Hey y'all,
I have a question about the possibility of damage to electronic components while performing welding on the bodywork...
Being on fuel injection I have obviously removed the ecu, and the engine is out so no alternator and the battery has also been removed.
I'll be using the TIG welding process which is reverse polarity to mig or stick, so worried about anything that is connected to the chassis earth including things like radio and electronic gauges. Of course there is nothing to complete the circuit so no current will flow but I have heard of transient voltages, currents damaging equipment when welding.
Any advice appreciated as I am very much a novice when it comes to welding.
Cheers! Toby

Hi Toby. don't stress hey.

You could weld a computer case together with all the internals in it and still have it work.

An electrical current will always favour the easiest root when it comes to the 'ground' relavent to the circuit. In the case of the welder, its the idea of going straight to the earth lead, simply through the body metal.

Think of the electrical current as a river, and you have a 'lattice' full of creeks, dams and steams, if u had water flowing in one end, and the only exit was through another, flow is only going to be in that direction. Another reason why if u touch the chassis while welding you won't get electricuted.

Just make sure the heat isn't near anything too delicate, and u will be fine . Thats more ur concern.

Cheers for the reply Chris!
I don't think I'll try welding a computer case haha but let me know how that goes if you ever try it

personally i would put one of the anti spike units on before welding. as i like my electrical working and hate fault finding and im an electronics tech.

Thanks Barls!
I'm not familiar with those. I also have a background in electronics but not trade qualified. So do you think that without anti spike units welding TIG could potentially cause electronics damage on a car? As I mentioned...the polarity is REVERSED on DC TIG so the earth clamp is positive. BTW it's an ebay inverter TIG I'll be using.

To be safe, I have removed and disconnected from + and - all instruments or electronics.

Not trying to discount what Chris said. There is now no risk of damage on the car, but I'm still interested to know more...

I'm thinking I read somewhere to disconnect battery neg and alternator positive before welding on a vehicle?

so long as the equipment is earthed it may cause a problem. but it will mainly be the stereo and any other electronics that are fitted that id worry about. it is a good idea to disconnect the battery as for the rest ive only ever welded with a mig.
you could try asking helbus as he uses a tig more than what i would

all i have ever done is disconnect the battery, never had any dramas

matt

i have been welding parts on or to cars and trucks for years and always disconect the battery terminals costs nothing and stoppes the loop feed back that can happen

the difference is the polarity of the equipment used

I'm no welder,
but everyone I know unhooks the earth lead on the battery..

can't remember what the muffler guy used to do..??

I don't think He undid anything...

as I would have lost the memory in the radio??

maybe the radio had no memory... lol back then...??

LEE

what used to happen Chris
is that the easiest path was thru the exhaust system and
thru the alternator....

YIKES....

years ago, the earth system on cars was very poor...
with a lot of resistance...

then alternators started to appear on cars...

and then go POOF.... when the welded arced.... lol

cheers

LEE

I have been a panel beater for 20 years now, and I have never disconnected a battery or ECU unless it has had to be removed due to location being in the way of repairs. I have used MIG, TIG and spot welder all those years and NEVER once blown a fuse, alternator, ECU or anything. I had heaps of drama's getting radio codes and anti-theft devices rebooted from disconnecting batteries.

I have set fire to three cars if that is information you need to know that I am not just lucky.

When welding, I always earth the welder near the welded area, and never on another part of the car. The worst place to earth on is the exhaust pipe, unless you are welding the exhaust, and then it is the right place to earth.