledge but i guess this is targeted to the people with these basic knowledge than an average person.
this is my second video and am in love
Flattened copper pipes for connections. This really is building from scratch! Alternatively, and for much more money (:)), you could go to a good industrial electrical supply store and by lugs, bus bars, junction boxes and so on. But I like your way better. Keep em coming, Grant!
Hey Valentin! Thanks for your comment .. I'm glad to hear that!
If it outputs 200+ amps, it can easily do 1/4" in a single pass, or up to perhaps 1/2" reasonably with multiple passes. You can always weld thicker material by beveling the joint and then doing multiple passes, but at a certain point it becomes more hassle than it's worth. Also, at a certain point, the welder just doesn't put out enough heat to melt the base metal, but by the time you're at 200+ amps, you're past that, I think.
It will be up on May 9th. Thanks for asking.
This is cool if you know what you are doing, but for everyone else this is a mini death box.
It sure is 😂 i have an electrical degree, and i still wouldn't make this! Maybe in the future, so its going in the favorites.
+LaBalaDePlata432 Would you recommend that a teenager with no electrical background and no parental supervision try this built or others like it?
Umm no.. Did you not read the comment?
LaBalaDePlata432 *Sarcasm*
Knives 'n Gear Sarcasm. you're bad at it.
Probably anywhere from a slight tingle to a nasty shock. I suppose it could be deadly, but that's probably not very likely with 37 volts. Any other welders have any real experience with being shocked? In the rain maybe?
I was told an electric arc furnace project would surface. I am still waiting.
2:56
Me too :)
It's coming Feb. 12!
February I am on february twelve, I can confirm.
Up now bro
2 years of waiting and finally my favorite video. The electrical arc furnace. I bow to you
Dear King of Random, I really enjoy your videos (I have to admit that I'm a bit selective but enjoyment is defenitely happening), but I would very much like to learn more about the whys of your projects. You always tell us, what you do but nothing or very little about the backgrounds for this. Obviously you have a well-grounded knowledge of electronics and physics else you wouldn't even come up with this stuff.
Could you give a few more background informations? Why you chose which kind of wire or what characteristics of the wire made you choose it for example?
Maybe even write a book or something...
+Julia Warren That would be fascinating!
@@sarahszabo4323 *that would've been fascinating
I think "180 out of phase" could be correct. That's the way I learned it, but I see your point since the power comes from a 240 v single-phase transformer. It's just different perspectives on the terminology, but perhaps a more appropriate term would have been 180 degrees offset or 180 degree phase shift? In either case the 240v is one complete sine wave. Thanks for making me think! :)
To be on the safe side I would have left the ground and attach that to the housing of the transformers, in case anything went wrong.
I'm going to make this soon. I'm gonna do the same. also instead of using 2 120v plugs imma use 1 240v plug and just use the 2 hot leads and the ground. I'll cut out the neutral wire
Use the neutral instead of the ground
I used copper tubing for electrodes, and lye for the electrolyte. 1/4 teaspoon for 2 gallons of water.
Hahaha we already have 230v
We've got 240v :D
yeah but we also have 240 v transformers
230/400V to be exakt (instead of 110/240V Americans have)
Dawid Ziaja that means you need 460 unless u buy 110 microwaves, i have 240
Миллион Вольт, и сюда добрались :)
I agree. I have heard that AC is a little more dangerous and as a rule of thumb, what you would feel in DC, you can feel with half that amount in AC. I haven't been brave enough to touch these electrodes bare-handed though so can't verify that from experience.
I live in a country which has 240v coming out of the plug by default. Does this mean I'd miss the step where you use 2 plugs to power it?
+Ruslan McCabe Yes
+Ruslan McCabe I also live in country with 240. You can skip the step but only if your electrical outlet is able to give enough current. If it's not able, you have to combine two, but in the same phase and not in serie but paralel, just on different circuit breaker. Or find outlet wich has enough current. Typical in rooms is 10A, you need lil more, in my opinion I use 32A in the backyard.
+Ruslan McCabe what country you from? Australia ?
New Zealand
+Ruslan McCabe nice, that means both our countries did something right
being able to do this stuff for cheap and for fun must be incredibly satisfying.
