So the wire on this is clearly marked 4 AWG.... and it's a 225A welder. I wasn't so sure that 4 AWG would handle 225A. Sure enough, it should probably be 4/0 instead. So, I started searching around - and everyone on the welding forums say to use exactly what it came with..... because, these do not have a thermal overload protection, and apparently the only feedback you'll get that it's running too hot is through the heat of the leads. Weird, eh?

 

Hmm, not sure why they would mention thermal overload protection if you plan to up size. 4/0 should be fine if everything fits. Fitting it everywhere might be an issue.

You have a link white, I think they're referring to something else.

 

The IMTV ? Yea , I wasn't totally sure if your model year had one. Vaguely recall that might be a 97/98 nonPI thing.

 

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/threads/6...coln-tombstone

 

I'm not saying mine doesn't have them... but I thought it was a 3V thing.

 

Yea, he's using temperature of the leads to determine duty cycle. That works if you know the machine. OR you can just watch the clock, maybe use a timer if you have a little bit of non stop welding to do. Duty cycle is important otherwise you can burn up that machine. Personally I use the clock, duty cycle is short in that little mig I use. The leads don't get overly hot in that machine when maxing duty cycle. Duty cycle is the percentage of 10 minutes that unit can weld at rated load without over heating. It varies between machines. So if I'm welding at 90 amps with the 140, duty cycle is 20% at 90amps. Translates to 2 minutes of welding then 8 minutes of rest.

You'll need the manual for that machine to figure the specific duty cycle it's built for. Easy to figure that out and make sense of it with the manual. It's a little easier on the machine vs waiting for it to heat up in your hands.

That said, I wouldn't go 3awg, I'd either leave at 4awg or bump it slightly to 4/0 if it fits well.

EDIT: "No thermal protection" - What he meant by that. - No fuse/breaker to trip when it gets hot. That's why you have to pay attention to duty cycle.

 

I know the early nonPI 5four 2V's have them for sure...97/98. That linked picture was pic of the one in the 98. The 4sixes had IMRC. The 5four 2V's from 99 up, I'm not sure.

 

White, seen your 351 on the channel, lookin good..you just about have everything for it don't yuh ?

 

I ordered 40 feet of 4 awg (20 feet each), and a new ground and electrode clamp. If I were to order it brand new from Lincoln, they'd send 4 awg too - that's what made up my mind.

Also bought stuff to make a wheel kit for it. That sum8itch is heavy!

 

I need an upper intake for it for sure. If I find a deal on forged pistons and rods, I'd jump on that too.

(although hyper's handle around 600 hp N/A decently)