I've built a couple of "add-ons" for my mx5200. Was careful to measure, clamp, and remove (from the tractor) the part to be welded. Is it OK to weld on equipment that is attached to tractor? I'm concerned about damaging the electronics? Tks.
Welding on tractor
- Thread starter zxcvbnm
- Start date
One thing that most people don't do (and should) besides disconnection the battery (positive terminal is fine), is you always want the ground clamp as close as possible to the weld you are doing. The reason for that is because welding does create stray current and if the ground is a distance away from the weld, those stray currents can travel to the tractor. Just sop with me and I'm a certified welder. Weld all the time and I usually forget to put on my leather and my sweatshirts attest to that...holes.
Sidecar is exactly right. Electricity will always take the path of least resistance and if your ground is on one end and you are welding on the other, the electrical wiring is fair game to provide a path...through some widgets that will fry from a few amps much less than a welder pushing possibly a hundred or so. That being said, if I were to weld on a FEL and could attach the ground cable within a foot or so on some clean metal that I cleaned with a grinder, I would not bother to disconnect the battery. I have done this many times on vehicles and never had an issue.
I use a magnet for welding on my tractor...grind a clean contact spot near work...no problems...
You have to look for it here in the photo...
You have to look for it here in the photo...
Never been a fan of a magnetic ground clamp but then I weld lots of metal that isn't ferrous so a magnetic ground won't work. I'm a Tweco person.