Using 240V Outlet to Weld?

[FMarkus]

I believe the outlet can support a simple small 240V welding device, and I'd love to demonstrate this by welding up some device that might be useful on my Lightning. Any makers out there ever welded up any useful accessories for your truck? A load divider maybe? Something that engages the accessory bed rail attachments? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and the idea will be showcased in MotorTrend coverage (I am chaperoning our Truck-of-the-Year winning long-term Lightning for a year). Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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[Jseis]

There are inexpensive stick & wire feed welders, etc. that can work off a 240V 30 amp circuit. Probably capable of weld 3/16”-1/4” stock. Here’s a link to a discussion regarding:
https://weldtalk.hobartwelders.com/...stions/45174-welder-selection-advice-30a-240v

 

[Whammy Bar]

My Lincoln WeldPak 140 runs just fine off pro power. Used it to repair some fencing, nothing truck related as yet.

 

[Steven Walsh]

Sorry a little off the topic but I wanted to be able to do light welding with my truck. It is a ‘22 XLT and it does not have a 240 volt outlet in the bed. What should I have specified on my order to get that included? Is there an aftermarket accessory from Ford that can add it now?

 

[Maquis]

Sorry a little off the topic but I wanted to be able to do light welding with my truck. It is a ‘22 XLT and it does not have a 240 volt outlet in the bed. What should I have specified on my order to get that included? Is there an aftermarket accessory from Ford that can add it now?

It’s called ProPower Onboard.

Discussion about adding it after the fact here:
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...g-pro-power-onboard-9-6kw-inverter-oem.15816/

 

[The Weatherman]

I’ve built a couple of load extenders. One for my Maverick (traded for the Lightning (miss that little truck)).

 

[SilverKlister]

I've run my Lincoln Square Wave 200 TIG inverter-based machine off the pro power, no problem. My test case was on stick mode (constant current machine) 1/8" 7018 low hydrogen at 125 amps. My buddy monitored the power drawn on the center screen and it peaked at about 5kW or so. No issues with tripping the breaker or anything.

The welds looked good, though the arc sounded a bit different than when running the same rod and current on house power.

I was hoping to run my kinetic wood splitter off the pro power, but no luck. It has a 3HP 240V motor and the inrush current is too high. It trips the breaker before getting up to speed. I'm working on a solution and will post if I come up with a solution. I suspect that a tombstone welder (e.g. transformer based) machine will present inrush problems when running off pro power.

I haven't built anything but having a portable stick welder (which you can carry and put in the frunk, even) which runs off the truck is simply nuts. I learned stick on an engine drive unit, and it was like 700 lbs. My inverter unit can do the same job, albeit with a lower duty cycle, but way more portable. It's really an awesome solution to field welding.

 

[FMarkus]

I’ve built a couple of load extenders. One for my Maverick (traded for the Lightning (miss that little truck)).

That load-extender looks super cool, and potentially weldable via ProPower Onboard. You have any plans for it that you could share?

 

[The Weatherman]

That load-extender looks super cool, and potentially weldable via ProPower Onboard. You have any plans for it that you could share?

I don’t. It’s totally custom. It also is built so it could raise the T with an extension to make it rack level. (It will raise up to be level with top of the truck.)

If you’re truly interested in building on like it, I can take some measurements and pics and PM to you.

 

[mefly2]

How about a rack over the bed?

 

[FMarkus]

I don’t. It’s totally custom. It also is built so it could raise the T with an extension to make it rack level. (It will raise up to be level with top of the truck.)

If you’re truly interested in building on like it, I can take some measurements and pics and PM to you.

Thanks for the offer! Let me see if anyone else has plans for any other things. That actually might exceed my welding abilities anyway, meager as they are... I may just end up doing some light repair of a few broken metal things, and then mentioning that forum members had made some really cool stuff.

 

[FMarkus]

How about a rack over the bed?

I like that idea too. Maybe I'll poke around online and see if there are any DIY bed rack plans. Of course, now we have an AeroX cap on the bed, so I won't be able to do that for a while...

 

[GarrettBlake]

I made a rack that folds down without tools and has a detachable rack over part of the cab. Rear horizontal bar can swing out or be removed. So far works pretty well. About 1.6 mi/kwh when up at 72 mph, about 2.0 mi/kwh when folded down.

 

[FMarkus]

That is SO cool, and so much more important to be able to fold a rack like that down when not in use on an electric truck than on an ICE one. Replicating it is WAY beyond my capabilities, but would you mind if I shared a picture with my audience at motortrend.com when the time comes?

 

[Grumpy2]

I made a rack that folds down without tools and has a detachable rack over part of the cab. Rear horizontal bar can swing out or be removed. So far works pretty well. About 1.6 mi/kwh when up at 72 mph, about 2.0 mi/kwh when folded down.

Very nice, high quality engineering and fabrication.

(I like your yard art too. You have a website?)

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