A inverter welder is a new type of welder that has a lot of advantages over traditional welders. It can also have some disadvantages as we will see later. You can buy inverter welders from most welding supply stores both online and offline.

Two of the main advantages of an inverter welder are that they are almost always dramatically smaller than conventional welders and have lower power consumption so that they can run off of normal household current instead of higher voltage current. Welder size and weight, as measured by pounds per amp supplied, is important because inverter welders can be much more portable than conventional welders. You can often carry one around like a light suitcase instead of rolling a heavy conventional unit. This also helps you get into smaller spaces where a conventional welder could be cumbersome or even impossible to fit. Lower power consumption means that the inverter welder can be plugged into any normal 110v wall socket with household current instead of requiring 220v which is much more rare. This makes welding much more convenient and often means that you won't need to use an industrial generator. It also makes welding more efficient since the total power costs will be lower. As a bonus, an inverter welder is also more tolerant of "dirty power" from generators than conventional welders which can lead to fewer bad welds and less time per job.

Inverter Welders

The inverter welder is not the perfect answer for all needs: An inverter welder is able to run off of lower voltage current because of the high-tech and, in some cases, more delicate electronics inside. This means that buying inverter welders typically means a higher cost per amp, and a slightly more fragile unit which may require more service or repairs over its lifetime as compared to a conventional welder. A normal welder is, by comparison, very simple internally and can both be built cheaply and does not have much inside that's susceptible to breakage. If you are looking for a reliable welder which will last forever, costs as little as possible, and weight is not an issue, a conventional welder is probably the best choice for you. In contrast, if you able to pay a bit more for portability, the ability to use normal household current and are okay with needing to baby the device a bit, buying an inverter welder will certainly make you happy.

If you found this useful, please see my other related articles about welder/generators, plasma cutting machines, and CNC plasma cutters.