Arc welding is a process that uses an electric current to melt two pieces of metal, joining “or welding” them together.

In arc welding, an electric arc (hence the name) is created between a “stick,” (which is an electrode) and the workpiece. This arc can reach temperatures higher than 6000℉, instantly melting the metal, which can then be fused together to form a reasonably strong joint.

While there are different types of arc welding, like TIG (tungsten inert gas) and MIG (metal inert gas), the process requires a fairly high voltage and current, and therefore specialized electrical cable, too.

This brings up the question of welding cable for sale - what to look for in terms of qualities, ratings, and other attributes. From a very high level, here’s what you should know.

Cable Voltage Rating

One of the most important things to look for in welding cable for sale is the cable’s voltage rating. This is a measure of the operating load of electrical potential the cable can handle.

Typically, welding cable is rated to 600V, regardless of cable gauge (thickness). It is important to remember that voltage, which measures electrical potential, is different from current. Voltage is sort of like the amount of “pressure” the current exerts on the cable as it passes through.

The higher the voltage rating, the greater the stress of electrical potential the cable can tolerate, and consequently, the higher the load it can tolerate without overheating.

Using a cable that is not appropriately rated for the job at hand produces an extremely dangerous situation. Over-taxed electrical cables can overheat, which can melt their insulation, resulting in a much higher risk of electrical shock, arcing, fires, and worse.

There’s no need to get more into the weeds than this. When you’re looking at welding cable for sale be absolutely certain that the cable you select is appropriately rated with respect to voltage.

Cable Flexibility

Another important thing to look for in welding cable for sale is flexibility. Fortunately, to be considered “welding cable” in the first place, it pretty much has to be very flexible.

First let’s consider the reason that this is necessary, and then we can get into how manufacturers accomplish it.

Welding is often done in situ. Sometimes a workpiece can move, other times it’s a large piece of steel or a fixed piece of infrastructure. In that case, welding cannot be performed  before the piece is set into the location it is supposed to occupy.

Which means you need to bring the welding equipment to it, rather than the other way around, and this includes the cable.

It also means the cable might need to be able to execute a variety of radical bends, and it must be flexible enough that the welder can, you know, get the job down where it needs to be done. It wouldn’t be very practical if the welder couldn’t even get the stick into position to complete the job.

What we need then is welding cable that is highly flexible. So how do electrical wire and cable manufacturers get that done?

You can’t just change the gauge, to make the wire thinner, because that would impact voltage rating and current carrying capacity. So what you can do is create cable that is made with very thin conductors.

And that you do by diminishing the diameter of each individual conductor and using more of them.

Consequently, welding cable for sale, much like marine battery cable, is made with a very high conductor count. Take for instance, our 4/0 welding cable, which has a nominal diameter of .720”. This is a thick cable, and it weighs more than 700 lbs per 1000 feet.

It would be unusably stiff if it had a low conductor count; that’s why it’s made with not one thousand, not two thousand, but two-thousand and fourteen individual conductors.

This keeps the cable flexible enough that it can be worked into position by the welders using it.

Cable Insulation Durability

The third big thing you will want to look at when you’re evaluating welding cable for sale is the general durability of the insulation used with it.

Recall that welding cable must be used in situ, which often means it must be used outdoors, or otherwise in unforgiving locations, such as construction sites, which notwithstanding whether or not they are covered and thus shielded from the weather, can present unforgiving conditions.

A welding cable when in employ might encounter any of a variety of environmentally taxing conditions, such as generally rough use, contact with rough surfaces like soil, rocks or concrete.

Welding cable might also come up against other chemical stressors, such as acids, alkali materials, oil and gasoline, among other chemicals.

And then of course there is the weather to consider. Sunlight, temperature swings, and moisture in the form of rain, snow and ice can all take a toll on welding cable.

All of these things can threaten the cable’s insulation, which, if it breaks down, is doubly problematic, because thin copper conductors do not stand up well to these things. If the insulation is compromised, the copper underneath will follow, quickly.

As a result, welding cable for sale is typically made with very durable insulation materials, such as EPDM, which is resistant to sunlight, weather, and abrasion. As an addition, our welding cable is oil and gasoline resistant, too.

Because of these attributes, this cable is not only suitable for welding applications, but can in some circumstances be used as solar panel cable, as battery cable, and for other applications too.

Here for Welding Cable?

If you’re interested in learning more about our welding cable for sale before you purchase, see the previous link.

You can also get in touch with us directly and we’d be more than happy to answer any questions you have, or to shed some more light on specialty electrical cables in general. Reach out at Sales@EWCSWire.com or at 800-262-1598; we’re here to help.