How to Hook up Stick Welding Leads?

How to hook up stick welding leads to the welder was something constantly struggled with. Should you connect the ground lead to the welder’s positive terminal or the negative one? Where should the electrode lead go? One can just add as much complexity as desired.

Understanding the connections of a stick welder might be confusing for many individuals. But I’ll tell you, it’s not as complicated as it seems.

There are three distinct ways to connect the welding leads: the DCEN connection, the DCEP connection, and the AC connection. Each connect has benefits and drawbacks. Depending on the welding application they are being utilized in, they should be adjusted.

How to hook up stick welder leads for various welding tasks will be covered in great detail in this article.

Let’s get started straight now.

Stick welding or SMAW?

Shielded Metal Arc Welding, often known as stick welding, is the most widespread method of arc welding. It creates a weld pool by melting the electrode rod and the metal workpiece using electrical current (often DC). Shielded metal arc welding is so named because the electrode is covered in a layer of flux that prevents extraneous particles from contaminating the molten weld.

Stick Welding Setup

The following tools are used in a stick welding setup:

1. Welding apparatus
2. Welding leads (Work Cables)
3. Holder for the electrode
4. Ground clamp (Work Clamp)
5. Welding rod (Electrode)

These elements are arranged correctly in the diagram below.

What Are The Welder Leads?

Electrical conductors covered in an insulating rubber jacket make up welding leads and welding cables, exactly like regular copper wires. These cables are available in a variety of lengths and diameters. We utilize cables with a big diameter for high current applications because they provide less resistance to the current. Similarly, you can utilize the ones with a smaller diameter for low current applications. It all depends on the specifics of your application.

In stick welding, there are two different kinds of electrode leads: work leads and electrode leads (also called the ground lead). Electrode leads connect the electrode holder to our welding machine. The ground lead ties it up to the workpiece in a similar manner.

Welding Lead Sizes

Several sizes of welding leads are available. You should pay close attention to the size of the stick welding leads before connecting them. If your cable selection is incorrect, you won’t be able to get the desired current and voltage to the welding torch. As a result, issues like excessive splatter and poor fusion may develop. Your stick welder won’t arc if the current drops too low.

The following table lists the ideal copper and aluminum cable sizes for various stick welding amperage values and welding cable lengths.

Copper and aluminum cable sizes for various stick welding amperage values and lengths

For instance, ask your welding store for an aluminum cable of size 4/0 or a copper cable of size 1/0 if your workpiece is roughly 100 feet from the welder and your application requires 200 Amps.

Stick Welding Leads Setup Procedures

Simply adhere to these easy instructions to correctly connect the stick welding leads.

1. Positioning the ground clamp

Attach the ground clamp in the proper location first. With the work lead, ground clamps connect our workpiece to the ground. It can be attached directly to the workpiece or to the metallic table on which you will be working (as shown in the figure).

placement of the ground clamp

2. Connect welding leads to the welder

The welding machine’s positive terminal should be connected to the work electrode, and the negative terminal should be connected to the welding cable. Depending on the welding application, you can alternatively connect opposite to this. The specifics of these links will be covered later in this text.

To alter the polarity, certain welding machines contain a switch that may be flicked. The welding cables’ connections must be manually switched if not. Make sure the welding equipment is turned off before changing the polarity.

3. Connect the welding machine.

The machine should then be plugged in and turned on. Adjust the current and voltage to the right values for your welding application. You can proceed now.

There are three different welding configurations: DCEN, DCEP, and AC.

If stick welding is a ground positive or ground negative procedure, many people ask me. BOTH is the response to this query. In fact, there are three alternative ways to hook up the welding cables for stick welding.

1. DCEP Welding Connection

Connect the electrode holder to the positive terminal and the ground clamp to the negative one for DCEP, or direct current electrode positive connection (formerly known as reverse polarity). As a result, electrons will go from the workpiece to the electrode. We employ the DCEP configuration for the majority of stick welding applications. The configuration for the DCEP connect is shown in the diagram below.

2. DCEN Welding Connection

The electrode holder is negative and the workpiece is positive in DCEN, also known as direct current electrode negative or straight polarity. As a result, electrons go from the electrode to the positive workpiece. The setup schematic for the DCEN connect is shown in the following figure.

3. AC connect

Alternating current, often at a frequency of 60 Hz, is utilized in an AC welding connect. Every 120 billionth of a second, the direction of the current changes. Because there is no polarity in an AC welding connect, heat is distributed evenly between the electrode and the workpiece. The following diagram shows how to connect an AC source.