I feel as if you would be an awesome friend to have.
Diodes would be great, but to handle this amperage would require very expensive diodes. Something like over $60 each, and 4 would be needed.
How did you find the two 120 volt outlets that were 180º out of phase with one another? Why would they be out of phase with one another in your house?
+Cliff Fox (KU4GW) Wire the two primaries in parallel, not in series, that way you only need 120V... Reduces the risk of burning out your home wiring ;)
+Ronald Delvax I'd actually say that it increases your chances of something burning. If the voltages are more than 1V apart you may have serious problems due to eddy currents and may burn up your transformer.
+Cliff Fox (KU4GW) You need them out of phase because when one hot is positive the other should be negative. Not negative-negative.
+Sarah Szabo Switch the PRIMARY sides in parallel... It's the same as plugging two devices in the same socket, and completely harmless... NEVER EVER switch SECONDARY coils parralel, that way you wil almost allways create a short circuit, since there's almost always a slight difference in voltage...
Secondary coils are galvanically separated from the primaries, so you can use them in series without any problems, even if the primaries are parrallel...
+Ronald Delvax That too. I'm not so sure about the parallel configuration though. Isn't it still subject to eddy currents?
I have a video on salvaging the microwave parts that shows the capacitor, and discharging it. Just click the annotation at the end that says "Microwave Hack" to see that. Thanks for asking.
Who else watches these videos but never makes the projects?
Stevie Belsky me 😏
I plan to
Stevie Belsky I'm actually building a spot welder now.
Everyone
Everyone
Not yet. The scariac will be up in 2 weeks. Router table is filmed of course, but hasn't got an order of priority yet.
Hey grant, do one on making a homemade TIG welder, that would be cool.
A tig is the same as a stick set up .
I've built this Arch/stick welder, and his spot welder and the scaryach. All work well !!! Except the spot welder instead of 3 wraps I should have wrapped 3 times around the transformer . Thanks Grant !
how to build the scariac?
I conect them im parallel and they work perfectly at 110 v
Sadly, your comment went unnoticed. Probably because those that read it didn't really grasp what you did. Perhaps you should re-post it as a primary comment and include the pertinent "PHASING" data required to make it work properly. It's a far better and more logical wiring scheme than what TKOR did .
Wakodahatchee Chris.
@@cdrive5757 you are right. i totally forgot about that comment. I remember making this welder like 5 years ago when u was 14 years old. I dont know how i didn’t die hahaha. Now im studying engineering!
@@CazaVideos005 I'm guessing that's a typo. Five years ago I would have been 70. I'm thrilled to see that you're setting your sites on an EE or ET career. I was beginning to believe that this generation would produce nothing but subjective majors such as Arts and Sociology. You're gonna actually make an honest and rewarding living! BTW: I guess by now you realize that wiring the primaries in parallel also draws twice the input current. If the OP had wired it with a 240V plug it would have been preferable in a shop environment, where 240V is common.
Wakodahatchee Chris
@@cdrive5757 maybe it was even longer ago! Im loving the career that i chose! And yeah you are right. I live in Chile, so i have 220v sockets. But i understand what you mean. Cheers!
One day this video will be resourceful for me. Electrical hazards terrify me, mostly due to my ignorance of how it works. Until then I'll just educate myself, save some money, and do small projects before tackling this project. Thanks for uploading your projects :)
I've got a lot of transformers lying around, but this is project for a professional in AC and dc power. So if your an armature I just recommend buying an actual welder
Yeah,i guess so Its not really for professionals in AC and DC power, once you can follow instructions and you have the right tools you can do it. for example, I made one project called the spot-welder and it was a success, I was contemplating on making this project but my house just do not have the amount of power needed. p.s I'm only 17 years of age.
Yeah,i guess so www.svarbazar.cz/phprs/image/200803191816_schematic.gif connect it like this. You dont need to double the voltage (its not safe) But be sure to unplug it when you are not using it because it will heat itself even when you are not welding. (and don't mind 110V written there just connect it like this even when you have 240V at home)
Oh OK thx.
MOSKAU15 That will give you enough voltage, but since the transformers are now in parallel it will pull about twice as much current from the source plug which might cause the breaker to flip.
