As a general rule, AC is more hazardous than DC current.

Arc welding involves open circuit

when not in welding, voltages which are typically from as low as 20 volts to as high as 100 volts.
The welding variable that has the greatest effect on the degree of weld penetration is current
(measured in amperage or amps). Quite simply, as welding current increases (i.e., more
amperage), weld penetration increases and as welding current decreases (i.e., less amperage),
weld penetration decreases.
A welding power supply is a device that provides an electric current to perform welding.
Welding usually requires high current (over 80 amperes) and it can need above 12,000 amperes
in spot welding.
Which current is used in arc welding?
It is a type of welding that uses a welding power supply to create an electric arc between an
electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point. They can use either
direct (DC) or alternating (AC) current, and consumable or non-consumable electrodes.

What is the most common type of welding?

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG) This style of welding is also referred to as Metal Inert
Gas (MIG). It uses a shielding gas along the wire electrode, which heats up the two metals to be
joined. This method requires a constant voltage and direct-current power source, and is the most
common industrial welding process.
What is direct current electrode positive?
Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN) The direction of current flow through a welding
circuit when the electrode lead is connected to the negative terminal of the power source and the
work is connected to the positive terminal. Sometimes referred to as straight polarity.
What does 6011 mean on a welding rod?
6010 and 6011 Electrodes. The "60" in 6010 means 60,000 pounds' tensile strength (the ability
to resist being pulled apart) per square inch. The "1" means it can be run in any position—flat,
horizontal, vertical, or overhead.
Is electrode positive or negative?
A welder should know the meaning of polarity, and recognize what effect it has on the welding
process. With few exceptions, electrode-positive (reversed polarity) results in deeper
penetration. Electrode-negative (straight polarity) results in faster melt-off of the electrode and,
therefore, faster deposition rate.
What is the difference between AC and DC arc welding?
They have similar arc or operating characteristics and mechanical properties. The main
difference between the two is with the recommended welding polarity. E6010 electrodes are
intended for direct current (DC) only. While E6011 electrodes can be used on alternating current
(AC), as well as DC.
What is the difference between MIG and TIG and arc welding?
The major difference between Mig and Tig welding is that one process uses a continuously
feeding wire (MIG) and the other you use long welding rods and slowly feed them into the weld
puddle (TIG). ... The technical names for these are metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas
(TIG).
How do electric welders work?
Any arc welding system in which the electrode is melted off to become part of the weld is
described as metal-arc. In carbon or tungsten (TIG) welding there are no molten droplets to be
forced across the gap and onto the work. Filler metal is melted into the joint from a separate rod
or wire.
Why coating is used in electrode?
Electrodes are a necessity in welding. Molten metal becomes brittle or has other negative
qualities when exposed to air as it absorbs nitrogen and oxygen. Slag covers protect the molten
metal during welding from the surrounding atmosphere. The slag cover is usually obtained from
the coating of the electrode.
What is a 6013 welding rod used for?
Sureweld 6013 is an all-position electrode. The arc is very stable even when low-voltage open
circuit transformers are used. The power of its arc allows depositing quick welds, medium
penetration, and good appearance.
What do the numbers mean on a 7018 welding rod?
For example the number "70" in a E7018 electrode indicates that the electrode will produce a
weld bead with a minimum tensile strength of 70,000 psi. D) The fourth digit represents the
coating type and the type of welding current (AC, DC or both) that can be used with the
electrode.
Is it difficult to weld stainless steel?
Although welding stainless steel may not be as difficult as welding aluminum, the metal does
have its specific properties that vary from your more common steels. When MIG welding on
stainless, you usually have three choices of transfer depending on your equipment: spray-arc,
short-circuiting, or pulsed-arc transfer.
Can aluminum and steel be welded together?
You can weld aluminum to most other metals relatively easily via adhesive bonding or
mechanical fastening. However, in order to weld aluminum to steel, special techniques are
required. ... To avoid this, you must isolate the other metal from the molten aluminum during
the arc welding process.
Can stainless steel be welded to regular steel?
Welding austenitic stainless steels to carbon and low alloy steels are established methods in the
process and construction industries. Dissimilar metal welds involving stainless steels can be
done using most full fusion weld methods, including TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and MIG (Metal
Inert Gas).

