Tony and Webmaster Bill — That is a good article.
Many of us may not routinely do electric-arc welding, but may be called on to service related equipment and need to understand the hazards present being in close proximity to weldors and welding gear.
One comment on the posted text is that shielded-metal/arc “stick” and tungsten/inert-gas “tig or heliarc” welding use a constant-current power source whose voltage is not intended to be directly adjustable—and may have 80 volts open-circuit regardless of current adjustment—though somewhat less when an arc is established.
For a long time, if welder (machine) open-circuit voltage bothered you, you were considered a lightweight or not a real weldor (person). But, in a hot environment with normal worker perspiration, it is routine to see several pairs of a weldor’s gloves sitting in the sun drying out, that the weldor exchanged wearing though his shift to limit electric-shock “nuisance” or ”discomfort.”
[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 09-25-2004).]
