Powering a generator with a welder

If it is safe to do so, I need to run my stick welder (old Montgomery wards continuously variable) on my new generac 55000 watt generator. Welder has a 6-50 220 plug, generator has a twist locking 25 amp (marked 30 amp) 220 four prong plug. In the shop, the welder is fed by #6 copper protected by a 50 amp breaker.

Can I safely make up a cord to run the welder, and can I run he welder in the 90-100ish amp range without doing damage to myself or equipment?

I know I won't be able to get the maximum rated output of the welder but I won't need it. I just need to hang a gate at the head of my driveway.

P.S. I have learned so much from all of you much wiser electricians on this site, and all of my sub panels are fed with two UNgroundED hot legs, one groundED neutral, and one equipment groundING conductor. . Thanks!

I guess you know I meant powering a WELDER with a GENERATOR!

Borderline but may work. A Power Factor correction capacitor with 5 amps of leading current would help.
Generator chassis should be grounded to earth .

I think you meant 5500 watts too. 55,000 watts wouldn't be a problem. Not sure if it will work because the 5500 watts may be peak and running would be around 5000 watts or less.

I did it with my 15KW Kholer generator, It worked but striking the arc was a bit tricky because of governor response delay going from no load to good size load.

Your statement "all of my sub panels are fed with two UNgroundED hot legs, one groundED neutral, and one equipment groundING conductor. ."

IMPRESSED ME, where in the world did you pick up such "electrically correct" technical jargon anyway HHHHHHHmmmmmmmmm lol

By the way, in those sub panels you do have the Equipment Ground Buss and the Neutral Buss seperate and electrically isolated from each other correct??? And, of course, the sub panels steel case/frame is bonded to the Equipment Ground Buss??? (NOTTTTTT the Neutral)

Okay, I'm taking a wild guess you genset is 5500 watts instead of 55,000 right???

If so, it sounds like youre already well aware it cant continuously supply the 40 to 50 amps at 240 the welder appears to be designed for if needed.

HOWEVER if youre only welding in the lower amperage range the genset ""may"" (cant guarantee, it depends on welder and the load) be able to supply the necessary current, even if it would crap out if you attempted higher heat/current settings.

Okay, sounds like the genset has a 30 amp 3 Pole 4 Wire GroundING Outlet and its my best guess not being there that can supply 120/240 volt single phase three wire service. Sounds like (again my best guess) the Welder requires a straight 240 volt (NO 120 and NO Neutral) with Equipment Ground 3 wire supply.

SOOOOOOOOO to supply straight 240 with Ground (3 wires) from the Genset to the welder, you would use the gennys 2 Hot Ungrounded (L1 & L2, maybe Red and Black) 240 volt Legs and the Equipment Ground and, of course, NOT the Neutral. If you rigged a cord and a matching plug and outlet from the welder to the genset, it would consist of three No 10 wires with a 6-50 (2 pole 3 wire groundING) Receptacle where the welders plug mates,,,,,,, And a 30 amp 240 volt 3 pole 4 wire GroundING Plug to mate into the gennys onboard receptacle.

DISCLAIMER I (Unlike my usual advice) am NOT saying this is NEC compliant, I'm pullin a Billy Bob on this one and ONLY saying it can "work" unitl such time the welders current draw exesseds the gensets overload protection device!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which depends on the gennys design and specs and its surge and continuous current ratings??????????

NOTE if youre using plug and cord connected equipment thats powered up by onboard mounted receptacles on the genset itself, no GroundING Electrode is required i.e. fire up the portable genny, plug your tool or appliance into its outlet, and no ground rod is required.

NO FREAKIN WARRANTY AND NO NEC COMPLIANCE but it can "work" up to the gennys ability and what current the welder draws at the heat/current range youre gonna weld at ........

PS will you hurt the genset??? Not if the onboard receptacle circuit has overcurrent protection such that it trips out if the gennys max current ability is exceeded!!! If it has that 30 amp receptacle my guess is there's some sort of overload or thermal protection built in to protect the genny BUT I CANT KNOW OR GUARANTEE THAT MIND YOU

Im sure I missed something, hope the other sparkies can add to and correct if needed

John T & Billy Bob (now thats a pair lol)

Thanks so much guys! Yes, it's 5500 watts. I appologize for the typing errors, but my house got broken into, all electronics stolen, and I'm typing on a phone. My fingers are too big for a phone. Now you know why I need a gate.

John, my neutral and ground bars are most certainly NOT bonded!

Just keep the welder away from the Genajunk generator. No sense catching both of them on fire.

Hey.

I have tried the exact same thing with my Lincoln tombstone and a 5500 watt gen.

It will work... Barely.

Difficult to strike an arc as others have stated.

Brad

Over the years I had two what I thought were emergency situations to me. The first time I used a Homelite 5000 generator. Could not get any penetration at any setting.
The second time I had a Honda 4500 watt. It worked great, but I did not use it over an extended period. Did not want to have something else to fix.
I think it depends on generator and welder. My first welder was a 250 amp Miller. The second welder was an ESAB 260 multimaster.
Occasionally I still wonder why one worked and the other did not.

Thank you all for the help, I maked a cord to run the welder and it did work. It was hard to strike an arc, but I was able to weld up to about 110 amps or so.