How do inverter welders work

Purchase price cost per amp. Generally lower. Generally higher. All welders transform high voltage, low amperage primary power into the low voltage, high amperage power used for welding. The welder does this using a transformer, which is an iron core wrapped with hundreds turns of copper wire. Variables that determine the physical size of the transformer include the number of turns of wire, the cross-sectional area of the core, the voltage being applied and the frequency of the primary power.

The key variable—the one inverters address—is frequency. The equation that governs the design of a welder states that increasing the frequency of the primary power enables reducing size and mass of the transformer. The secret of inverter technology is that it increases the frequency of the primary power reaching the transformer from 60 Hz up to 20, to , Hz. See Fig. In an average welding operation, labor accounts for 85 percent of the costs see Fig. Measuring how much a repair costs includes time spent to bring the welder and the work together, welding equipment set-up time, material preparation time, arc-on time, welding clean-up time grinding spatter and slag or, even worse, costly rework , time spent moving the welder between jobs and time spent returning the welder to the tool crib, job box or storage space.

One contractor performing scheduled maintenance on a power plant calculated time saved to justify upgrading to inverter technology. Previously, the contactor used an eight-arc multiple operator system that weighed 4, lbs.

In addition, with the welder close to the work, operators could easily adjust welding parameters or change processes. Rack systems also offer the flexibility of removing individual welders from the rack. The individual inverters are little larger than a briefcase or carry-on suitcase size varies by output power , so one or two people can easily move a small inverter and bring it into a tight space.

With automatic linking technology, the inverter senses the type of primary power applied, then automatically but mechanically links to the correct power: or V, single- or three-phase, 50 or 60 Hz. The Auto-Line circuit eliminates mechanical linking and uses electrical linking instead.

The circuit boosts primary power to a higher voltage, and this power then becomes the source voltage for the inverter. The following types of inverters are available with Auto-Line amperages are given at maximum output :. Note the emphasis on through. Operators will never see a flicker, and the machine will operate continuously through conditions that cause other machines to shut down for self-protection or trip the circuit breaker.

This benefit really pays off on sites with dirty power or when running off generator power. Note that to create a cost-efficient two-arc welding station in the field, some companies pair an engine-driven welding generator and use its generator power to run an inverter. The availability of inverters with Auto-Line means that a person making welding repairs can move not just anywhere inside a plant, but can travel anywhere in the world without having to worry about finding available power.

People encountering an inverter for the first time usually cannot believe that such a small machine provides so much welding output. Stick electrode. Inverters also provide outstanding power efficiency, which can lower utility bills, and they make good use of the primary power being supplied, which is known in the industry as good power factor.

Good power factor lowers amperage draw, which may enable adding more welders to existing primary power. The company added eight inverters, increased productivity and met demand without any changes to incoming service. Mechanical contractors working in processing petchem, paper, food facilities and power plants also benefit from low primary power draw and primary power management. These job sites are often starved for power and may have generator power that fluctuates. By switching primary power at thousands of Hz and using advanced microprocessor control, an inverter can create optimum arc performance in any given welding mode.

Thus, operators can weld at their best and not fight the arc, or they can select the welding process best suited for the job. In addition to user-friendly controls, manufacturers also address the need for user-friendly processes.

The welding world generally acknowledges that wire welding MIG or flux cored is the easiest process to learn, with Stick being harder and TIG the most difficult which is not to say Stick welding is easy! Nearly anyone with decent hand-eye coordination and the right attitude can become good at wire welding for general applications with a few hours of practice.

Make sure to learn the functionality and workings of any welder from a professional in real life rather than online, as a lot of safety precautions are important, and some differences may be there in the working depending on your locality.

One advantage of inverter welders is the easier amperage and current output setting due to the presence of electronics. One of the biggest factors which contribute to why people may have a hard time deciding which technology for is the price.

Usually, an inverter costs much more than an old-school transformer , although the price difference has become less and less over the last 15 years because of a better manufacturing process and cheaper component cost.

One more thing to consider is the higher maintenance cost of the inverters over transformers , especially after the warranty ends. One other factor which is still up for debate is the downtime costs associated with inverters. They are more prone to environmental conditions and dust, rust as compared to conventional transformers.

Heavy copper transformers are still preferred for more industrial machines. If you are in the middle of a decision-making process about which technology to invest in, it is common for you to have a lot of questions about the topic. I will try to answer the most common queries that people have about both of these methods, hope this will help your decision. As I mentioned above, one of the biggest advantages of using inverters is the difference in power consumptions, which can justify paying the extra cost as over time the money saved from power consumptions will be more than extra money spent on an inverter welder.

This is one of those topics which are highly debated among the welding world, a lot of people claim that inverters provide for a smoother weld and an increase in productivity while some people claim that inverters can lead to lack of fusion.

As I said before, the size and weight difference alone can make or break the deal. While an average transformer might weigh anywhere around lbs, an inverter can weigh about 11lbs and fit inside a small suitcase. While the use of inverters is becoming more and more common among both hobbyists and professionals, there is still a huge community of welders who swear by the conventional methods.

And to be honest, there are pros and cons to both, so in the end, the choice is yours depending on the budget and the use for which you are in the market for.

An inverter welder might cost more but it will save you money on power consumption, while they will provide more efficiency, they are also prone to environmental conditions and cost more in maintenance. Inverters use much smaller transformers and hence they are sleek, more compact, weigh light and portable.

This is in striking contrast to a conventional welder that is notoriously cumbersome and can not fit into narrow spaces. Besides, they consume less power and can operate on normal household current. Lower power consumption means that the inverter welder can be plugged into any normal v wall socket with household current instead of high voltage current. The inverter welder can be plugged into any normal v wall socket having domestic current instead of high voltage current and thus eliminating the need to use an industrial generator.

Lower power consumption means that there will be savings in total energy costs. Additionally, an inverter welder will better accept the impure power from generators than conventional welders and this can result in faster jobs and fewer bad welds. For instance, with regard to MIG welders sometimes setting 2 may mean inadequate power and setting 3 may be excessive. It is here that inverter welder helps. Of course, this is not to say that the inverter welder is the ultimate and is the ideal device for all types of welding needs.

The fact that an inverter welder is able to operate on lower voltage current is due to the high-tech electronics components. There is validity in the argument that inverter welders are relatively fragile and hence susceptible to more frequent breakdowns and its usage will also result in a higher cost per amp.