Can I wire an engine driven welder in to 3 phase?

[Timbo23]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm a welder from Canada, working in Calgary. I've recently purchased a Big Blue engine driven welder, and am eager to put it to work for me. So here's the question...When I was an apprentice, I worked with a rig welder who told me that he had wired his Big Blue in to 3 phase 480V service at a construction site he contracted at thus eliminating the need to burn fuel, but still being able to weld with it. Was he full of crap, or is there some truth to this? I tried to google it, but this is pretty specific and i figured that this would be the best place to find an answer.

[cruizer]

Guy probably told you to check the spark plug gap on your diesel too. Get real, your making us Canadians look stupid....


The only unit that could be hooked into shop power was the pipepro304, and 230 shop power only.

[Timbo23]

Guy probably told you to check the spark plug gap on your diesel too. Get real, your making us Canadians look stupid....



The only unit that could be hooked into shop power was the pipepro304, and 230 shop power only.

Hey dude, no need to be a **** about it. It was a simple question, and here's the answer i was looking for, provided by you. I don't need to use my big blue in this manner, but i was just checking to see if it was an option. Thanks.

[cruizer]

A big blue what? ,there are many....

[wmgeorge]

NO. Simple answer from someone who has worked in industrial / commercial related electrical field since 1962.

[Bistineau]

Hey dude, no need to be a **** about it. It was a simple question, and here's the answer i was looking for, provided by you. I don't need to use my big blue in this manner, but i was just checking to see if it was an option. Thanks.

He is not being a **** to you, just giving you a viable answer. He works on welders(machines, not people) for a living. If he tells you something about your machine, you can take it to the bank that he is correct about it. You may have jut screwed yourself with him on getting anymore technical advise in the future. I wouldn't blame him either if that was the case.
In the case of your Big Blue engine drive, the engine turns a generator that produces the electrical power to weld with. It's not like it has a generator that powers a separate built in electric welding machine. So the guy that told you this was pulling your leg. So go ahead and wire your machine into 3 phase power and see what happens and let us know how it worked out.

[H80N]

Timbo...

put some salve on it...

no point in trying to kill the messenger...

why go after Cruizer..??

go after the guy that was blowing smoke up your dress... so you could let the smoke out of your welder...
Better yet... Download and READ the manual for your welder... then you will know better

http://www.millerwelds.com/service/ownersmanuals.php

or....Maybe you are in the market for a bucket of "prop wash" or some "radar paint"...too..??

[Timbo23]

Turns out it was the pipepro 304 he was talking about. It's an awesome feature, IMO, makes an already diverse machine even more capable. I own a big blue pipe pro 350, and i erroneously presumed that miller would make this option available to every machine in the series. Thanks to all those that contributed worthwhile information to this thread (cruizer).

[JSFAB]

Turns out it was the big blue 304 he was talking about.

There is no such thing. Like already mentioned, there is a PIPEPRO 304, with that option available. I was looking into these myself a number of years ago, found that there were too many problems, bought Lincoln Commander 500s instead. They have their own problems, but at least those problems are things I can deal with myself.

edit: the Commanders do NOT have the plug-in option, but for the reliability, I have no problems buying diesel fuel or listening to the engine run.

[Tryagn5]

simple.....

Turns out it was the big blue 304 he was talking about. It's an awesome feature, IMO, makes an already diverse machine even more capable. I own a big blue pipe pro 350, and i erroneously presumed that miller would make this option available to every machine in the series. Thanks to all those that contributed worthwhile information to this thread (cruizer).

When i bought my first mechanics rig truck i was very poor. My welder was a very old trailblazer 250. At the time i did a lot of welding and the tb would barely run an air arc. So i mounted a maxtron 450 in an old job box in the bed. I bought it cheap figured if it lasted 6 months it would get me into a new engine drive. I ran that maxtron for 5 years. I would plug it into all the shops power that i worked in. Now i have an xmt 304. Maxtron can be had cheap. 450 amp inverter welder. Weights under 200lbs.
Kevin

[cruizer]

Turns out it was the pipepro 304 he was talking about. It's an awesome feature, IMO, makes an already diverse machine even more capable. I own a big blue pipe pro 350, and i erroneously presumed that miller would make this option available to every machine in the series. Thanks to all those that contributed worthwhile information to this thread (cruizer).

Do you have a Mit or Cat engine

Jeff
Weld Alert ltd.

[Portable Welder]

Cruizer, I think you were a little hard on this guy, Lets remember what this site is about, Helping people.

The guy was respectful and direct, I don't feel that was a dumb question at all since miller made a machine that could be plugged into house power.

Regards.

[cruizer]

Perhaps, but most guys do a little research before they plop down $100K on a new rig up.. You'd be suprised at some of the questions I get asked on a daily basis

[Kpack]

Yawl just think cruzier is hard. Here around Bryan tx there's only one old man that works on welders . I don't believe he's ever heard a joke and he don't joke around but he sure knows welders.