Redneck engine starting - with a welder!

After spending all afternoon trying to crank this little diesel engine with 2 batteries, I decided to try something different. Nobody I talked to has tried this before and I could not find any reference on the internet whether it would work or not. I figured welding is about the most violent thing you can do to a power supply so if it can do that, it can run a motor - and I was right!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• redneck
• mig
• welder
• start
• engine
• cranking
• marine
• generator

[OKMUNWURX]

I have seen many people use DC welders to start engines and charge batteries. In this guys case he may have had rotten batteries.

[castirondude]

@OKMUNWURX yea I thought later you know it doesn't make sense it was taking 400 amps peak and 200 continuous from the welder, that battery is a 720 CCA battery it should have been a piece of cake. So yea one of the 2 batteries was bad.

[RHMproduction]

That is a Lugger motor out of a lobster boat judging but the guys not so redneck accent. Redneck no. Innovative yes.

[jeffamberlisa]

straight out of the hillbilly handbook that is

[castirondude]

@spitzification14 I don't think it would work with that, you definitely need DC and also 70 amps is kinda lean - this little perkins engine took like 300-400A

[spitzification14]

@castirondude mine is a cheapo 70 amp ac stick welder stick welders idk if stick welders are consatant i

[castirondude]

@spitzification14 you need to have something that puts out a DC voltage - so AC stick definitely wouldn't work. Now, I believe the stick welders are constant current like a TIG, right? That means the welder tries to maintain its current setting and when you release the starter key and take less current the voltage goes up. In fact I know a guy who blew up his instrument panel that way. You should hook it ONLY to the starter then it should be ok.

[spitzification14]

@castirondude would this work witha stick welder

[bill11012]

Thank you for sharing. If I ever end up with dead batterys out in the middle of noware I will try useing the welder on the bed to start it

[hangoutsumtime]

i heard something about batteries on concrete slowly drains them, is that true, wondering?

[castirondude]

never tried running it on AC but yes it may well work.

The stall current is about 500 A and it drops to about 150 A when cranking. Yea I later found that optima battery was bad. It does crank fine with two 12V batteries.