Relsek
Of course you will need twice of the current. But if you have 2x800W tranformers, you will need at a rough guess about (I = P/U = 800W / 230V) = 3,5A for each of them. That is 7Amps and regular breakers are for 16A at least here in Europe
Awesome...my welding unit is broken and too expensive to repair so this project is just excellent!! Thanks bro!
4:00 ha when you live in america and dont have 240 VAC normally
Eh not exactly, you do when you know what to put in your panel and what gauge wire to run to where you need it, i had a dedicated 240 in my shop just for my cracker box lol
The guetto rigged plug makes me laugh the wire better be some of the leftover 8gauge or I'd beore worried about the wires melting too easily
Nichole Crouch mate I live in Australia lmao 240v is the norm
That'd be cool to have but then I'd be paying for welding all the time LMAO its too much fun for me
We get 240 normally also. Its used for the few things that need it, like a washer/dryer etc. If he cared he could have plugged in there which is inconvenient.
Hi Alaa. You can't use this welder without a power controller. Do not plug it directly into mains current. Very dangerous. I use 1/16" rods 6013
Why am I here? I own two welders
Years ago I had a welder that worked off a car battery. To help with striking the arc and maintaining a constant weld it had a small solenoid which pulled the stick off the workpiece every time it fired up and allowed it to return under spring pressure when the current was broken. It may sound as thought the weld wouldn't be strong, but it helped maintain a constant weld across the joint.
you can do that now. i can't remember if you can do it with AC or DC
it's high voltage lol(ACDC song reference)
All the stuff he makes is really cool but I know it wouldn't work if I tried to do it myself.
You could if you really put your mind to it. With how much time and money you need to spend on miscellaneous parts it probably makes more sense to go to harbor freight and just buy a welder for $80-120 bucks that's guaranteed to work though.
Have a little faith in yourself. And besides, f*cking up is how we learn. Like SoulxReaper366 said, being able to make tools can save you a lot of money over time--build yourself a base collection of tools and you'll be amazed what you can fabricate. Using tools to make more tools--custom tools for one-off jobs that it'd be a big waste of money to buy a tool for. That sort of thing. And everything you do makes you a little better at fixing/making things.
Greg Weaver
I can afford good tools if I need them or I'd probably just hire some since don't have much free time. Thanks anyway.
uhhhh.... yeah...
Ya, sorry, I wasn't being sarcastic. I like the "innocent" stuff, and the more challenging stuff too. I was just trying to comment on how quickly we got down to business on this channel. Emeril would be proud- kicking it up a notch. Keep up the good work.
you really didn't ground anything...? wtf dude.
+pyr666 : I'm sure he won't be welding during lightning storms.
+DietBroccoli
that's not why you ground electronics...
+pyr666 : If you say so, big guy.
actually it's risky but any way grounding is just for safety
+Vayun Biyani
"just" for safety? really?
Nice compliment Ben, thank you!
Yay, living in Germany, so I already have 230VAC :P
I wanted to add... if you add some bridge rectifiers ( you can get a pack of 6, 1000 volt 50 amp bridge rectifiers on Amazon for like $30) and use another microwave transformer core, and wind it with about 6 loops of 2 gauge wire to make an inductor. you would have a very nice and smooth DC welder that will weld beautifully.
If you're not REALLY well versed in how electrical components work, even attempting to make one of these is just an elaborate and creative method of suicide.
I'd have burnt myself to a black crisp for sure trying to make one of these, no matter how careful I was with wearing proper insulating gear.
Will I die if I touch the terminals when I'm welding?
+Astuces de Trente Secondes - Must Kunst it's best not to try it. You ever welded before?
+Astuces de Trente Secondes - Must Kunst like oxy fuel welding?
RCG yes
true!!!!!
I've been hording parts for this welder for over a year now and tried to get another youtuber to do a video but he never did so here I am...lol...
you get them flybacks figured out....
This may be the most dangerous project i have seen on youtube that doesn't encourage people not to build it
ZorkTheDestroyer666 Yeah output of this is pretty save (only 30 something volts). Input voltage can be dangerous if you are not skilled with it.
