Run a 225 welder off a 5000 watt generator

Can I run my Lincoln 225 buzz box off of a 5000 watt generator.
Light work 1/8” square tube on hand rails. Not continuous

The INPUT at 5000 watts / 240 volts would be 20 amps ... As Lou said the OUTPUT would be in the 100 amp range............. I do that with 3/32 rod..... your 1/8 inch might be a little BIG... if it STICKS or will not stay lit, use the 3/32 rod and sould be OK.

OOOPS... i read that as 1/8 rod... you said 1/8 inch tubing... I would guess your using 3/32 rod already.. Even a smaller 1/16 or .075 dia rod would work on that small tube.

Never tried it but was always wondering if my 8500 would run mine. Never got around to hotwiring a plug adapter but  they should work with smaller rods. If they wont use 1/8" go smaller rods and should be fine.

DaveKamp wrote: The Lincoln AC225 would typically be wired into a 240v/50A plug/receptacle.  That's 12kw. A 240v/20A circuit is 4800w (240*20=4800)... so you're offering the buzz box just over one THIRD of it's total power capacity. In THEORY, if you only load the welder lightly, it should be okay, right? Yes, but no.   It WILL weld, if you dial it WAY down, and use a very thin rod, but here's where the real problem hides: The welding transformer is a device that depends on saturation and slope... meaning, it's not just an 'ordinary' transformer where it's input and output ratios are simple. For what you want to do, though, a 240v/20A extension cord and a 'suitcase MIG' with gasless 0.035 wire and reversed polarity would do a very admirable job for 1/8" wall tubing. The welding transformer is designed specifically to WANT to maintain a stable arc. in a stick welder, and in TIG welding, the transformer is designed to self-stabilize using a 'constant current' output.  The arc voltage changes as a result of arc length, but current flow does not. In a wire-feed setup, the arc voltage stays constant, the current varies based on arc length. I could explain HOW the welding transformer does this, but it'd take a long time, and those that didn't expire simply from the length of it, would do themselves in from the trauma of having to tolerate it, so I'll just leave it at this much: It'll work, but your generator will NOT like it, and your welds will be neither attractive nor effective.  Even at low power levels, the transformer will pull on the generator enough to make it drift in frequency, surge and sag in voltage. If you were close to me, I'd just let you borrow one of my engine-driven welders... For what it's worth, a 240V/20A extension cord to a 'suitcase MIG' with 0.035" flux-core wire, in reverse polarity, would do an excellent job for your 1/8" wall railing...

Thank you Dave. As always I appreciate your input.
I have an engine driven welder but not near enough lead.
I used to have a small mig that would work for this.
I didn’t like it and sold it a few years back.
Maybe should have kept it?

I’ve ran an old buzz box welder off of a 5000 watt Coleman powermate generator several times. I was building some livestock fence and was welding 1/8” thick straps/clamps to drill stem posts. It made the generator snort a bit but it seemed to do the job. Welder didn’t seem to weld any different from when it was plugged-in in my shop. I was only burning up half a rod before stopping for 30-45 secs. or so and then finishing up the rod. Then about a minute or two break while getting the next strap/clamp ready. I didn’t have an engine driven welder at the time so I made due with what I had.