15amp welders on 10amp circuits

**welding** · 26th December 2010, 11:04 AM

The correct answer is as follows.

A circuit breaker limits the current that can flow via a circuit. A circuit breaker is chosen to suit the cable and the way it is installed. For example a cable in the roof under insulation is not treated the same as a cable that is buried in the ground so different breakers can be used.

A GPO (powerpoint) is chosen based on it's intended purpose. The limiting factor in a GPO is it's switch. A 10A GPO can safely break a 10A current, a 15A GPO can safely break a 15A current. If you run a 15A appliance on a 10A GPO you will sooner than later burn out the 10A switch and it will crackle.

A further consideration is that 10A GPOs are used in abundance on a circuit whilst a 15A GPO will only sit by itself at the end of the cable. The reason for this is that devices that are meant for a 15A GPO are going to draw more than 10A. If you file down the earth and stick it on your general circuit you will have used up at least 70% of your circuit's capacity and thus cause it to trip as all the other devices that may be on simultaneously will together with the welder exceed the breaker capacity.

For this reason a manufacturer puts a 15A plug on the welder and you would be well advised to install a 15A circuit to support it.

References: AS/NZ 3000:2007

John

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**Grahame Collins** · 26th December 2010, 11:39 AM

Hi John
Thank you for your refreshing and informative post.It is hard to convince people to spend that few dollars extra on a suitable electrical set up and err on the the side of safety.

Unfortunately ecomomic expedience is used too often as an excuse and accidents will still happen.
Given the number of people willing to take a risk on such things it is a wonder that more accidents don't occur.

This in turn prompts the atiitude that these incidents don't happen all that much and it will be OK to take a risk, and on it goes

Grahame.

**fineformfdg** · 26th December 2010, 11:47 AM

I did the same thing after the local tool shop told me it was completely safe, turns out they were complete tools as when i took it on site the sparky told me it was an absolute no no. lesson: do my own research

**Mathuranatha** · 26th December 2010, 02:45 PM

Had a caravan plugged into a mates house for a few months once [10 amp double power point ].Ran , hot water , cooker , jug , toaster,fridge etc intermittently for months no probs . One day I was welding [plugged into the same double power point ] and maybe the hot water and fridge kicked in at the caravan at the same time as I was running an arc .Anyway there was a bang and the power point exploded .

So the moral is watch out for things [like compressors , fridges , waterheaters etc ]that can suddenly start up on their own and push the amps right up , especially surge just as they fire up.

Worth noting though 15amp welders only draw 15 amps if they are turned right up to maximum[running 4 or 5 mill rods on an inverter welder]and only while you are running a bead.if you are only running 2.5 or 3.2 m rods it would be way less

.

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