What is a welding cable?
A welding cable is typically made out of flexible copper wire and comes with a protective covering capable of withstanding flame, oil, heat, and abrasions among other things. eHow says it allows the electrode in a generator to function and is often used for public lighting setups.
What is a welding cable ampacity?
Welding cable ampacity is also commonly known as amperage capacity or ampere capacity. Amp ratings and current capacity are also a few of the terms it’s widely known for. All basically refer to one thing: the amount of electrical current a spool of welding cable can conduct as safely as possible.
What are the factors that affect welding cable ampacity?
You must take into consideration the voltage and resistance as well as amperage. Electrical resistance refers to the force that resists, or gets in the way of, the flow of electric charges when passing through any given object. Cable length, the shape of the cable you choose, and the material it’s made out of all affect electrical resistance.
What is welding size?
When it comes to choosing the right size for your welding cable, you’ll need to factor in the welder output power along with duty cycle and the circuit length. Output power sets the maximum current from the power supply. As a result, the cable’s size must be enough to handle that maximum current. Duty cycle refers to the capacity rating of a welding power source. And the welding circuit consists of the path the electrical current will run through during the entire welding application. That means the longer your cable is, the lower your ampacity ratings will go since longer cables offer greater electrical resistance. Make sure you note these down when you select your welding cable size.
