More POWAA for my welder

ion529 · Jun 28, 2018

Okay so, I have a shed down the end of my garden where I like to weld and do stupid stuff. Anyway I have an arc welder which at maximum power gives me 160A @ 20V which is 3200W. When my parents built the shed they didn't take into account that there son was going to be a raging metal melting maniac and hence there is just 2 G-pin 13A @ 230V AC sockets in the entire shed, very inconsiderate I know. This of course allows for a maximum of 2990W which just isn't good enough if I want to weld thick steel without the fuse going every 2 seconds.

Luckily the electrician clearly saw my future struggles and popped in a 25A breaker for the shed on the mains board back up at the house when it was built. But here's where things get a little iffy: The cable for the shed comes in though a big dirty black wire from the house underground and goes straight into the G-pin sockets and then a smaller grey wire goes from the sockets to the strip light up above. (I've attached a highly detailed diagram below) I assumed that the strip light was just in parallel with the power coming into the sockets and turning off the power for the shed at the breaker would therefore turn off the sockets and the lights. But alas it only turned off the sockets and the lights are still fully functional. I don't know what witchcraftery this is but I don't really want to open up the socket and have a peak if there's live electricity going through her. My plan was to just attach a big 16Amp connector to the big dirty cable but it seems a bit tricky as I've no idea whats going on inside the socket.

Thanks in advance,

[ElectriciansForums.net] More POWAA for my welder

Peter

buzzlightyear · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
I have very thick steel

mmmm.so nothing will penetrate that then

SparkyChick · Jun 28, 2018

Spoon said:
Would need a location first.

Quite... Brayjing

buzzlightyear · Jun 28, 2018

Spoon said:
Would need a location first.

spoon the op not listening, this post needs closing.

Spoon · Jun 28, 2018

buzzlightyear said:
spoon the op not listening, this post needs closing.

I was just taking the micky out of the location he put mate.

davesparks · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
It's not a windup which is the funny part here you go:

Via this relay:
View attachment 43028

Are you sure there’s a relay in that box? It looks more like a joint box than a relay enclosure.

ion529 · Jun 28, 2018

I am absoulutely welding it myself, theres no fun in making a hydrogen chamber if theres no chance at all of it killing you, I also don't always go with the cheapest option i've had about 7 different electricians so clearly the paddy ones must just be rubbish. I've got my answer anyway so thanks gentlemen i'll be on my way

peace ou

StephenRowley · Jun 28, 2018

DPG said:
The normal method would be to use an FCU

There won't be relay in that box it'll just be junction box.

I wonder if that been installed using a 3 core SWA sharing a neutral between two circuits. It wouldn't surprise me. Either that or the original installer have some free swa.

do the reg even let you do that? I

It's a rough as dog arse. The OP going to end up killing someone or himself.

telectrix · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
I am absoulutely welding it myself, theres no fun in making a hydrogen chamber if theres no chance at all of it killing you, I also don't always go with the cheapest option i've had about 7 different electricians so clearly the paddy ones must just be rubbish. I've got my answer anyway so thanks gentlemen i'll be on my way

peace ou

WE CAN'T EDUCATE PORK.

ion529 · Jun 28, 2018

SparkyChick said:
Quite... Brayjing

buzzlightyear said:
spoon the op not listening, this post needs closing.

Spoon said:
I was just taking the micky out of the location he put mate.

davesparks said:
Are you sure there’s a relay in that box? It looks more like a joint box than a relay enclosure.

StephenRowley said:
There won't be relay in that box it'll just be junction box.

I wonder if that been installed using a 3 core SWA sharing a neutral between two circuits. It wouldn't surprise me. Either that or the original installer have some free swa.

do the reg even let you do that? I

It's a rough as dog arse. The OP going to end up killing someone or himself.

telectrix said:
WE CAN'T EDUCATE PORK.

Thought you might like a quick update lads, took er apart and found this hahahahah, Im defo not a trained eye but that looks pretty rough to me

ion529 · Jun 28, 2018

seems like he cheaped out big time, hes gone and cut wires at the very bottom and left them exposed and didnt want to use an extra connector for the earth

SparkyChick · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
I am absoulutely welding it myself, theres no fun in making a hydrogen chamber if theres no chance at all of it killing you, I also don't always go with the cheapest option i've had about 7 different electricians so clearly the paddy ones must just be rubbish. I've got my answer anyway so thanks gentlemen i'll be on my way

peace ou

I'm not worried about you, you've already demonstrated you're capable of disregarding your own safety by insisting on attempting this work yourself.

I'm concerned any poor souls who happen to be in the vacinity when you do actually create a bomb and cause damage or kill someone by electrocution because you didn't get the work done professionally.

westward10 · Jun 28, 2018

You can reuse that supply by paralleling the cable conductors up to increase its ccc then add a small CU.

SparkyChick · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
seems like he cheaped out big time, hes gone and cut wires at the very bottom and left them exposed and didnt want to use an extra connector for the earth

Actually if it was protected by appropriate devices in the consumer unit, it's probably not that bad. Nowhere near as bad as the light being connected directly to a 25A breaker.

davesparks · Jun 28, 2018

ion529 said:
seems like he cheaped out big time, hes gone and cut wires at the very bottom and left them exposed and didnt want to use an extra connector for the earth

Why would you want to introduce an extra connection into the earth?

What wires are cut at the bottom, is it steel armour wires around the cable?

ion529 · Jun 28, 2018

SparkyChick said:
I'm not worried about you, you've already demonstrated you're capable of disregarding your own safety by insisting on attempting this work yourself.

I'm concerned any poor souls who happen to be in the vacinity when you do actually create a bomb and cause damage or kill someone by electrocution because you didn't get the work done professionally.

See that photo up there? That's what "professional" is around here. I can do better myself