15 best welding electrodes
Welding electrodes are a mandatory consumable used in welding operations. Its essence lies in the introduction of additional (electrode) metal into the welded bath formed by melting the base metal in the seam zone. The result of this action will be a one-piece connection that can take various kinds of loads, provide rigidity or tightness (in the case of pipe welding) of the structure.
Simple in words, in reality, this process requires a fair amount of preparation, including in terms of the selection of electrodes. It is not enough to choose a melting element with a metal, the properties of which are as close as possible to the main one. The market is gradually being filled with a competing product, so making the right choice in such an environment often fails even for professionals, not to mention novice users. Having studied the reviews of consumers and experts, we have prepared for you a rating of the best welding electrodes, divided into four main categories.
The best basic coated welding electrodes
Basic electrodes are used quite often, since they do not impose strict restrictions on welding. The parts to be welded can be oriented in space at any angle - the electrode works in all spatial positions. In addition, not only thin metal products can be subjected to the process of obtaining a permanent connection - thick sheets of metal and thick-walled structures are also subject to welding with the main electrode. The only condition: these processes must take place with a direct current of reverse polarity.
5 "KEDR" E 308L-16 / OZL-8 (350 х 3.2 mm; 2 kg)
The main electrode intended for welding of heavily loaded parts and products from high-alloyed alloys, characterized by a high degree of corrosion resistance. Traditionally (and unlike ESAB's FILARC electrodes) they are used with reverse polarity direct current, which, in general, is not a surprise for experienced users.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, "KEDR" E 308L-16 / OZL-8 is characterized as very convenient electrodes for welding structures in any spatial positions (except for leading from top to bottom with a vertical seam). They are moderately expensive, of very high quality and are rarely falsified. True, by the will of the peculiarities of such a responsible business, they could not avoid one minor nuance: before use, calcination is required with a temperature holding in the region of 300-350 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes.
4 ESAB FILARC 88S (350 x 2.5 mm; 7.2 kg)
Another representative of ESAB, whose characteristics are very close to the well-known Pipeweld 8016 electrodes, did not go unnoticed. As the manufacturer himself notes, this consumable has a 100% recovery factor, although in fact it is hard to believe in it. However, this nuance cannot be considered a disadvantage - judging by the reviews of experienced users, the electrode shows itself from an exceptionally good side.
It is known for certain that the toughness of the ESAB FILARC 88S metal impurity weld is excellent down to -60 degrees Celsius. In this regard, these main electrodes can be used for welding structures operating at low temperatures, as well as in coastal areas where high humidity and low hydraulic loads prevail. Yes, their use is not a cheap pleasure, but high quality nowadays is quite expensive.
3 QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374 (350 x 2.5 mm; 0.9 kg)
A direct analogue of OZL-8 grade electrodes, which got into the rating due to the optimal mechanical properties of the weld after surfacing.Provided that the prescribed technology is observed throughout the arc welding, it provides up to 41% relative elongation, 400 MPa of yield strength and up to 160 J / cm2 of impact strength, measured at temperature indicators in the region of -20 degrees Celsius. It is mainly used for welding corrosion-resistant steels in all spatial positions.
Providing higher mechanical properties, QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374 does not solve the cost problem. From a technical point of view, the use of these electrodes is justified only in the case of critical structures welding, as hundreds of users tirelessly talk about. In other cases, it is much more convenient to buy cheaper OZL-kami, leaving this applicant until better times.
2 KOBELCO LB-52U (350 х 3.2 mm; 5 kg)
Electrodes of the Japanese company Kobelco, designed for welding pipes made of metals of strength class up to K55 and from K55 to K60 inclusive. With the proper skill of the welder, it leaves an even seam or a neat bead without splashing and maintaining a short arc throughout the welding process. Provided that all measures to protect the seam from air and other contaminating elements are observed, it endows the structure with good impact strength in the permanent joint zone, providing excellent resistance to cracking and deeper penetration of the base metal.
Based on user reviews, KOBELCO LB-52U represents a unique combination of low cost and acceptable quality. Yes, you can't get away from preliminary calcination before use here: you will have to withstand the same regimes of 300-350 degrees Celsius for 30-60 minutes. But working with them is a pleasure.
