House fuse rating

[Alex]

I've recently bought a new welder and it requires a 16a blue socket.
I've had one fitted and A 20a trip/fuse thingy.
Today I thought I'd have a play and found that when I use the higher 3 settings it trips when pulsing the trigger.
If I use a 13a domestic socket I don't have this problem until the highest setting,it's useable unless I repeatedly pulse the trigger.
The welder is a Lincoln Electric 185 compact
I'm now wondering if this wasn't a high enough fuse? Or perhaps I'm missing something?

[GT6 M]

Bung a 30 amp fuse in it,

but its best to run it off a cooker or a showa 6-8-10 mm feed though.

yer ordinary ring main should cope, IF ye running nowt else on it at time that uses power.
Its most likely the ..spike.. when ye first press trigger

I had a trip int shed, but when compressor started, it always tripped
looking at ammeter, it was start peeking aboot 30+ amps for a  nano sec, but enuff to trip the modern trips.

olde fashioned type are best.!!!!

M

[Alex]

It's on 10mm cable
I've now been told to change from a type B 20A fuse to a type C 20A......apparently a B copes with 3-5 times full load current and a type C is 5-10 times.

Does this all make sense to anyone  ;D

[mpbarrett]

Alex wrote:

It's on 10mm cable
I've now been told to change from a type B 20A fuse to a type C 20A......apparently a B copes with 3-5 times full load current and a type C is 5-10 times.

Does this all make sense to anyone  ;D

yes. It wont be a fuse but a MCB (miniature circuit breaker) you can buy different types for different surge currents. For example a motor starting will draw a lot of current for a short period of time, with the right MCB it wont trip until the current has stayed high for a longer period. A C or D type should sort out your problem.

Nice explanation here
http://www.neweysonline.co.uk/MCBs/Static.raction

Mike

[GT6 M]

Yes they are  good at times, but a real pain if the walls  got a wee bit of damp in it,
damp gits into socket back, and darn things are always tripping oot.

must be some bigg stuff yer welding Alex,!!!

M

[Clive]

with 10mm cable you can use a 50A trip. But stick a 32a c rated one in.....well, I would.

[piman]

Hello Alex,

what does your 10mm cable feed, just the socket or do you have a garage consumer unit on the end of it?

If it connects to your 16A socket then I would not protect it with anything more than 20a, but yes a C or D rating (C is probably better) breaker.

Alec

[piman]

Hello Alex,

after looking at the specifications of your welder it's full load current is 26 amps at 180 amps output so it should be connected to a 32 a socket.
I would disagree with Ian, a C type is preferable and shouldn't cause nuisance tripping, but unless you do not intend to use the full capacity of your welder that you should use a higher supply breaker and larger socket than you are using.

Alec

[Alex]

The rating plate on my welder says a 20a fuse.....
On this basis a 20a should be enough I think just needs to be a delayed trip? So a Type C should solve my issue?
It will rarely if ever run on full power anyway :)

[piman]

Hello Alex,

the one I looked at must be a different model as it's rating was 6.2 Kva. Strictly speaking a 16a socket is too small for yours but as long as the breaker is no larger than 20a you should be fine on lower power settings. We have quite a few inductive loads here and I never use anything other than 'C' types and they work fine.

Alec

[Alex]

Thanks Alec,
The welder already has a 16a socket fitted and the instructions said 16a. However they also said running off a 20a delay fuse.
I thought 20a was 20a and didn't realise there were different ratings.
I'll get a c rating and as you say that should solve everything.

Previously my garage electrics were all through wire fuses and they didn't blow. Now it's all been reworded is where the issue started.

Thanks everyone for your help
Alex

[piman]

Hello Alex,

yes, and not just breakers, fuses also are rated differently, technically called the inverse time/current curves. You've probably heard of slow blow and fast blow fuses?
I'm surprised that they say to use a 16a plug if the machine is rated at 20 a, if the machine is not moved it could be connected directly to an isolator of 20a rating or more rather than a plug and socket?

Alec