Using tools and welding all from one 240V cord

[Thunderbird SC]

I found it annoying to have a cord for my 240v welder and one for a grinder/drill/light around the work area. So with the always improving welder cart I made, it got another upgrade.

I bought a steel electrical box and cover plate for 4 outlets, two 20Amp GFI outlets and a 3 feet of 10/2 heavy rubber wire. Cost was $10 for the box/plate and $20 each GFI, cord was free from a friend.

Welded the box to the welding cart frame. Had to use my dremel to change the cover plate from 4 hole outlet to 2 rectangle boxs. Ran one leg of hot wire to each GFI to balance the 240 load, then ran the ground to both neutral sides of each gfi, the outlet was double grounded as well as the frame and welder, all about safety. This allowed the 240 to become 2 circuits of 120 each able to run at 20amps. For the welder I have the cord running into the back of the outlet box (plug end removed, extra wire zip tied and coiled under welder, in-case i wanna separate from cart) and to each leg of Hot wire, and one for the ground too.

It really helped that I could use the side screw wire holders and the slip-in wire retainers at the same time, as it makes it easy to wire everything neatly.

So now I only use one cord (I have a 50 foot 10/2 extension cord i use for 240v) and can use my 120v tools as well without the mess, added safety of GFI too.

I also have made 2 plug adapters for my welder, I can quickly swap cords to plug into a 30amp dryer or a 40/50 amp range outlet without changing my welder's plug end. More pics and whatnot to come later.

 

[Thunderbird SC]

Added more pics. Note the diameter of the cords I'm using, nothing light here Also the 240 grey cords have 120 outlets on them with 240 running thru, that way I dont have to chop up good heavy extension cords. Gotta label them so nobody trys to plug into it before the gfi box. Yellow cord is 12-3 cord at 50 feet, the red n white is 10-2 at 100 ft, short black welder/gfi box supply cord is maybe 8 or 6-2 at about 3 feet.

P.S. Cart is all my crafting, bottom board (missing) broke so that needs to replaced, looking to make a torch holder and ground wire holder as well.

 

[devino246]

Interesting idea.

 

[mckutzy]

I have about the same setup, conected to 230vac, split into 2-115 @15a, I have also connected 2-15a breakers so that I wont go running back to the house to flip the breakers and add some protection for the cable, so you dont potentially fry half of the cord and maybe cause a fire.
Im using an outlet setup for an old hot tub. I am going to build another setup that will have the dryer setup to run 230 for a bigger welder.

 

[Thunderbird SC]

Good to hear, odd part is I didn't have any previous examples by anyone. Just an odd idea that i worked out over time. I did have a choice between 15 and 20 amp gfi's figured if I ever plugged a 110 welder in the extra amps would be a plus

 

[mckutzy]

here's what I did. Now this isnt up to code installation, just something I made up. it works for me, I also dont take any responsibility for any use of this information.
now thats out of the way.

This is with 60ft of 4c/10ga soow cabtire cable, and a 14/30plug. This is an earlier pic the receptacles have covers on now.
With my setup, it is great to have a full 15a to use. I have a fc 120v mig and its great to use with this, as there is no running back to flip the breaker. The break between the setup and chipping phase is enough for the cool down. I have only flipped the switch a few times, mainly when I was teaching my buddy how to do some welding.

 

[Thunderbird SC]

I would have used 15amp gfi as it gives u a bit more protection as well as limits the load to 15 amps. Our setups are similarly wired except that my welder is 230 vs 115 as well as connected directly to the 230 hot legs as there are no 230v gfi's that i know of

 

[mckutzy]

I didnt get the gfci sockets were pretty expensive at the time, I chose the standard instead, having the breakers nearby. overall it works pretty good. like wise your set up looks the same too.

 

[Scout]

I did that once, if I was going to do it again I'd use a 4 conductor cord so I'd have both a neutral and a ground.