Welding and insulating a lift hook, or vehicle

[arftist]

High freg converters of the type you are using have an adjustable spark gap under a flap some where or behind a window. Yours may need an adjustment. I also sometimes remove a gfi and replace it with a regular outlet, unless it is by a sink. By the way if you have one gfi in a circuit, all the receptacles in that circuit, become gfi. As far as being broadcasters, that is exactly what they are. They are used in tig welding to broadcast a beam of electrons from the end of the tungsten to the work, that the welding current can then follow, illiminating the need to "strike an arc". High freg has the aditional benefit of helping to break through Al-oxide, which is why there is a start only setting, for welding on dc. If you want to witness the broadcasting ability, point the tungsten at your finger from a half inch away (do not ground yourself) and step on it.

[Crunch]

Originally Posted by arftist

If you want to witness the broadcasting ability, point the tungsten at your finger from a half inch away (do not ground yourself) and step on it.

I've heard that HF burns never properly heal...so...YMMV

[steve sells]

Originally Posted by arftist

<snip>. By the way if you have one gfi in a circuit, all the receptacles in that circuit, become gfi.<snip>.

That is not always true, It is only true IF they are wired that way with the side chain, other wise they are just normal recept's. It all depends on how they were wired.

Many people assume and think that idea was true, and they wire their replacement wrong, and can later be surprised!

[Hillbillysmith]

Electricity takes the path of least resistance, not the shortest path. It CAN go through the crane but if your welding something big enough to need a CRANE, then no. Especially if it has pieces welded together already. The ground will go through the weld straight to the ground. Like JR said, your making a mountain out of a pimple (funny saying btw ). You probably have a better chance of lightning coming into your shop and striking you while you're welding because of the ionic charge that can be emitted from the electrical current making an electromagnetic field that can create an attraction to the storm.

This is a thoughtful and very good question, but it's almost like asking: if you weld in the garage next to a little puddle of water coming out of the hose on the concrete floor, can the current get sucked into the water hose and follow the water into the piping inside the house and shock someone in the house washing their hands or someone doing dishes.

I'm not making fun, just saying that you probably don't need to be all THAT cautious. Just use common sense when doing something. Don't over-psychoanalyze the situation.



-Hillbilly