I am really confused to how welders are welding in under the water?

They have special training and special equipment.
Phil

i knew a man once who welded oil rigs all over the world - strange to say i never asked him how the equipment worked... sounded like a pretty bleak ole job to me tho!

I am not a underwater weldor, but from my understanding they take normal electrodes and dip them in a special liquid to give them a protective coating that alows them to weld under water, they also crank up the amerage when welding under water.

Special electrodes used with a special holder. Need to create a air bubble at the weld area. Told by a salvage friend.
Ken

From my understanding the electrodes are covered in bee's wax. after a arc is striked it creates a bubble for them to weld in. That is how it was explained to me when I went and checked out the college of oceaneering in wilmington california many years ago. Sorta crazy it is that simple.

If you really need to know send my buddy Ernie a email... He is the top side welding instructor at The Divers Institute of Technology here in Seattle

ernie@stagesmith . com

Here are a few of the websites I found with Google:

Hyperbaric welding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/underwater-welding/underwater-welding.pdf
Underwater welding (Knowledge Summary)
Underwater wet welding manual

From what I have seen one person is under water with the stinger and when he is ready to weld he tells the person topside to engage the power. There is a school in tampa but I have enough work can't ever see myself doing it.

I heard that the old-timers just dipped their rods in paint to keep the flux intact and a fellow on the surface just used a knife switch to cut the power when the diver wasn't actually welding; cavemen.

I've thought of trying to lay some beads in a water trough at the shop, but have been too busy to mess around.

I've dunked 6010 in water and ran it with hight current to do come scabby emergency cutting....how much underwater welding "street cred" is that worth? :)

i welded underwater many years . The rod is  special rod hydro-flow by Llinclon is one of the most popular because of the availability. the stinger is aa special type with a gas ring around the outside looks similar to a torch keeps the water away from the weld so it is easir to heat the HAZ .some folks have been known to use a regular tweeco stinger most of these guys have quite a bit of experience. the welder has an interrupter that cuts the currant to the machine when not welding or changing of rods..THERE ARE OF COURSE THOSE FOLKS WHO DENY ALL LOGIC AND USE OTHER THAN PROPER EQUIPMENT.THESE I WILL NOT REVEAL BECAUSE OF THE DANGER AND FLAT OUT STUPIDITY INVOLVED 

3 hours ago, deepdiver62 said:

THESE I WILL NOT REVEAL BECAUSE OF THE DANGER AND FLAT OUT STUPIDITY INVOLVED 

Thank you for keeping IFI safe!