How Many Amps Does a 220V Welder Use?

Your welder is your best friend. It understands your welding needs and acts according to them. The problem arises when it demands more than you expect. I am talking about amperage usage here.

To make the ideal choice, amperage usage of the welder needs to be analyzed first. In this blog, I am going to tell you the amperage consumption of one of the most used welders- the 220 V.

Even though the exact amperage consumption of a welder cannot be pointed out, the average consumption of a 220V welder is around 200 amps. This can vary based on the material used, the type of welding, the thickness of the metal, and many other reasons.

Just knowing the amperage usage of the welder would not help, there are certain important things that you need to know. Read further and see for yourself…

When to use a 220 V welder?

A 220 V welder is a machine that has considerable power to help in difficult welding procedures. This welder will be your apt choice in the given conditions:

When the thickness of the metal is high: Metal thickness is an important factor in deciding the welder used. If the metal you choose is ½ inches thick, then 220 V is the machine that you should go for. With thick metals, a 220 V welder can ensure a good penetration and burns the metal hotter than 150 V.

Based on the machine application: a 220 V welder is the ideal choice if you are going for high intensive production works for small businesses. In some cases, people prefer this welder for household works where the tasks involve heavy metals or other intensive welding procedures.

Even then, 220 V welders are not rare to find in homes. As they can come in handy in any situation 220 V welders are always high in demand.

What are the benefits of using a 220V welder?

There are a few benefits to using 220V welders. They are listed below:

1.) Extended duty cycle: As the amperage used is more, a 220V welder has more capacity than the other lower capacity welders.  The duty cycle determines the time a machine takes to complete a job in one go.

An extended duty cycle helps to finish work faster as the amount of work that can be done in between the intervals will be high with these welders.

2.) Makes the metal weld-friendly: The heat that is transferred to the metal says a lot about the ultimate result. The higher the heat, the better the aesthetics of the weld will be.

With thick metals, it becomes extremely important that the heat applied is high so that the metal becomes user-friendly and 220V welding machines make this possible with almost every metal.

3.) Better penetration gives better quality weld:  As 220 V welders run at a higher voltage compared to others, the penetration of the base metal will be smooth enough to give quality welds without much effort. When it comes to thick metals, this feature holds high relevance. 

What size breaker should I use for a 220V welder?

A size breaker is a device used to carry the current and saves the machine from tripping out. It is, therefore, necessary for a size breaker to be used for welders. For a 220 V welder that uses 200 Amps, a size breaker of 30-40 Amp will be the apt choice.

Which are the most cost-efficient 220 V MIG welders in the market?

Here is the list of top 5 220 V MIG welders that you can grab today!

• • • SUNGOLDPOWDER 200Amp 110/220V/MIG Welders 
    • Reboot MIG150 220V MIG Welder
    • Hobart – 500553 Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder
    • LOTOS MIG175 175AMP MIG Welder
    • Weldpro Inverter Stick/Arc MIG Welder
    • SUNGOLDPOWDER 200Amp 110/220V/MIG Welders 

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1. SUNGOLDPOWDER 200Amp 110/220V/MIG Welders

This MIG welder is multifunctional as it offers the provision of dual voltage. Hence it can work not just at 220V but also at 110V thereby providing flexibility with metals.

It is set up to work perfectly in gasless flux core welding and solid wire MIG welding. Another interesting feature is the 60% duty cycle which is pretty good compared to its competitors.

Moreover, the amperage dial and wire-speed can be adjusted. However, for extensive welding works, this welder might not be the best way to go.

Pros

• • • Easy to carry
    • Inexpensive
    • Well-built machine
    • Makes welds hot enough to get the chosen amperage range  

Cons

• • • Face shield is not up to the quality with the rest of the welder
    • Regulator is not included
    • Leads are short

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

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2. Reboot MIG150 220V MIG Welder

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The best welder in this category for light welding, the Reboot MIG 150 220 V MIG welder comes with a feature that gives a tiny bead profile with minimal spatter.

As this welder is not dual voltage, for a 220 V it works perfectly. For a welder at its price, it gives pretty good welds and can be the best option available among the other welders of the same price range.

Pros

• • • Clean bead profile
    • Cheaper than other welders with same features
    • User-friendly

Cons

• • • The amperage range is shorter
    • Low-quality built
    • Instruction manual not up to the mark

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

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3. Hobart – 500553 Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder

This 220V welder is an amalgamation of some essential features.  In terms of amperage range and quality components, this welder has a slight edge over its counterparts.

The settings are more sophisticated and better suited for stationery works. In addition to this, the user can have good control over the speed dials with the excellent setup.

Pros

• • • User-friendly
    • Good amperage range
    • High quality parts
    • Affordable
    • Large wire speed range
    • Error-free welding chart

Cons

• • • No spool gun provided
    • Cumbersome

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

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4. LOTOS MIG175 175AMP MIG Welder

This 220 V welder comes with a good quality aluminum feeder and spool gun making it for a convenient welding process. Made with good quality parts, this welder is known to last longer than its counterparts. 

It is pretty flexible in terms of metals and other materials. With a less complicated setup, this welder can be set up within 10 minutes.

Pros

• • • Affordable
    • Includes spool gun (aluminum)
    • Produces tiny welds with good bead profile

Cons

• • • Not suitable for daily use
    • MIG gun is not up to par with others

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon  

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5. Weldpro Inverter Stick/Arc MIG Welder

Just like the first one, this is also a multi voltage welder offering conducive conditions for good quality welds. At 220 V, thick metals and thin ones can be handled easily.

A special feature of this welder is the advanced compact IGBT-designed inverter which provides automatic welding control and overheat protection. This is an essential characteristic that ensures the safety of the person using the machine.

Pros

• • • Portable
    • Good quality parts
    • Excellent MIG settings
    • Comfortable to be used for beginners
    • Inexpensive

Cons

• • • The amperage range is low
    • Short leads

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

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FAQ

What type of outlet do you need for a 220 V welder?

For a 220V welder one will need a 4 prong or a heavy duty 3 prong outlet.

Can a MIG 220V welder be used for stick welding?

Yes, multipurpose welders that can be used for both MIG and stick welding at 220V. However, this is not possible with single purpose welders.

To wrap up

220 V welders can be your go to machine if you are going for intensive welding works.  Now that you know about the amperage requirements and the basic details of 220 V welders, all you have to do is select the best one that suits your requirement and buy a size breaker for it.

I have a lot more in store for you. So do come back for more such informative articles!