1 ESAB SONI 13/55 (350 x 3.0 mm; 4.5 kg)
Say what you like, but the cheapness of consumables is able to solve any issue in their favor. ESAB SSSI 13/55 is a bestseller for demanding welding jobs requiring basic electrodes. True, with a small caveat: carbon and low-alloy steels can be welded. No joke, but from the point of view of the yield point, this sample leaves out of work a much more expensive contender in the person of QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374, though only by 20 units - 420 against 400 MPa. But the relative elongation here is two times less, and is only 22%. This is not a bad thing, but any tensile loads will be perceived slightly worse. However, this does not bother consumers at all - the cost of electrodes justifies any imperfection. In addition, there is another good reason to give preference to these particular electrodes: because of the price, no one falsifies them.
The best rutile coated welding electrodes
Rutile electrodes have gained great popularity among welders due to their combination of useful characteristics. They have an easy ignition, have a high resistance to moisture, and can also be used on direct and alternating current. Their disadvantages include the impossibility of welding structures made of high-carbon steel, the direct dependence of the weld quality on the welding modes, as well as the need for careful preparatory operations (such as drying and calcining the surface).
5 ELITECH MP-3C (350 x 3 mm; 5 kg)
Rutile electrode for manual arc welding, designed to obtain permanent metal joints with a thickness of 3 to 20 millimeters. It welds carbon and low-alloy steels well, forming a reliable weld with a ultimate tensile strength in the region of 440 MPa.
According to consumers, ELITECH MP-3C is very picky about storage conditions: small deviations in humidity or room temperature can cause damage to the coating. Otherwise, these electrodes do not bring anything new to the class: you can cook in any spatial position, on alternating and direct current.The main advantage of the sample concerns the cost parameter: for relatively little money, the consumer receives a solid consumable, the use of which is characterized by small losses for waste and splashing.
4 Inforce MP-3 11-05-01 (450 x 5 mm; 5 kg)
Rutile electrode used for welding critical structures by manual arc welding. It has rather high strength parameters (450 MPa of tensile strength) with strict adherence to welding conditions, as well as the value of impact strength (80 J / cm2) and relative elongation (20%). Supports AC and DC welding, but in the latter case requires the use of power sources with no-load voltage.
From the point of view of rational costs, such electrodes can be used, even despite the large losses due to splashing and waste. According to the manufacturers, an average of 1.7 kilograms of electrodes are produced per kilogram of deposited metal. Such statistics cannot please perfectionists, but we hasten to please you: the amount of losses can be reduced through personal professionalism.
3 "Resanta" MR-3S (350 х 3 mm; 3 kg)
Resanta's products under the MP-3C brand do not differ much from those of Elitech, but show much better results in terms of cost per kilogram. Objectively, these are the cheapest consumables for welding in this segment, but their operational capabilities can be compared with the recognized leaders. So, welded in compliance with the technology and the specified modes, the seam is able to show up to 450 MPa of tensile strength.
But in the field of mechanical properties of "Resant" MR-3S one can find a small drawback. It consists in a low relative elongation, equal to only 18%. Therefore, before using these electrodes, you should think about the loads under which this or that structure will be used. But, as users say, even if they are not needed at the moment, the loss of funds will be imperceptible.
2 Quattro Elementi 772-166 (300 x 2.0 mm; 3 kg)
Italian rutile electrodes, in demand in mechanical engineering and construction, the main difference from competitors of which is the use of low-alloy and low-carbon steels by the MMA method. Due to the unique composition, they provide the highest quality seam, without pores, even in the case of welding rough untreated surfaces (with traces of scale and rust).
It stands out favorably against the background of other electrodes due to its high mechanical parameters. Thus, the temporary resistance of the weld (subject to the recommendations for grooving and stripping) is 480 MPa, and the impact strength at negative temperatures is 110 J / cm2. As is the case with most competitors, the consumption of electrodes per kilogram of deposited metal is 1.7 kilograms, which is spent on waste and spraying. Despite this, they are used quite often: after all, quality always plays “for” popularity.
1 ESAB OK 46.30 (450 x 5.0 mm; 18.9 kg)
Quite expensive rutile electrodes suitable for welding critical structures, pipes and all kinds of plates up to 30 millimeters thick. Unlike all competitors, they are all-positional, that is, metal surfacing can be performed even in a vertical direction from top to bottom. According to the data from the consumer, with competent welding, it gives a perfectly even seam: smooth, without a single hint of excess convexity or other defects. Users, for the most part, confirm this property of ESAB OK 46.30, noting only that it is important not to be mistaken with the welding modes.
As for the cost, these electrodes are not the most expensive in the class: the cost of a kilogram in modern realities barely reaches 250 rubles. However, there is one more positive nuance: the consumption of electrodes for surfacing the same kilogram is slightly more than 1.3 kilograms. Compared to the competition, this result looks very good.