The American Welding Society (AWS) numbering system can tell a welder quite a bit about a
specific stick electrode including what application it works best in and how it should be used to
maximize performance. With that in mind, let's take a look at the system and how it works.

The prefix "E" designates an arc welding electrode. The first two digits of a 4-digit number and
the first three digits of 5-digit number indicate minimum tensile strength. For example, E6010 is
a 60,000 psi tensile strength electrode while E10018 designates a 100,000 psi tensile strength
electrode.

E 60 1 10
Tensile Type of Coating
Electrode Position
Strength and Current
The next to last digit indicates position. The "1" designates an all position electrode, "2" is for
flat and horizontal positions only; while "4" indicates an electrode that can be used for flat,
horizontal, vertical down and overhead. The last 2 digits taken together indicate the type of
coating and the correct polarity or current to use. See chart below:

Digit Type of Coating Welding Current

0 High cellulose sodium DC+
1 High cellulose potassium AC, DC+ or DC-
2 High titania sodium AC, DC-
3 High titania potassium AC, DC+
4 Iron powder, titania AC, DC+ or DC-
5 Low hydrogen sodium DC+
6 Low hydrogen potassium AC, DC+
7 High iron oxide, iron powder AC, DC+ or DC-
8 Low hydrogen potassium, iron powder AC, DC+ or DC-

How does reverse polarity effect a welding

joint?
1. I understand a little about electricity. When you use reverse polarity ( electrode + ) the
electrons travel from negative to positive ( this means from the work to the electrode.
This super heats the electrode and the rod material travels across the arc stream with a
high velocity and digs into the metal causing deeper penetration. Two thirds of the heat is
directed at the electrode and one third to the work.

When you use straight polarity ( electrode negative ) the electrons travel from the
electrode to the work. Two thirds of the heat is directed to the work and one third to the
electrode. Even though more heat is directed to the work the penetration is not a deep as
with electrode positive. This allows you to use straight polarity with a rod like a 6013 and
stick weld sheet metal without burn through... if you are good.

AC is good for welding material that is magnetized to eliminate arc blow. The
penetration by AC is also more than with straight polarity but less than that of the
reversed.
2. In case of DC welding it is of prime importance. Polarity effect is used to ascertain the
heat flow and melting of the participating elements.
There are two types of polarity used in DC welding

1. Straight Polarity
2. Reverse Polarity

In case of straight polarity, the work piece is attached to the Positive pole of supply and electrode
is attached with the negative one. The current passes in the direction work piece to electrode.
Hence electronic current will be in opposite direction i.e. from electrode to work piece, which
results in bombardment of huge number of electrons on to the work piece, rendering their energy
packets to the work piece. It generates 66 % of the total temperature at work piece end, which
helps in deeper penetration of thickness with the same amount of current. Where as in case of
Reverse polarity, it is altered and 66% heat is generated at electrode end, which results in more
melting of electrode and supply of more metal to the weld. Whereas less heat is developed at
work piece end which protects it’s from overheating. It is generally used for thin sheets and
objects need less heat.

3. When you use straight polarity (DCSP) it means the electrode cable is connected to the
negative terminal of the welding machine. Therefore two thirds of the arc energy is
associated with the electrode. so the electrode melts somehow faster which results into:
faster metal deposition shallow penetration wide weld bead. For reverse polarity (DCRP)
it means the electrode is connected to the positive terminal thus two thirds of the arc
energy is on the base metal meaning the base metal is hotter than the electrode. This leads
to: penetration is deeper especially with a short arc length metal flow is generally narrow,
unless a longer arc length is used thus a narrow weld bead.
4. TIG - GTAW - welding is done Straight Polarity [straight = Electrode Negative] because
the flow of DC current puts the bulk of the welding heat on the ‘stuff’ - the base metal.
Helps keep the tungsten electrode from melting. Reverse Polarity [rev. = electrode
positive] puts the majority of the heat on the ‘rod’ - electrode - not the base metal. In
‘stick’ - SMAW - welding, this improves productivity when using E7018 or E7028 or
similar rods, as they have iron powder in their flux and thus need more heat to melt.
Production rates in welding is controlled by the rate the filler can be melted, as the filler
must be completely melted, where the base metal only needs a thin layer on the weld
joint to melt.