Hello everyone, I would like to make a D.C. Solar Powered arc welder. I would like to know how to 'fine tune' or control my amperage output from a set of batteries connected in series to produce 36 or 48 volts. Most of my welding is in the 70-180 amp range @ 24 volts, open circuit voltage 48 volts.
Control of DC power
Nov 17, 2006
10 Replies
how much current can the solar panels supply?
martin
On a sunny day (17 Nov 2006 10:45:22 -0800) it happened snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net wrote in :
So your power running is about 24 x 180 = 4.320 kW. One way would be a a 4.5 kW DC AC converter, so you can use a normal welding transformer (with weak coupling to limit the current). Efficiency is not 100% so losses happen. In theory you could also make an electronic current limited switchmode at
36V, but not sure if that would be enough for welding (get the arc started). So in that case, series inductor and switch, couple of boxes of power MOSFETS, driver, control circuit, and some Hall sensor to measure the current, and use that as feedback. This right? Never done this much current.....Perhaps weak coupled ferrite cores???? I dunno.
Just some thoughts.
If you're talking about photovoltaics, have you got about 100 acres to cover with panels? (and about $1,000,000,000.00 to buy them with?)
Realistically, if you want to weld by solar power you'd do better to invest in a large lens or mirror and make a solar spot welder.
Good Luck! Rich
That's hysterically funny!
:-P
ah, battery powered - that's not the same thing as solar at all...
that's tricky... it's probably best if you can live with the fixed voltage
people have reported success welding from 24 battery supplies.
I guess it could be a little harder to start ther arc with 24v, but once started it's probably OK.
Bye.
Jasen
It is used to weld thin sheet metal. Tricky to do by hand but very successful once you have the knack.
*Very* dificult. I think one trick is to have an inductive cable. ie, Make it too long and coil a portion of it on a former.
Tony Williams.
Do you mean that you want to use some big 12V batteries connected in series, short the output togeather to create a arc (or heat for welding), and recharge them using solar power as the whole purpose of the rig is for remote operation where a mains supply is not available?
Just what is the application?
Hello Martin, Thanks for your reply. I would like to devise a welding system in which
12v batteries are connected in series to provide D.C. current for welding. I would use it for small jobs. I already have a DC Inverter welding machine and a gas powered 250 amp welder. The batteries would be ideal for something small, plus I could run a dc to ac inverter to power small grinders etc. When not in use the batteries would be recharged by two 100 watt solar panels. I have seen ads (Northern Tool) for a battery powered wire feeder that uses 24-48volts. Some of the older welding machines used a nichrome coil do reduce the current, tapped at different points. This design is very in efficient as the excess current is dissipated as heat. I was wondering if there was a more efficient way to regulate the DC amperage. Thank you.
Thank you for your reply. I would like to devise a way to control the output amperage from 12v batteries connected in series to produce 48 volts, The batteries would be recharged by two 100w solar panels. The rig would be used for short duration small jobs where power mains are unavailable, or where the noise factor would make the use of my current welding generator undesireable. I would use a dc to ac inverter to power small tools. There are many times where I do small jobs that burn few rods in the 60 to 100 amp range. I would like to know how to 'fine tune' the output . Thank you.
Jan, thank you for your reply. I saw an ad in Northern Tool for a battery powered wire welder that could run in the 50-400 amp range. I would like to devise a stick welder, powered by 12v batteries in series to provide 48v starting voltage and 24v running voltage. I would like to know how to control (fine tune) the amperage. This application would be used for small, low amperage jobs where I can't run my conventional welder generator due to the noise factor. Thank you. T. Rockriver
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