A welding cable is used to carry electrical current to a secondary circuit that is used to emit electrical current and allow the welder to create a weld. A welding cable is very flexible and is typically made of a neoprene covering that protects the bare copper wire inside. The neoprene cover makes the welding cable resistant to flames and oil along with other materials. If your welding cable should become damaged from use you can perform a temporary fix that will allow you keep welding until you are able to replace the cable.
The first thing you will need to do is to locate the area in the welding cable that is damaged. You should also inspect the entire welding cable to ensure that there are no other damaged areas. If you should happen to find additional damaged areas you should repair those as well. To temporarily repair your damaged welding cable you should apply a PVC, vinyl or Teflon tape to the area. All of these tapes are only a temporary fix and if used over time they will become brittle. Taping the damaged area will allow you to finish the weld you were working on before you noticed the damage. In addition to taping up the damaged area you should also apply a small amount of plasticizer to the tape in order to make it more flexible and prevent it from becoming too brittle.
Once you have completed the welding job you were working on you should contact a welding cable company to have your welding cable properly repaired. Many welding companies offer some type of repair service that will be able to fix your damaged cable. If the repair can be performed it requires the repairmen to clean out the cable and remove the protective outer liner. After the protective covering has been removed they will then thread the cable into a new protective cover. This repair should only be performed by experts; if you attempt to repair the cable on your own you risk permanently damaging the cable of injuring yourself when you try to use the welding cable. If the cable is too damaged to repair you may need to replace it altogether.
Keep in mind that any repair you make to your welding cable using tape should be considered a temporary fix. The tape will allow you to finish the job you started but should be repaired or replaced before you begin work on your next project. Don't let your cable look like the one pictured below.
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