Polarity is the direction of the current flow in a circuit, as shown in

the illustrations.

In straight polarity, the electrode is negative and the workpiece

positive; the electrons flow from the electrode to the workpiece. In
reverse polarity, the electrode is positive and the workpiece
negative; the electrons flow from the workpiece to the electrode.

To help you remember the difference, think of straight polarity as a

SENator and reverse polarity as a REPresentative. Use only the first
three letters of each key word. SEN stands for Straight Electrode
Negative; REP for Reverse Electrode Positive.

On some of the older machines, polarity is changed by switching

cables. On newer machines, the polarity can be changed by turning
a switch on the machine.

Polarity affects the amount of heat going into the base metal. By
changing polarity, you can direct the amount of heat to where it is
needed.

When you use straight polarity, the majority of the heat is directed
toward the workpiece. When you use reverse polarity, the heat is
concentrated on the electrode.

In some welding situations, it is desirable to have more heat on the

workpiece because of its size and the need for more heat to melt
the base metal than the electrode; therefore, when making large
heavy deposits, you should use STRAIGHT POLARITY.

On the other hand, in overhead welding it is necessary to rapidly

freeze the filler metal so the force of gravity will not cause it to fall.

When you use REVERSE POLARITY, less heat is concentrated at the

workpiece. This allows the filler metal to cool faster, giving it greater
holding power.

Cast-iron arc welding is another good example of the need to keep

the workpiece cool; reverse polarity permits the deposits from the
electrode to be applied rapidly while preventing overheating in the
base metal.

In general, straight polarity is used for all mild steel, bare, or lightly
coated electrodes. With these types of electrodes, the majority of
heat is developed at the positive side of the current, the workpiece.
However, when heavy-coated electrodes are used, the gases given
off in the arc may alter the heat conditions so the opposite is true
and the greatest heat is produced on the negative side. Electrode
coatings affect the heat conditions differently. One type of heavy
coating may provide the most desirable heat balance with straight
polarity, while another type of coating on the same electrode may
provide a more desirable heat balance with reverse polarity.

Reverse polarity is used in the welding of nonferrous metals, such

as aluminum, bronze, Monel, and nickel. Reverse polarity is also
used with some types of electrodes for making vertical and
overhead welds. You can recognize the proper polarity for a given
electrode by the sharp, crackling sound of the arc. The wrong
polarity causes the arc to emit a hissing sound, and the welding
bead is difficult to control. One disadvantage of direct-current
welding is “arc blow.” Arc blow causes the arc to wander while you
are welding in corners on heavy metal or when using large-coated
electrodes. Direct current flowing through the electrode, workpiece,
and ground clamp generates a magnetic field around each of these
units. This field can cause the arc to deviate from the intended
path. The arc is usually deflected forward or backward along the line
of travel and may cause excessive spatter and incomplete fusion. It
also has the tendency to pull atmospheric gases into the arc,
resulting in porosity. Arc blow can often be corrected by one of the
following methods: by changing the position of the ground clamp,
by welding away from the ground clamp, or by changing the
position of the workpiece.