Graham Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 I always weld in gloves, but being tight (Having spent all my cash on useless bonnets and chassis's ) my welding gloves have seen better days and the index finger of my left glove has a hole in it. Whilst ruining another piece of sheet metal the other day the hole in my glove aligned with my finger and the shroud and low and behold I got an electric shock, I didn't think this should have happened with a fully insulated gun....so do i have an issue with the welder or just my ability to use it ?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hi Graham, was it a shock or was it hot ??? On my Clarke 100 MIG welder the shroud is not live at all. Otherwise you would have trouble if you touched the grounded work piece with the shroud. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 Same on mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 Sometimes a blob of weld can bridge the gap between the tip and the shroud making it live. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 I would have thought the shroud was earthed so any metallic blobs shorting the centre to shroud would not make the shroud live but kill the electrode volts. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kiwifrog Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 I always thought the output on a mig was around 20 to 30 volts dc, it should be impossible to get a shock unless there is a fault with the welder ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 Don't know about Mig, but this stick welder should be messed about with: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 There is a wild world out there. I like the video but missed any introduction and I am not sure what they were doing. Just had my exhaust welded in Sussex and it was a different story. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 I just measured the open circuit voltage of my Millermatic 175 MIG machine. It varied from about 16 volts to 31 or so, depending on the setting of the voltage dial. Voltage while welding would be lower. While these voltages aren't usually considered dangerous, under the right conditions, some people could feel a shock from them. My gas shroud is insulated from the wire, and isn't grounded, either. Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 I would check it for a short circuit, abd carefully measure the voltage between the torch and earth. Waldi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 There is not normally an earth connection in the wand of a MIG at all, just the welding voltage which should only go to the tip. the shroud is not connected to anything unless by mistake. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted July 23, 2020 Report Share Posted July 23, 2020 If skin is damp, might well sense a shock with 30 volts. 50 years ago, working at Kingsnorth Power Station, we had a West Indian electrician who had exceptionally dry skin. Lloyd was able to determine whether a conductor was carrying 240 volts or 110 volts by just catching hold of it. Quite useful in his trade! Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted July 23, 2020 Report Share Posted July 23, 2020 Some older mig torches had live shrouds. If it is over 25 years old it might be one of these? Even then it was unusual other than the cheapest models. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
little jim Posted July 24, 2020 Report Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) On 7/23/2020 at 5:28 PM, ianc said: If skin is damp, might well sense a shock with 30 volts. 50 years ago, working at Kingsnorth Power Station, we had a West Indian electrician who had exceptionally dry skin. Lloyd was able to determine whether a conductor was carrying 240 volts or 110 volts by just catching hold of it. Quite useful in his trade! Ian Cornish One of my friends worked as an electrician in the mines years ago. Because of the strict unionisation they always had to check that the 415V power had REALLY been turned off before they started work on anything. No way did they 'grab' or 'catch hold' - they brushed their knuckles across the wire, if it was live it just booted their hand away (still wouldn't enjoy doing it myself.) Edited July 24, 2020 by little jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted July 24, 2020 Report Share Posted July 24, 2020 Sounds like an electrical version of Russion Roulette! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted July 24, 2020 Report Share Posted July 24, 2020 I don't think that 'custom or practice' from long ago should be considered normal or even acceptable nowadays. Modern electric cars run at 400V, or higher. A commercial garage owning friend tells me of going on a maintenance course, to learn how to look after such vehicles, where the "One-Handed Rule" was emphasised. A shock between the hands crosses the chest, and heart, and even a tiny current (milliamps) through heart muscle will stop it, or put it into fibrillation. In my previous life, and using old equipment, I defibrillated my hand! A defib was set to 'auto recharge' - it shouldn't be and they aren't now - and as I replaced it in the box, it fired. The charge went through my hand and into the box, leaving a small burn on my knuckle and a paralysed arm, temporarily, like I had slept on it. If it had gone from hand to hand, it would have stopped my heart. If the OP has a welder that gives him shocks - DON'T USE IT!!! At least not until it can be checkd by some qualified to test it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trchris Posted July 24, 2020 Report Share Posted July 24, 2020 Agree if your using a welder and getting shocks however small STOP USING get it checked or throw away especially considering the price you can pick up a new one for these days Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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