[JohnC]

I've got a 98 TJ that I need to do some welding on this weekend. I have arc and mig available. Do I need to take any precautions to avoid damaging electrical components? ie winch, alternator, dual optimas, stereo system, amps

 

[road1will]

you are ALWAYS supposed to disconnect the battery(s) when welding on a vehicle

 

[CA_YJ]

Really?? What if you battery is just dead:flipoff2: Shit I welded all my suspension brackets on today. Good thing my batter sucks:flipoff2:

 

[85 Chevota]

you are ALWAYS supposed to disconnect the battery(s) when welding on a vehicle

Go to any bodyshop and ask them if they do.......nope....its a myth....or maybe we have just been very, very lucky.

Put the ground clamp as close to the area where you are welding....

Probly not a BAD idea to disco the battery, but i think its uneccessary

 

[CA_YJ]

Well I have done a ton of welding on my rig and have never disconected the battery. Maybe I should go hit up Vegas:flipoff2:

 

[Chaz M]

i smoked a stereo in my rig when weldin on it with the battery hooked up...i have always disconnected it from then on...that was a expensive booboo

 

[sunshineoffroad]

Go to any bodyshop and ask them if they do.......nope....its a myth....or maybe we have just been very, very lucky.

What shop do you go to??? If I smoked an electrical system welding on a vehicle at the collision shop I work at, I would get my ass chewed. Not to mention if the shop manager wandered by and saw me welding without the battery disconnected. I ALWAYS disconnect the battery, just for good measure. Can you weld with it still hooked up, yes, I know many who do, but why take the risk for 30 seconds worth of work???

 

[CA_YJ]

i smoked a stereo in my rig when weldin on it with the battery hooked up...i have always disconnected it from then on...that was a expensive booboo

No worries. I got that one covered. No stereo to fry.

 

[Lord Baskerville]

Hell, you are suposed to use a staic discharge braklet when working on the cars ECM to avoid fryin' it with a static spark.
So YES you should allways disconnect the batt. Neg when welding.

As I tell my students...
You can weld on 100 cars and be fine then fry the elec. on 101.
101 WILL be a Benz or similar $$$$$$ car. (murphy don't ya know)
It's unlikely that you will fry the car, but, it is also unlikely that you will win the lottery and people buy tickets every day

But, if it is your car...... Weld away if you want.

Parts stores have a surge protecter that you can buy for about $40 that you can clamp to the batt instead of disconnecting it.

Cory