DCEP vs. DCEN: What polarity should you stick weld on?

We hook up the welding leads in a DCEP connection for the majority of applications. In terms of polarity, stick welding is fairly flexible.

Remember that electrons always move from the negative terminal of the welder to the positive terminal. Because the work lead is linked to the negative terminal of the welder in DCEP, the electrons leave the metal’s surface and migrate toward the electrode. After striking the positive electrode, these electrons generate a lot of heat. As a result, the electrode creates nearly two thirds of the welding heat, with the remaining third building up on the workpiece. In contrast, because electrons go from the electrode to the base metal in DCEN, two thirds of the heat is generated on the metal being welded.

You can’t just pick any welding configuration at random. Each connect has uses and restrictions. Similarly, not all electrodes are compatible with DCEP and DCEN.

As I’ve already explained, DCEP generates a lot of heat on the electrode, which causes a deep penetration. However, compared to DCEN, DCEP has a lower rate of electrode deposition. As a result, it is not appropriate for welding thin sheets since it could cause them to burst.

The DCEN connection, on the other hand, produces less heat on the electrode, which results in less penetration. However, compared to DCEP, the filler metal deposition rate is fairly high. If you must weld thin sheets, I advise choosing DCEN.

Choose An Electrode For Various Polarities

On various current types, various electrodes perform well. Some work well with DC while others work well with AC. In actuality, a lot depends on the kind of coating on the electrode. The following table may help you identify the best one for your application.

For various polarities, choose an electrode.

Arc cleaning action in DCEP

The ability of DCEP to clear oxide is one of its key advantages over DCEN.

For a successful weld during arc welding, the metal’s surface must be thoroughly cleaned. It is necessary to clear away debris like dirt, rust, and oxides. Otherwise, these contaminants will mix with the molten metal, creating a poor weld.

The avalanche of electrons in DCEP travels from the base metal to the positive electrode. A strong weld is produced when the non-conducting oxide layer in the metal is broken by this electron stream, which also naturally eliminates the contaminated particles from the metal.

 AC Vs DC Welding

DC powers the majority of high-power equipment. The ability to operate on both AC and DC is a feature of some professional TIG and SMAW welders. So which is preferable, AC or DC? Why do we even need AC welding if we utilize DC more than 90% of the time?

When compared to AC welding, DC welding is far more fluid. Examine the AC waveform below. There is a brief period when the current flowing is zero whenever the polarity changes from positive to negative (see the red marks). The arc that is created is highly erratic because of this intermittent flow of current.

You might, however, choose AC over DC in several circumstances. The ability of AC to eliminate arc blow is one of its main advantages. Are your welds wavered or crooked? Is there an excessive amount of spatter surrounding your weld? If “yes,” your weld may be experiencing arc blow. Such issues can be resolved by switching to AC. Yet, DC welding offers many more benefits than AC welding.

Sticks Welding Leads Troubleshooting

Prevention is always preferable to treatment. Improper use of welding wires can lead to issues including low output current, high resistance, and trouble igniting the arc. It is always always preferable to utilize the suitable wires and welding techniques. However, if any issues develop as a result of improper cable usage, this brief troubleshooting guide may be able to assist you in resolving them.

• Straighten the cables.
• Check the cable for any coils or bends that can induce inductance effects in the wires.
• Arc starting issues might be brought on by lower quality cables. Make use of good wires.
• Employ the correct size welding leads.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for the majority of stick welding applications, you must connect your electrode lead to the positive terminal and your ground lead to the negative terminal (DCEP connection). You should use the utmost caution when wiring up the welding leads.

In fact, improper cable connections can lead to problems with arc blast, filler deposition, and inadequate penetration. Yet once you grasp the root of the problem, the answer becomes crystal clear. Good luck with your welding endeavors.

FAQs

Is the welding ground positive or negative?

Usually, the negative terminal of the welding power supply is wired up to the welding ground. This is so that when a weld is made, electrical current passes from the electrode to the workpiece because the electrode or welding wire is linked to the positive terminal. The ground clamp completes the circuit by giving the electrical current a secure route back to the power source.

Which lead is positive on a stick welder? 

The electrode lead also referred to as the “hot” lead, is positive on a stick welder. This indicates that the electrode holder or clamp is attached to the welder’s positive terminal. A full electrical circuit is created for the welding process when the ground clamp is attached to the negative terminal.