I have seen so much dangerous projects than this (like crazy russian running magnetron without any cover and touching output .__. )
ZorkTheDestroyer666
Don't forget to ground transformer core. NOT "We don't need green wire, so lets snap it"
ZorkTheDestroyer666 Yeah I know but its not fun to dance in rythm of 50Hz when isolation on primary windings fail and short to core and nothing have to shot down breakers because green wire is snaped. Also I really don't like "doubling" the voltage by connection primary from 2 different breaker circuits. I would rather connect those transformers paralel so I only need double current instead of voltage.
ZorkTheDestroyer666
No, as long as you connect output of transformers in series
MOSKAU15 you do know that a 1 amp 12 volt currant can kill you? the current is the most dangerous, not the tension
How would you have grounded it on 240v?
How do you know all this stuff on your channel? Are you a teacher?
This stuff is pretty easy.
Just look it up
Basic principles.... with highvoltage equipment i had managed to fuse wires together unbeknownst to what i was doing... Then the brain cell clicked!
the only youtube channel to have ever flattened my phones battery!
HA i made the metal melter ive got 800 amps! Xd
Seconded. Arc furnaces are sweet! They can melt anything! I really want to see Grant's approach to this.
I'm not sure I would trust that welder...
same here!
The same as a HF arc welder except theirs has a amp dial
And there's use a proper 220 cord
I was wondering if you could just attach a 240 v plug and just use that Instead of 2 120v plugs. also do you need a variable power source? or can you just plug it straight in.
You definitely need variable power. The main reason I can think of, apart from being able to regulate easily how much power your pumping out, is because of the different types of electrodes. For example, E6010s use anywhere from 65 to 75 amps (the conversion for volts is something you could find online real easily). He was using an electrode similar to this. But E7018s use anywhere from 90 to 120 amps. Without variable amperage/voltage there's no way of knowing what electrode your ghetto rig can handle and no way of knowing if it's too much power for one, which could end up melting the whole electrode (very dangerous) in a matter of seconds. So yes you need variable power haha
this is terrifying wiring. Teaching people how to do things dangerously is simply stupid, and makes you negligent
Agreed. It is just a matter of time before he is responsible for at least one death.
Paul Janetzki
Hopefully his own!!!!
Just do a youtube search for "electrocution" or "arc flash", then you will understand why people who work with electricity every day think this guy is a hazard to himself, and anyone that copies his philosophy.
Electricity kills... don't play games with it.
squee222 I agree that it can kill and arc flash burns can lead to blindness and ultimately skincancers on uncovered skin over the long haul.
However, he is not careless in his demonstartions, he protects himself. He does need to explicityly state the hazards of each project a bit more explicitly though so that anyone wishing to try it can know what protective equipment and the mandatory and optional tools needed should and could be used.
I do think however that experimental displays such as this are a modern day start on (alright a lot is left out) Farady's lectures at the Royal Society. They do contribute a great deal to understanding and I think experimentation needs to be encouraged.
nothing wrong with experimentation, if done safely... despite what you claim, nothing he is doing is safe.
Instead of 240vac, the same can be done with 120vac, but you will still need two outlets (each on different circuit breakers), on the same buss. In some cases, one might have two outlets relatively close that are on the same 120vac bus but go to two different circuit breakers.
In the video, he wired 2 transformer primaries in series and connected to two outlets each connected to a circuit breaker, each on a separate 120vac buss. The the Y plug connects the hot to one end of primary coil with the other side of the Y plug hot connecting the that circuit's hot to the one end of the other primary coil. Neither neutral or ground were mentioned. Then the two primary coils other leads are connected together with the end result of having two 120 volts coils connected in series. Lack of grounding in this is very scary.
The way to do this with two outlets on different circuit breakers on the same 120v buss is to forget the Y adapter plug and just run an extension cord from each outlet to each transformer. Things should be the same on the secondary coil.
Finely a intelligent coment.
You have wayyyyyy too much time on ur hands.
When is the fresh prince of random going to make something like this?
Your projects and production of videos is second to none other. I enjoy them all. Thank you!
