"Stick Welding" with a "buzz box" welder is a challenge for a master of welding! I once borrowed such a buzz-box for a master welder to do a very small job for me. He complained a lot about it, and for him it was a struggle. That person was a MASTER at welding with good equipment.
My point being that stick welding is a kill that does depend very much on the tools to produce an adequate weld.
Even I can produce a good weld with a properly setup wire feed MIG welder.

 

I agree that an entry-level Flux-Core-Wire-Welder would have been a much more versatile choice.
But NO Welder will perform predictably with a saggy Power-Supply,
it doesn't matter how much You paid for it, what brand-name it has on it, or the skill-level of the operator,
it will give inconsistent performance and results without a very stiff Supply.

I've gotten excellent results from a super-el-cheapo Harbor-Freight Flux-Core-Wire-Welder,
and with some study, and plenty of practice,
it's totally feasible for a relative beginner to make almost proffesional-looking welds.
.
.
.

 

I agree that an entry-level Flux-Core-Wire-Welder would have been a much more versatile choice.
But NO Welder will perform predictably with a saggy Power-Supply,
it doesn't matter how much You paid for it, what brand-name it has on it, or the skill-level of the operator,
it will give inconsistent performance and results without a very stiff Supply.

I've gotten excellent results from a super-el-cheapo Harbor-Freight Flux-Core-Wire-Welder,
and with some study, and plenty of practice,
it's totally feasible for a relative beginner to make almost proffesional-looking welds.
.
.
.

Are you talking about the Harbor Freight Titanium 125 flux core welder? That is probably the best-made tool they have ever produced. They made it too good. It definitely will underperform on the end of a long circuit, but, by golly, it will STILL try to perform.

 

What brand is the welder. Are you tripping the breaker? If you've triple checked your work ground I'd say the new machine is bad.

 

It hasn't been verified yet,
but he's using a Multiple-Outlet-Branch-Circuit,
that is most likely run with 14-Gauge-Wire, ( but has had a 20-Amp-Circuit-Breaker illegally installed ),
which is also most likely using the "push-in" type wire-connections on the back of the other Outlets,
further increasing the probability of generating an unacceptable Voltage-Drop.

In any case, he does not yet have a dedicated 20-Amp-Outlet / Circuit / Circuit-Breaker for the Welder.
This is well-know to create serious problems with Welder-performance.
.
.
.

 

What are you trying to weld with this welder? 80A is a tiny toy welder and this one is apparently only intended for sheet metal.



Welding sheet with a stick welder is not normal (that would typically be MIG territory) so I am curious what is the use case for it. If I had it I would be trying to weld plate and pipe with it and probably experiencing issues too. Is that what you're doing? If so, have you tried welding sheet with it? Same issues? Have you tried plugging it into a different outlet?

 

This is the welder. Also, I’m a civil engineer so it would look very strange for me to show up with an inverter welder lol.

https://www.harborfreight.com/80-am...NYkNmsTdVwnZmAcNNQFFc5iJ-100hecoaAiSKEALw_wcB

So you are going to let pride stand in the way of a free resource and maybe even tips from skilled professionals? I say take it down there and ask them to test it for you! The worst thing they can say is no and there is nothing shameful about not knowing. The shame would be insisting to figure it out yourself and burning the garage down.

 

I have a new 80amp, 120v stick welder, using 3/32 6011 electrodes and it is having trouble maintaining an arc. It is very erratic which obviously results in bad welds. I am curious if the issue is a bad machine or if something is wrong with the electrical in my garage that would cause this.

It plugs into a 15a outlet on a 20a circuit which also serves the garage lights and door opener. After taking the outlet off, i believe it also has an open neutral. The outlet still works and powers other devices. Would any of this result in low power to my welding machine?

not sure if you know this 6011 is for ac current

 

Stick Welding IS AN ART that demands a whole lot of skill and coordination, and that is even with a welder having very good, very stable, power delivery. It is also very different from soldering, and brazing, with a torch, and VASTLY different from welding with a wire-feed MIG welder, which I can do quite well enough. I would equate the skill level as being similar to playing a violin very well.

So the very fist diagnostic step would be to plug an incandescent light into the same duplex outlet that the welder is plugged into and observe any variations. I suggest the light because it has faster response that is easier to observe than a meter. And much more common.

 

Stick Welding IS AN ART that demands a whole lot of skill and coordination, and that is even with a welder having very good, very stable, power delivery.

See post #10 !
Stick or SMAW requires that the strike voltage collapses to much lower voltage once the arc is struck.
Typically controlled by mechanically by varying the transformer shunt .

 

I've used a dumb (as in transformer plus inductor) 120V buzz box stick welder successfully. Output current was about 30 amps while holding an arc. 3/32 rods were usable, but it was tricky to strike an arc. Still, I welded things (and they've stayed welded), up to about 1/4" thick, but with multiple passes (grinding back to solid metal after each pass).

 

Once again, a big portion of success in stick welding depends on skill. Probably also talent.