Has anyone on this forum ever installed or been asked to install the secondary conductors of a welder in conduit? What was your response?

Nope

My response would be along the lines of uses not permitted unless the leads said RHW or some other 310.13 insulation.

First off, No never been asked that.
But as a response,
First thought is...Why?. Kinda ruins the portability of the leads.
Then, what type of conduit are we talking about?
Then, If that is what you want...your the customer.
Conduit, Wire Size & Wire Type would all be factors to do the installation correctly.

Rob

When I was wearing the tools, I was asked to run the "hot" lead to several places in the building that was aboyt 20k square feet and then the welder was left in one spot (in the shop) and the person doing the welding only had about a 25' stinger lead that would be plugged in to various outlets via a cam lock type connector. The Ground was usually established via the piping or conveyers throughout the building.

The other installation where I was involved as the Inspector not an installer, had to do with a coupla sports events ( the US PGA Open and the Rider Cup) where the welder cable was used for feeders and branch circuits. This was however not in a raceway and this seems to be standard fare for this type of event. I'm not sure this is kosher but it sure worked well and was practical.

Any information on the use of welder cable for other than secondary conductors for a welder would be appreciated.

Bob,
As long as the welding cables are being used for welding, I see no reason why they can't be in conduit.
Don

Don how are you figuring that?

Welder output or not it is still a flexible cord.

George

I would not run one lead I would run both to the point of use.

George some welding cable carries the RHW insulation marking making it suitable for raceways.

I am not sure it is suitable for portable power cable unless marked as such.

All the temp generators we hook up we use what looks like welding cable but is labeled as portable power cable. The conductors must be run in close proximity to each other.

Bob- I wonder why you'd want to run both conductors to the point of use?

Edited for added thought- Does anyone have a source for information on the ampacity of welder cable? Nothing in the NEC to my knowledge.

[This message has been edited by George Little (edited 12-24-2005).]

Well doing it the way you described above seems like you could have a mighty hot conduit (assuming it is ferris) containing that one lead.

Bob,

Because Article 630 doesn't say I can't. Note, I am assuming that we are not talking about the power supply conductors to the welder, but the secondary conductors from the welding machine.
Don