AC & DC Welding

[TacoRunner]

A guy and I where talking about this today at work. He says that AC cant be used doing overhead and Vertical only DC. I say Bull shit i've done it who is right and why? I say its only the rod that decides position and that and the only big diffrence is the way the current runs. becides needing a AC or DC rod.

[jmhinescj]

it's definately easier with a dc capable machine...think about it the current flows from + to -, the filler tends to flow with the current. On an ac machine its switching back and forth 60 times a second. On a dc machine with the stinger hot and the work grounded it will "pull" the filler onto the work.

That's how it was explained to me and it is noticeably easier

[rcurrier44]

I think its called "pinch effect" it pinches the little droplets off and propells them to the work material. Doesn't work as well on AC...your basicly hoping surface tension keeps it there untill it cools off and solidifies.