Friend and I got in a debate the other day of whether it can be done successfully.

Can you take a GOOD heavy duty power inverter like this, install it in your truck:

power inverter (http://www.dcacpowerinverters.com/itemdesc.asp?CartId={AA719006-F9CC-482F-BD50-0EVERESTD970D52C743}&ic=PBI1100-12)




and use it to plug this basic cheapie 110 welder into

http://cgi.ebay.com/W-W-PROFESSIONAL-100-AMP-ARC-WELDER-w-FACE-SHIELD-NR_W0QQitemZ7541658603QQcategoryZ113743QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem


AND still get good results without messing something up? Will the inverter even push enough power out? :confused:

probably not. we tried useing a little millermatic 110 with my 1000watt cont. generator and it would work for a few second then trip the circut in the generator and have to be reset....kept doing it. that was pumping out like 150watts (according to dial)

has the wrong recepticles to start with :D mine takes a 20 amp wall plug.


i have a century 155amp unit bought from grizzly wood working. anyway heres the specs from the welder.

output

105 adc, 19.5 vdc, 20% duty cycle, max ocv 28 vdc


input

120 vac, 25 aac, 10.60 hz

Maybe a 70 amp'r- but that's so lightweight it's almost worthless w/o the right electrodes and bigass propane torch to preheat the weld area. But you'ld have to be pretty desparate /hardheaded to go that route

Just not viable ,unless you were going for something like a 3000 watt continous and had a couple deep cycle batt's onboard( in parallel) to give it up w/o crappin out,
or having to kick your alternator into overdrive(causing the belt to slip if it's loose due to the increased electrical demand).

that converter is capable of 9.5 amps, most 110v welders draw in the 15-25 amp range

you'd need this invertor and for the price a ready welder is cheaper (http://www.dcacpowerinverters.com/customkititems.asp?kc=PBI3500-0AWG) that converter is capable of 9.5 amps, most 110v welders draw in the 15-25 amp range

You *can* do it, but it's a totally backwards setup. Why would you want to use an inverter combined with that "Made in China" lookin' POS? You'd be flushing cash in the toilet. AC stick welding sucks to begin with, it's easier to do with DC and you already own the smoothest DC current available -batteries (no sine wave "ripple") You don't need to step up voltage to 115v and convert it to AC with an inverter just to step voltage back down with a welder (that would weld better with DC anyway). Stick is a constant current process you aren't really concerned with voltage curves anyway - get some batteries, a stinger, a ground clamp and go to town. Don't try stick welding with 115 volts - you'll electrocute yourself.

OTOH, Mig is a constant Voltage welding process.
If you wanted to power a mig without 110v AC access, search "readywelder".

For curiosity's sake:
Miller 135 specs
Input power 115vac, 20A (2300 watts)
Oputput at 20% duty cycle 90A x 18vdc (1620 watts )
I figure a 2500 watt continous rated inverter would be required
-Price an inverter that big, they ain't cheap and you'd need a serious fawkin alternator to power it (better off buying a stand-alone generator/welder)