Thanks Francis.
this is awesome. i have been looking for an arc welder but didnt think i would use it that often. and i didnt want to spend hundreds of dollarson one. htis is perfect for me
Interesting thought. i didn't think anyone would really be interested in seeing that part of it. But if I get enough requests, then perhaps one day I will?
Thanks Casper
arc furnace looks like a good project can't wait to see that one done.
Great project!! Thanks for the instruction on fabrication of something that can come in handy for different projects.
Yes
For the miny arc furnace, I would use the outlet behind the Electric Stove or Washers. They are 240 volts and the plug can be bought at Home Depot for cheap. This way you don't have to run a cord thru out your house.
In the US we simply dont get it, its rare for a house to have 240.
You can always wire one in though, it's not hard, but it's not like other countries that run on 220.
Every single stove and washer I've owned in the past 30 years has been 110v....I'm in California
*Great job. My heart as a mechanical engineer beats with joy*
What do you mean?
Interesting idea .. a simple dimmer switch doesn't do it for you? :)
is there any way i can do it without that funky power plug @ 3:37 so it can just use one outlet? my thought is that i could use a real variac that goes to 240v(versus the scariac), or i could alter our hand wound coils to get a good balance of voltage and power. would either of these methods work, or would that leave me at a loss for power?
don't most houses have 240v plugs for dryers and stoves and things?
Yeah, move to Australia. We have 240V 10A straight from the wall.
awes0meguy13 yea but they're usually being used by a dryer and a stove, even if not they're in really inconvenient places
Your making me feel so bad by putting links to videos not made yet. They sound so awesome!
The problem lies in the primary current draw and the size of the cable suppling them. If you will note, he is using the cable that was attached to the microwave.He is using whats on hand. It's rated at no more than 20 amps. By using 240V with both tranys connected in series he kept the current draw below the cables current limit. If you prefer to increase the cable size to 40 amps,wire tranys in parallel and attach to two outlets that you're sure are not on the same breakers, then it will do.
You nailed it!
Thank you Gary!
I miss this intro zoo much and these kinda videos
I have a 240 volt Lincoln welder but no 240 volt outlets. Do you think I could rig up the same thing you did with 2 outlets or is it inadvisable?
So dangerous looking, yet so mesmerizing!
The x-formers primary is rated at 15amps. By adding a 2nd x-former in parallel would double primary current draw which would trip the breaker. By wiring both primaries in series across 240volts the power is doubled but current draw is below the primaries and house breaker rating. His way of doing it was quicker than wiring in a new 240volt line from the electrical panel however, it would not stop one from doing so if they so desire to.
I don't think so. AFAIK, German power is single-phase 240, so there isn't split phases like we do in America with the two legs of 120 power. If the whole system is phased together, you don't get additional voltage by crossing between circuits.
I wish he still make videos like this really !!
Correct!
you sure are a king this project is very helping.
Grant, you should really consider putting a disclaimer in the description or at the start of each arguably dangerous videos. You know, just to remove any possible liability.
I know this sounds a bit harsh or perhaps pessimistic, but some people never follow proper safety precautions.
Just do it to be safe. Just do it to make other read up on whichever weekend project you are doing.
Safety first.
Also, love the videos. I also made a stick welder. Not in the same way, but you really inspired me.
You explain things very well like school teacher.
I would like to know how you can improved your system, so it can weld different amp.
Do you have time to make another video for that?
6:25 how did you make the current adjustable?
Dont think youre gonna get an answer bud...
@@xxkinglucifer7762
I'm not sure, but i think they do it with shunts. Little wedges that fit in between the primary and secondary coils and seperates them by screwing in a knob. More separation less current.
nice little project :) ... I, myself, for safety concerns would still have added a wood seperator block between the 2 lugs on the wood block ... i saw your setup and immediately pictured the screws even slightly loosening and the lugs touching
Awesome! I can't wait for the arc furnace!
One of the smartest guys I know.
Post all those videos soon!! You really got me excited with the furnance keep the coming!!!
we already have a default 240 volts can i plug it directly to the outlet?is it necessary that the two transformer have the same specification?and can you show how to put fuse in it for safety purposes..
thanks and good luck to ya will we see any of this on your channel if in you get it working right well?
Thank you
Awesome first venture into the world of welding!!'