The best cellulosic welding electrodes
Cellulosic electrodes are used for manual arc welding only. They are characterized by low resistance to overheating, but excellent protection of the welding zone from exposure to air due to the creation of a "gas plateau". Works in all positions and with any type of current (alternating or direct), due to which it is widely used in welding.
3 "Monolith" RC ANO-36 (4 mm; 5 kg)
"Monolith" RC ANO-36 is not purely cellulosic (the coating is supplemented with rutile components), and therefore is used both for joining simple structures and for welding critical products. These electrodes provide deep penetration of metals with a thickness of 3 to 20 millimeters, forming a smooth, impervious seam. They can bend freely without damaging the backing, so they can be brought even to hard-to-reach places.
As noted by professional welders, "Monolit" RC ANO-36 is a very "convenient" brand of electrodes, since they do not require preliminary calcination and special preparation of joints for welding. And even if they get wet, they show themselves extremely healthy: all that is required from the user is to warm up the electrodes for at least half an hour at a constant temperature in the range of 100-120 degrees Celsius.
2 "SpetsElectrode" MR-3S (450 x 4 mm; 5 kg)
One of the few representatives of cellulose electrodes that allow welding on unprepared low-alloy or carbon steel (with traces of moisture, small contaminants and oxides), the resistance limit of which is 450 MPa. It efficiently cooks in any spatial position and when powered by a current of any polarity (both alternating from the inverter and direct). Provides a fairly high value of impact strength (130 J / cm2), as well as relative elongation (25%). The more prosaic against this background is the value of the yield point, which is 390 MPa. In principle, this is enough for the seam to work, but in comparison with competitors it is not enough. The main advantage of "SpetsElektrod" MR-3S, according to users, is the notorious level of cost, which is advantageously combined with the quality of the welded seam.
1 ESAB Pipeweld 7010 Plus (350 x 4.0 mm; 20 kg)
Another representative of the Swedish company ESAB, distinguished by a tendency atypical for cellulose electrodes to retain properties during short-term overheating. Designed mainly for manual arc welding of pipes, carbon and low alloy steels. It has a low elongation index in the weld zone (28%) and a fairly high strength (450 MPa).
In general, with the exception of the cellulose coating, ESAB Pipeweld 7010 Plus does not significantly differ from a number of basic or rutile versions of electrodes. Except, perhaps, one fact: the welding process requires a complete cleaning of the metal from oxides, dirt and moisture - only in this case it is possible to achieve acceptable results in terms of the reliability of structures. The cost, as usual, is quite high, but if a high quality seam is needed, these samples should be considered prevalent.
Best Acid Coated Welding Electrodes
Acid-coated electrodes are much less popular than all the others, but they carry several very important advantages. Just like cellulose electrodes, they can work in all positions and with any kind of current. Among other things, they are characterized by low formation of pores in the weld seam, which is typical for welding with an elongated arc or forcing modes. Not applicable in case of high carbon and / or sulfur content in the metal.
2 ESAB OK 61.20 (30 x 2.5 mm; 4.2 kg)
A special "grade" of acidic electrodes intended for welding strictly thin-walled products (the wall thickness of which varies about 2 millimeters) from chromium-nickel steels of the 03X18H10 type, which are highly resistant to corrosion.In addition to the standard purpose, parts welded with such electrodes can be used at temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius, which significantly expands the horizon of their applicability.
In addition to its applicability, ESAB OK 61.20 are interesting from a purely practical point of view. They are capable of operating in wide voltage ranges (from 28 to 85 V), both when welding with an inverter and with direct current. In addition, user reviews indicate a low consumption of electrodes (1.24 kilograms) for surfacing one kilogram of metal. Yes, in terms of cost, these samples are significantly superior to opponents of other kinds. However, due to the limited use and high quality of work, the price for them does not seem so serious.
1 ESAB OK 67.71 (350 x 3.2 mm; 4.8 kg)
Another representative of ESAB in this category has slightly more blurred boundaries of applicability, which is its "calling card". OK 67.71 are rutile-oxygen electrodes of increased productivity, designed for welding dissimilar steels with satisfactory mechanical strength. Most often, such consumables are used when connecting stainless steel with low-alloy steels containing nickel, tungsten, molybdenum or cobalt.
ESAB OK 67.71 is brewed in strict compliance with the welding current modes (34 A) and variable voltage values (80-130 V). According to consumers, the biggest plus of these consumables is economy. With a standard seam welding process, only 1.22 kilograms of electrodes are required per kilogram of weld metal. By the way, their cost can also be called high, but the limits of applicability determine it with interest.
