grounding my engine driven welder

[Azphiks]

No short cuts here, got all new from top to bottom. Now need to ground the deisel engine to the truck frame as per owners manual. Only one problem: the welder is mounted on a cargo bed that will slide the welder out over endgate. Gonna see what me mechanic says, and the Cat dealer, but any advice from the pros would be much appreciated!

[Laiky]

A lenghth of cable connecting the two?????

[MAC702]

Flexible grounding strap preferred, or just a good piece of insulated STRANDED (for flexibility) wire. Insulated only so it doesn't unravel.

Please delete your post in the other forum since we've already started answering in this one.

[Bodybagger]

I'd use a length of small welding cable with copper lugs as it's unlikely to fray internally from flexing. If you are sliding the welder all the way off to drop off at job sites or hoisting it or whatever, I'd put a small Lenco twistlock connector in it so you don't have to constantly undo the bonding screw.

[SMTatham]

Well silly me.............have had...........several machines off and on different trucks and have yet to ground one to the frame.

[J hall]

I have to ask, Why ground the machine to your truck? Isn't it bolted down?
What do you think would happen if it wasn't grounded?
I'm not being a smartass, jsut bringing up a point. I have never, ever seen anything attached to the cute little ground lug that they put on welding machines.

[Sandy]

Just to add a bit to what Mac posted, this site shows what you may be looking for. Not saying to buy from them but this product type is what is most commonly used for your application and widely used in numerous similar applications.

http://www.electricmotioncompany.com...p?type=bonding

[MAC702]

Well silly me.............have had...........several machines off and on different trucks and have yet to ground one to the frame.

I agree. But I couldn't tell from his stated design if his would clearly be grounded through the mounts. It might be being mounted to something that wouldn't conduct as well as the bolts. Figured I'd just answer the question about how best to use a longer, flexible conductor.

If it's clearly bolted to the truck or to all-conductive mounting system, I see no need for a strap.

[cruizer]

After going to All the brands tech schools, the only definative answer to the machines grounding bolt is for lightning strikes, say if the unit was on a skid on the actual ground, then you'd pound in a ground rod and connect that stud. That would prevent the electronics in the welder from being zapped.

Since the welder is already off the ground whilst on a truck isolated from the earth ground via your tires, there is no need to connect that stud bolt. We have had problems with Stupid inspectors that want an earth ground pounded in and that stud connected to it. Though now the welder isn't isolated, and different soil conditions would be more of a saftey concerns, as well as more likelyhood for lightning strikes.

[Sberry]

I would say its there possibly for premise grounding, none of which really pertains to the portable welder and it should be bonded to a work surface like the truck bed that has the possibility of becoming energized, GFCI would eliminate some concern but if the welder was insulated from this bed it needs the ground strap. If the outlet was mounted to truck and grounded thru a plug and cord this would be the protection. The bed has a possibility of becoming energized.