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Help please - Welding while connected to my house earth connection

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Hello experts

My house is a steel frame which is connected to a few earth spikes. I take earth from various parts of the frame.

I'm running a fully off grid PV/Inverter solar system for my power which uses the earth spikes and steel frame of the house as its earth connection.

I now need to weld a patio railing which is connected to the house steel frame. I am hesitant to do this without asking advice as I am afraid that I might blow some of the sensitive equipment if I do this?

Can anyone tell me if I am worrying about nothing and if it will be safe to weld under these conditions? If not what would i have to do to protect my equipment?

Many thanks guys!!

27 minutes ago, Deonbayly said:

earth spikes and steel frame of the house as its earth connection.

I would think, if your welder is the old style transformer type and thus the welding side is galvanically isolated from the power supply/mains side, there should be no issue, but, if its the new-fandangled switch mode welder, then I'd say, don't... I'm guessing lots of potential for the magic smoke being released is possible...

  • Author
13 minutes ago, Kalahari Meerkat said:

I would think, if your welder is the old style transformer type and thus the welding side is galvanically isolated from the power supply/mains side, there should be no issue, but, if its the new-fandangled switch mode welder, then I'd say, don't... I'm guessing lots of potential for the magic smoke being released is possible...

Thank you! I'd be real upset if I blew my battery bank!

  • Author
1 hour ago, GerhardK83 said:

Must you weld can't you drill and bolt or screw the railing or pop rivet the railing or use Rivnuts to secure the railing?

Bit more work but I'm going to rivet it. Cant take the chance! Thanks for your suggestion!

11 hours ago, Deonbayly said:

Bit more work but I'm going to rivet it. Cant take the chance! Thanks for your suggestion!

One more... if you have a generator that can drive the welder and this is not connected to your off-grid system, then I see no reason why you should not be able to do the welding... II would only expect that the welder and the generator are not connected to the rest of the electrical system...

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