415v MIG Welders FAQs
Straight answers to the questions people ask most when choosing a three-phase MIG welder for workshop and production use.
Who needs a three-phase MIG welder?
Three-phase machines suit fabrication shops, production lines, engineering workshops and anyone welding thicker material or for long periods. A three-phase supply carries more power for a given current per phase, so these machines can give higher output with a steadier load on the supply.
If you only have a single-phase supply, you are limited to single-phase machines.
Do I need special wiring or a fuse rating to install one?
Yes, it needs a three-phase connection with the correct cable size and protection for the machine's input current, installed by a competent electrician. The manual states the recommended supply cable and fuse or breaker rating.
Do not connect a machine to a circuit that has not been checked for the load. Poor supply causes tripping, overheating and unreliable welding.
Air-cooled or water-cooled: which should I choose?
Air-cooled torches are simpler and need no extra equipment, and suit many general jobs. Water-cooled torches carry higher current for longer without overheating, so they suit heavy, continuous or production welding, but they need a cooler and a little more upkeep.
Choose according to the current and the duty cycle you will use.
What does a high duty cycle give me?
Duty cycle is the proportion of a ten-minute period the machine can weld at a given current before it must cool. A higher duty cycle at your working current means fewer interruptions on long welds.
If you weld continuously at high current, look at the rating at that current rather than the headline maximum.