HPP - Electrical service availabilty for a welder

[beejee]

Is 3-phase electrical service available in HPP for welding purposes?

[beejee]

Alternatively, given a single phase 220/240V line from HELCO, can one get 300-400A service?

[Seeb]

no 3 phase, and if you draw that big a load your going to brown out the neighborhood. the voltage will drift down to 80 volts in places as it is.

[EightFingers]

You don't need three-phase for welding unless you have a massive operation. If it was available, the cost of hookup is pretty high and billing is not the same as residential electrical service. If you have some big stuff to weld, I'd use gas.

[Seeb]

a generator would probably be cheaper by the time Hellco gets done with you.

[beejee]

quote:

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Originally posted by Seeb

a generator would probably be cheaper by the time Hellco gets done with you.

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I like the idea of a generator, it makes sense in AG zoning. How do generators do over time in the salty air of Hawaii near the coast? All generators aren't created the same I would think. Any makes and models you're aware of that have generous application of conformal coatings on all the electrical parts and coils and windings to resist the corrosive salty air?

[Rob Tucker]

Not sure about welding but I have run 3 phase motors on single phase current. A phase converter is needed to do that.

[Seeb]

whatever type you go with, super double extra noise reduction is the key. No one wants to listen to the thing.

[EightFingers]

Rob, actually your current is two phase (two "hot" legs 180 deg out of phase) which allows you to "make" 220/240 and also allows you to hook up either a rotary or static (most common) phase "converter". I'm betting yours is a VFD which would probably not work with a welder -.
phase converters are rated in horsepower and are primarily designed to be used with motors. A welder is a whole different animal that makes me wonder if it could be rewired to work on "single" (note quote marks) phase. Of course the OP would have to consider amperage/voltage requirements of his equipment.
I've asked a couple friends that weld about this and they were kind of stumped too...