Transformer Help

chcustom

Hey All,
I just got a good deal on a Tig welder that is rated 460/575. My building is has 400amp single phase service. I have a 220 line running to the welding area. What can I do to run this welder on the existing power in my building. I purchased a tranformer but it was the wrong one. What kind of rating should I be looking for in a transformer to get this to work. Any other suggestions?

Thanks, D.J.
www.CHCustom.com

elkangorito

Please take note of the above bolded characters. What rating are you talking about? Amps? Volts? Watts? Mice? Oranges? Please clearly identify ALL the ratings of this device. Try to find the "rating" plate & quote what is written on it.

__________________
Switchboard design engineer & Licensed Electrician (Australia).

chcustom

The 460/575 is volts. It has way too many numbers to write down and input on here. It has a bunch of different amp ratings for A/C and D/C welding, and different amp ratings for 460v and 575v.

Hope that helps, D.J.

elkangorito

You really do need to supply ALL the info that you have, no matter how painful it is.

Please bear in mind that other posters may go to great lengths (& keystrokes) to help you solve your problem. Please provide the maximum number of "keystrokes" for them. If you don't, you may be asked later to provide this info.

__________________
Switchboard design engineer & Licensed Electrician (Australia).

J. V.

Transformers do not change single phase to three phase. They lower and increase voltage only. If the welder is designed for three phase input, you need three phase input.
I am not saying that this is impossible to do, just that you will not be able to do it.
A highly trained professional may be able to rig up something that would work. Do you have this ability. If not, keep an eye on this thread. Someone may be able to provide you with help.

chcustom

single or 3 phase aside, welder is single, I just need a transformer to bump 220 to 460, doesn't mater what phase it can be wired either way but I need to know where to get the proper transformer and what the code would say, example:220/440 +-5 440/220? , what does this tell me and what should it say for what I need to bump up to 460 from 220. thanks

Stubbie

But you will need a transformer to do this and it will not be cheap and may out weigh your good deal.

As elKangarito said we need all the data on the welder but this really is something you should have a local professional do for you. Essentially this is what you will have in the end. The transformer will be stepping up the single phase voltage to 460 volts 3 phase output.

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Stubbie

How are you going to bump up to 460 volts single phase? To my knowledge there are no 460 volt single phase welders. Are you in the USA?

frenchelectrican

Stubbie.,, hate to crash in ya but i did see one welder i think the Miller do have that verison http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/

this listing will show the input votlage connection but for other brand name kinda long shot i know Hobart do make it before but no longer currentally.


Merci, Marc

J. V.

Stubb....he could back feed a 460/240 GP 3 phase XFMR. But I also question the 460 single phase welder. I have never seen one.
I have seen a leg dropped on some panels, but that is an exception.

Now, I know a company that would build this XFMR. But like you said, there goes the savings on the welder.

I think he has a 3 phase welder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chcustom

OK guys, first off thanks for the quick replies. Here is the information from the book.

Square Wave TIG 175 Pro

Input - Single Phase Only

Standard Voltage 460/575/1/60

Input Current at Rated Output
27/22 AC/DC Stick & DC TIG - 33/27AC TIG

Recomended Input Wire and Fuse Sizes
460/1/60 --- Fuse Breaker Size 50 ------Input Ampere Rating 27 ----- Copper Wire and Ground size 14 (2.1mm2)

Thanks, D.J.
www.CHCustom.com

Stubbie

Thanks french electrician I bet he is wanting to weld aluminum...custom shop...motorcycles...duh!

Sorry chkustom and thanks for the specifications.

You need at minimum a 12.5 KVA transformer... (27 amps)(460 volts)/1000... It will need a input of 240 volts and an output of 480 volts . 460 is a nominal voltage so it won't matter as long as it is 60 hertz single phase supply.

Is there a particular website your ordering from? Maybe we can look there and get the model# of the one you need.

They may list it as a 480x240 or 240x480 or even a 480 x 120/240...bet that just confused the heck out of you....

Andy in ATL

This thread is awsome. How much is the transformer? 3-phase would be cooler to have, think of the lights you could install...

ANdy

chcustom

One I was looking at has this as a rating ---- 1 PHASE HV 480 LV 120/240 ------- 15 KVA

Thanks, D.J.

elkangorito

This is the tranny I would buy for the job (as stated above). Make sure that you use an appropriate sized/type fuse or circuit breaker on the secondary of the transformer. The fuse size stated (50A) sounds too big. I'd be using one of either of the following;


1] 32 Amp HRC Motor Start fuse.
2] 32 Amp Motor Start circuit breaker.

Using either of these provides maximum protection without the problem of nuisance tripping.

__________________
Switchboard design engineer & Licensed Electrician (Australia).