Does anybody know if inverter mig welders create less or more of a magnetic field than traditional transformer migs?
Smaller fields from the welder as they dont have big transformers , and the series DC inductor is synthesised electronically. But high frequency smaller pulses, the total energy is the same .. But still, there is e.g. 100 amps DC flowing in a loop between the welder output and the return connection. So that magnetic field still exists, a one turn inductor. You could minimise the size of the loop and keep it more away from sensitive systems, earth clamp on the end of a long earth lead same length as the the umbilical, clamped close to the metal beside the welding torch tip and the earth cable twisted round the torch umbilical so the magnetic fields tend to cancel.. I just google searched using a few keywords and as MIG welders dont use pulsed current, ( some TIG can be configured with pulsed patterns once a second or so..) you can keep literally arms length from the twisted welding cables , keep current down, and they should not cause a problem. There are also wearable monitors that can be used to measure the risk or so it says..
This is what the pacemaker/defib specialist I saw today got from the manufacturer of my device about welding. She didn’t tell me that I can’t weld just to be aware of the risks and minimise them as much as possible
Your torch lead is going to be a good 2-3m away from the welder box, which will have a well-grounded steel case. I wouldn't say you'd be subjected to much of a field.
Yes, I think it's all about feeding small voltages into sensors which end up looking like patterns of concern to the detection filter in the defibrillator . Like marching on bridges, if you " break step" it wont be as easily matched as a repeating pattern.
My worthless (It's not my heart/pacemaker!) precis: We tried and found we can confuse the pacemaker by welding if we pulse it at about heart rate, get close and turn the power up to over 160A. Try and do the opposite if you must weld - low amps, arms length, wait a few seconds between pulses. Para, is yours a pacemaker or a defibrillator?
Do you have a link to where you got that please Steve my mig tops out at 130 amp and I wouldn’t be going anywhere near that current draw on sheet metal. They say stay below 160 amps I think tack welds at arms length with big pauses between each trigger squeeze would be ok.
I read your leaflet, gave my short version of how I understood it, then answered snotty's silly post with a matching one. It's just that sliding door skin isn't it? You could take days over it. Low amps, arms length? What you think is the only thing that matters though - you know yourself and the state of your health, you're not daft enough to carry on while it defibrillates you while you're being sick because it went double speed because yer just wanted... to... finish... it... so... you.... could... stop.
The specialist did say if your going to weld do it so if you get shocked you can fall backwards So that way if I get shocked or go dizzy I’ll fall away from the work and break the arc and most likely let go of the trigger. I’m just wondering if an inverter welder is a safer option than my transformer mig mike mentioned something about them pulsing though
Not trying to put you off at all then? lol Seriously though if you think there's even the remotest chance of that happening don't even think about it. instead of buying a welder that might kill you, why not spent the money on someone else welding it?
You don’t realise how helpful for many things a mig is until you’re told not to use one. Paying someone else gets expensive real quick. I think I can rule out welding anything thick but I think I should be fine tacking panels together I’ll fit a longer earth lead as mines only short and keep the machine away from me. I’ll have someone with me when I first try it
I don't miss mine one bit. Think I'm welded out, it's been great paying someone else to do it recently, worth every penny. Keep away from the arc too then.
It's the proper TIG welders that can be set to pulse the current up and down at rates around once a second . With MIG welders you are trying not to make open loops of wire with current changing in the loop and with your body inside the loop. Voltages are induced by changing magnetic fields, and are proportional to the rate of change of current.. so a 40A current change produces a voltage 1/4 that of a 160A current change. The field dies away with distance so the 60cm recommendation is mentioned in a few places. Panel welds at low current and keeping back from the wiring, not lying on it.. Not doing lots of neat little spot welds once a second ... Some of the comaptibility concerns comes from when the earlier pacemakers would be simply configured in the hospital by using fairly strong magnets operating on magnetic sensitive reed switches. But even then you would need to basically place a magnet over the pacemaker to close the switch. I can remember being shown a pacemaker circuit board about 45 years ago by a guy who worked at Pfizers. These days, every mobile phone with a magnetic compass contains the sensor you need to measure the magnetic fields around you, but I dont expect anybody has made a monitoring app or wants to accept the legal consequences if that app failed to work properly. This is a display from a general purpose Android app.. "Sensors Multitool". Its just a test tool for the phone but it does show a graph of average magnetic fields around the phone.
