Welding
Dry Rods - Storage RecommendationsWelding
rods must be kept dry.
Moisture destroys the characteristics of the rod coating. It causes excessive
spattering, leads to the formation of cracks in the weld, and causes poor penetration
and operating characteristics such as an uneven arc. Low
hydrogen welding rods exposed to humid air for more than two or three hours should
be placed in a "Rod Oven." Even a small amount of moisture in low hydrogen
welding rods leads to major weld problems. (See chart
for proper time and temperature charts.)
Save
on Discounted Welding Rod Ovens
After
drying, the rods should be transferred to a portable holding Rod Oven and kept
there at proper temperature until supplied to the individual weldor. Do not use
rods if any part of the core wire is exposed. Do not bow a welding rod. It can
cause the coating to break loose from the core wire or cause tiny cracks that
cause poor performance Low
Hydrogen welding rods, such as E7018 and E8018-C3, must be kept very dry because
hydrogen induced cracking can easily occur, especially in steels of 80,000 psi
and higher yield strengths. Here are some suggestions: - Purchase
welding rods in sealed containers
- Do
not open the sealed containers until the welding rods are needed
- When
the cans are opened, rods that will not be immediately used should be placed in
a welding rod holding cabinet
- Welding
rods should be supplied to the weldors in small quantities that can be used within
set time limits
- Check
the standards for welding rods before using because they differ. For example,
a E7018 welding can be exposed to the atmosphere for 4 hours, but a standard E11018
welding rod is only good for 30 minutes.
Re-drying
Low Hydrogen When
the seal is broken, by choice or by accident, a container of low hydrogen welding
rods needs to be re-dried. Even when the rods have been exposed to the atmosphere
for a few days, they need to be re-dried. Follow these procedures: - To
re-dry, remove welding rods from the container and place them in a Rod Oven. Spread
the rods out on the shelf. Don't put the container in the oven; the cardboard
liners will char the rods
- When
the rods are initially placed in the oven follow the chart on this page for proper
time and temperature settings
- Be
sure to check with the manufacturer's recommendations and follow them
- Do
not dry electrodes at higher temperatures. In addition, several hours at a lower
temperature is not equivalent to using the specified requirements
- Discard
any welding rods if excessive re-drying causes the coating to become fragile or
if it flakes or breaks off while welding. Get rid of welding rods if there is
a noticeable difference in handling of arc characteristics such as insufficient
arc force.
Storing
and exposure, non-low hydrogen Welding
Electrodes such as E6010 and E7014 are not low hydrogen, but it is important
that these electrodes also be properly stored to avoid welding
defects. Unlike the low hydrogen electrodes that always must be kept dry,
most of the non-low hydrogen rods need some moisture in the coatings to work well.
If these rods are too dry, they may not function properly. On the other hand,
excessively moisture may cause other problems. The following procedures should
be followed: - Store
these non-low hydrogen electrodes from the freshly opened containers in heated
cabinets at 100 degrees - 120 degrees F.
- Do
not use higher temperatures. For more information, see the chart on this page
for proper time and temperature.
Please
review all of our welding rod ovens for the proper
storage of your welding rods. | 
