What’s the proper way to store welding leads? Ideally, welding leads are conductors that carry electrical current used in welding. Improper handling and storage of welding leads can adversely affect their performance, and worse still, they can even cause accidents.
Besides, if you leave your cables lying around and unattended, dust and other contaminants are likely to compromise their integrity. This blog post provides comprehensive welding lead storage ideas. We’ll guide you on how you can store your welding leads properly to prevent them from picking up excess dust or moisture.
The idea behind proper care and storage is not only to keep you safe but also to make your welding leads last longer. Just like other welding accessories, cables are an expensive investment, so you may want to find a safe place to keep them when not in use.
Tips for storing welding leads
Keep the welding leads in one place
When not in use, ensure that the leads are kept out of the way and in one place to avoid trip hazards and physical damage. This will also make your life easier by keeping the workplace uncluttered and organized.
Besides, given the dangers that come with any welding environment, leaving the cables lying around will only aggravate the situation. As such, it is important to find a way to store them in one place so that they don’t get in your walkaways and cause injuries to people around.
Ensure the leads are loosely coiled
Always ensure that the leads are coiled loosely when storing them to prevent long-term damage. The idea behind this is to avoid stressing or bending them. Cables with multiple kinks along the way are as good as dead, and even trying to repair them with insulation tape may not fix the situation.
Also, ensure to check the cables for damage and wear. Repair any damaged parts to maintain their electrical conductivity. You can also replace them if necessary.
Using a hose reel
Using a welding cable reel is one of the best ways of ensuring that your welding leads are safe and easily accessible when needed. The reel lets you wrap the cables around it, which prevents them from getting damaged. A good reel can hold up to 100 feet of welding lead or hose.
It also comes in handy when you need to transport your cables from one job site to another or when you need to weld outside. The reel makes it easy to bring your equipment to any workstation without compromising the quality of the cables.
The best part about using a reel is that you can place it on the floor, mount it on the ceiling, wall, or any other place that is convenient for you. In addition, you can always make your own and customized hose reel if you don’t have money to buy a new one. However, investing in a sturdy industrial cable reel will always pay off.
Hangers and hooks
Another option that you can use to store your leads is utilizing welding lead hangers. When not in use, wrap the cables carefully before hanging them on the wall using hooks or specially made welding cable hangers. Besides, hanging them up on the wall is a perfect way to secure them from harmful rodents. Additionally, hanging the cables not only helps to keep the workplace organized, but it also contributes to your productivity.
Invest in a good box
If you are a mobile welder or use a work van to transport welding equipment, it is always a good idea to get a box for storing cables and other items. All you need to do is wrap the leads loosely and detangle them before putting them inside the box. Ensure to mark the box for easy and faster identification when needed by the next person.
Keep the cables in a dry area
Storing the cables in moist conditions can adversely deteriorate the insulation, leading to shock or fire hazards. All welding cables and hoses should be kept in clean and dry areas until they are needed for use. You may also want to keep them in an area with moderate temperatures to keep them in optimal condition.
The Bottom Line
Overlooking the importance of proper welding cable storage can lead to several problems, including increased downtime and personal injury. Proper cable storage is not only critical in reducing downtime but also ensures optimal performance while keeping the costs to the minimum. Sometimes mistakes are unavoidable but with the above tips you should be able to avoid the obvious ones could that lead to decreased productivity or excess downtime.
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William Phillips was born and raised in Keller, Texas. He is a licensed general contractor, and he has been a home improvement specialist for two decades. His passion for the trade led him to freelance writing to share his life experiences with his readers. Phillips enjoys thoroughly researching DIY tools and writing guides at ToolsHaunt as a way of giving back to the community.