Testing my new⚡️Arc Welder⚡️ MMA-160 + Lichtenberg on Cedar

Maybe salt water to help it get started.
On the web, it says arc welder outputs are around 20 to 100 volts. You can measure it with your meter, the internal resistance of the meter is fine to keep all that amperage capacity from getting out of the machine. When the two hex wrenches touch, the resistance is low enough for lots of amps, and with metal liquefied then even more. It just needs low resistance to get started. If it is a 100 volt machine then if the resistance is 100 ohms, 1 amp will flow.
It takes about 10,000 volts to jump across a 1 centimeter air gap typically. Nature gave us handy numbers on that one. 15:12. A spark of 2 mm reaching for a door knob would be in the neighborhood of 2,000 volts but with hardly any current capacity behind it to do any physical harm.
Everyone please understand what they don't teach in schools as they seem to want to make everything as confusing as possible, EMF or voltage is simply electrical **pressure**. That's where a magnetic field has been used to pump or pack zillions of electrons into a wire and they aren't exactly happy about it, they want to get further away from each other so they'll favor the path of least resistance in doing so, to the degree they can.
But in the case of an arc welder, the initial electrical pressure isn't very high but the transformer is made to be able to keep that pressure maintained pretty well once the flow is going, that machine can deliver a lot of amperage. Great thing to try, good to see.
I wasn't sure what the guts of arc welders looked like but took a look at this and now have more information than required. :)
ru-clip.com/video/k5684mQJQRU/video.html

I weld all the time. That's why it's called an "Arc Welder" - it uses the plasma of the "arc" to work. High resistance when the nodes are touching - but the intense magic happens when the right distance creates an arc.

This is really Awesome Brother, time to have some fun. I feel like a kid at Christmas each time i get a new tool.👍🏻⚡
Water seems to shadow electricity.🤔

Your slow start is likely caused by the standing water.
Try wiping your surface between spraying your water, and adding the current.

- If you're going to be using the welder around water you should stand on a rubber matt. You can still get a slight tingle. I used to check seem welds on torque converters by using compressed air then dunking them in water to see bubbles, and if so then I had to TIG weld the leak. I often got 'tingled'. Also I always preferred a regular welding mask. The auto darken ones I thought were nothing but problems. Fibremetal is the name of the best maker of welding gear I think, and you can buy their products at any welding supply shop, usually where they sell gas. I never tried to burn any 'rocks' , but it was my experience that anything non metallic will not conduct the arc very well, because of the low voltage , but the amperage is what will kill you. I will make you feel better by saying I never saw , or even heard of anyone being killed from welding , and I know a lot of welders.. You can read stuff on welding and its good to know, however all of that not as valuable as wxperience. . Wait til you get good at it. You'll be making all sorts of things, and repairing things.
- Get a piece of steel that's clean of rust, some welding rods and practice. You gotta strike the arc at the start of your weld without your rod immediately sticking. This was the most aggrevating part I experienced when learning stick welding. And turning up the amps to prevent the rod sticking is not a good way to compensate for a sticking rod. Just take your time because frustration will cause you a big headache when you flash your eyes. Getting flashed is inevitable though. It's a matter of when not if., and at first you'll be like "What's he talking about it did'nt really hurt?" A few hours later , and for the next twelve to twenty four hours though you'll be saying "Oh, fuck. God please just make the headache stop!"

Arc welders have a fairly low voltage, it is difficult to get an arc into dry materials, especially non-conductive materials.
Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.

Have you been able to use the arc welder to make Lichtenberg patterns.

Thank you for sharing this. Cool!

welders can make anything. now, learn how to make the unit & power it with gerbil treadmills!

I did weld ...please be careful and read all about it...metal sticking together is not cool for the amps.

Why do you need the transformer with your welder? Can you not run the welder without it?

Try a wooden dowel

its a toy, I know it, you know it....we are all waiting for you to play and see what you can make it do that it shouldn't do.... :)

get a welders hammer and a brush for the slag haha