When buying welding cable, choose the heaviest copper braided cable for better electric current flow. Purchase heavily jacketed or shielded cable to protect from cuts and burns. Seek advice from experienced welders and buy from welding supply stores for higher quality cables.
When choosing welding cable, it is always best to buy the heaviest cable available. The practice of welding uses large amounts of electricity to melt steel; therefore, the heavier the welding cable, the better the electric current will flow. Generally, heavy copper braided welding cable is preferred over aluminum cable. Copper cable allows current to pass without overheating, unlike aluminum cable. It is always a good idea to purchase heavily jacketed or shielded welding cable to protect the cable from cuts and burns.
Ensuring that welding cable reaches every corner of a workshop is also a must when buying new cable. Often a welding cable is used which does not allow the user to reach certain areas of the welding shop. This creates a challenging scenario when you have a large project that is difficult to move. The best cables are welding cables that reach all areas of a shop or work area with ease.
When choosing a lead for the electrode side of a welder, it is important to purchase a flexible lead. Attempting to weld with stiff, unmanageable wire can make it difficult to create a smooth weld bead. Often the difference in a cable’s flexibility comes from the type of protective coating used on the cable. Rubber coating is always more flexible than plastic. In a cold environment, a plastic coating can make bending the welding cable nearly impossible.
Typically, the best cable can be found at a welding supply store. The wire found at home building and supply stores is usually not as high quality as the wire sold at welding supply stores. Inferior quality cable can melt and melt over time, creating a cable with stiff spots or, even worse, dead spots. Damaged wire can produce large resistance and actually reduce the amount of electric current that can flow through the wire. This leads to spot welds with poor penetration spots, resulting in a weaker weld.
If you’re buying welding cable for the first time, it’s always a good idea to seek the advice of an experienced welder. Welding supply stores are typically owned and operated by experienced welding personnel who are more than eager to assist a novice buyer. Make sure you have the make, model, and any other information available for the type of welding machine you use when shopping for supplies, as this will help you make the right choice.
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