My spout came off my muffler. The muffler seems to be in good shape so I prefer to weld the spout back on and get another year or two from it. I am not a trained welder so my question is... can I weld on the machine, the muffler, with no problems to the electronics/electrical system?
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OldMachinist
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Disconnect and isolate the battery cables and you should be okay welding on the muffler.
OM, do you have to disconnect both cables, or just the positive?
antfarmer2
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Do both be safe
OldMachinist
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Some people just disconnect the positive cable but I was taught to remove both. Most times if the battery is anywhere near where I'm welding I remove the battery completely. Doesn't take much to set off any hydrogen gas that batteries make.
This battery was 2 feet away from the guy welding when it went boom. Just took 1 little piece of hot spatter to land on it.
Does it make me a bad person that as soon as i saw the hindenburg i giggled as i knew you were referring to the fact the battery could explode? and not thinking about the fact lots of people died.
Having a battery explode must have been a one in a million, there needed to be just enough oxygen mixed with the hydrogen to explode.
You don't need to remove both cables, only one to break the circuit. I made the mistake of forgetting to disconnect a terminal and welding once, it took out the voltage regulator in the alternator.
I have to back OM up 100%. Take off Neg first always THEN Positive. For welding take battery out and away from machine. I have seen the results of probably 10 battery explosions. Acid rains everywhere. The most embarrassing one I recall was rescuing my Dad from the liquor store parking lot after someone was trying to kindly give him a jump and the whole top blew off his battery.
I have never seen a battery explode, hopefully i mever will.
