Another extension cord thread.

I recently bought an I-TIG 200. I have a question about an extension cord. I have read the threads on several sites( pirate, OFN, weldingweb,etc) about buying a 10/3 cord and replacing the ends with the proper ends for 220v. Looking at the specs of the welder I bought, it says 30A max inrush current. a 10awg wire is good for 30A... I asked an electrician friend, told him what the max current was and the max operating current. He says i should go with at least 8awg, or ideally 6awg! i think that was a bit overkill.

I have 40' of 10/3 SO wire. This cord will only be used on my Tig. Also, this will be going on a 30A breaker. Will 10/3 be heavy enough for me?

Yes, especially when factoring in duty cycle.

YES, it's plenty.

Any good electrician will tell you it all depends on the length. Whenever sizing a circuit for an appliance you need to know the amperage/voltage first, and the 2nd thing you need to know is the circuit length to determine the proper size wire. Also not all 10awg wire is good for 30A. Some 10AWG is only good for 25A and some is good for 35A.

I'm using a 20ft 10/3 SOOW Cord on my 225LX and plugging it into my dryer outlet. I have ammeter and don't think I've ever broken 20Amps of load. (I don't weld a whole lot over 130amps)

Thanks for the replies guys! Thats kind of what i thought from doing a little searching. looks like I know what i will be doing in the morning..

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I have read the threads on several sites( pirate, OFN, weldingweb,etc)

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Wow, I have read a bunch of stupid questions on the weldingweb forums :O

I have a200DX running on over 100 ft of 10 ga cord plugged into a dryer outlet, and it will run at full power without issues.

Your welder is rated at 24A at full load. This is the number you should look at for sizing the wring, provided the inrush isn't extreme (30A in your case).
Unless you are trying to run 300ft or something crazy.

Measure the voltage at your supply, if it is 240V, it will be an even lower current requirement.

I made my cord out of 10/3 SO wire and at 50ft it doesnt even get warm even if I welding for long periods.