Inside the Battery Performance of Battery Welders

Would you question the performance of a cordless drill? Of course not. Cordless technology is the default standard for professionals. When the battery runs low, you simply swap in a fresh battery and keep working.

Battery-powered welders using a “hot swappable” battery design offer similar productivity benefits, which is why ESAB collaborated with Stanley Black & Decker to design Renegade VOLT around DEWALT® FLEXVOLT® batteries.

This welding system features a detachable battery box (for easier transportation) that has four battery ports. The unit comes four 12 amp-hour (Ah) batteries. If you’ve ever purchased a 12-Ah battery, which retail for nearly $300 each, you’ll understand the value of battery welder that comes with four batteries that work with any other FLEXVOLT compatible cordless tool!

Now, what does “12 Ah” mean in practical welding terms? First, it means a maximum Stick output of 130 amps and maximum TIG output of 140 amps. Second, it means that you can weld with up to 33 Stick electrodes (3/32-in. 6013) or TIG weld for 50 minutes at 70 amps on a single battery charge under normal welding conditions.

In a laboratory test captured on video, ESAB engineers welded for 26 minutes straight with 3/32-in. 6013 electrodes with amperage ranging between the low 90s and 100 amps. Note that battery performance varies significantly between brands, with the four FLEXVOLT batteries consistently offering the ability to weld with 50 to 100% more electrodes. Realistically, you could make a 3/16-in. fillet weld 16 ft. long before needing to change batteries.

So you don’t get caught by surprise during a welding project, Renegade VOLT displays battery life on the front panel. In addition, an arc-on-time calculator lets you know how many more electrodes you can burn before swapping batteries. Swapping all four batteries completely “resets the clock,” but you can also swap out one, two or three batteries (further, 9 and 6 Ah batteries can also be used, but they will not last as long). Welders with an integrated battery don’t offer this flexibility, as they need to be connected to wall power to recharge.

Speaking of recharge, DELWALT’s four-port fast charger brings the 12 Ah battery charge from zero to full in 100 minutes. Of course, because this battery welder also runs on 115V/230V wall power, you can plug it in and use it as regular welder. Taking performance one step higher, Renegade VOLT’s AMP Plus mode supplements 115V wall power with battery power to mitigate nuisance tripping, which can be a major productivity enhancer.