Welding Car Damage Computer

Electric current flowing through from the welder can damage or short circuit electrical components. As the exhaust is rubber mounted and then usually bolted to engine with rusty bolts the only return path is though the oxy senor and the ECU.

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For sure grounding to one end of the car and welding on the other can cause all sorts of problems because if there is resistance between the grounded area and the spot being welded the current is going to follow any conductor between the two spots and if that conductor happens to be the wiring then the ECM could very well get smoked.

Welding car damage computer. I have repaired cars where someone grounded a welder to the frame then welded the exhaust. I saw a guy once welding a brake line lug on a rear axle housing and he had the ground clamp attached to the wheel studs dont know if it did any harm but the current had to flow though bearings the axle ringpinion etc and could have very well arced over at any point of contact causing a lot of damage. How long would it take to disconnect a battery vs how long would it take to troubleshoot diagnose and replace blown units.

With that unpleasantness out of the way it is highly likely that the voltage current applied by the welding gear has damaged the low voltage control electronics responsible for operating the alternator. Using a heavy-duty jumper pack to start your vehicle can cause a surge in power from the battery to the Electronic Control Module ECM. If the vehicle contains a high-voltage battery system check the service manual in order to shut down the hybrid system properly.

Yes you should be able to do it without hurting the computer at all. Computers terminals catching fire. Also make sure to remove any modules batteries sensors wires and other electronic components from the welding area.

Storing your vehicle in a garage can help reduce the amount of time that it is exposed to these elements. This can easily overheat the components. My thinking is the welding can create some high frequencies in the current while arc striking or if the weld machine isnt true DC plus welding voltage is much higher than 12 or 24 volts but still wonder how just disconnecting Neg.

Preheat the area around the weld to around 300 degs. Either way the flux will shield the hot weld and cracking of the flux while cooling will be your biggest concern. Surge in power from the battery causing it to become damaged.

If it is going to take multiple passes maintain an interpass temperature 250 to 300 degs and not let it cool completely before the next pass. The_storyteller Mar 15 19 at 1525. Both might pose dangers when welding on a vehicle not to the computer.

This computer is essential to your car functioning and you would not be able to drive if the ECU becomes damaged or destroyed. I disconnect batterys on any auto or farm machinery before welding. Speculation runs rife regarding whether the negative terminal of a vehicles battery should be disconnected before welding on that vehicle.

Welding and creating an electrical current through the ECU can damage the computer irreparably. Protecting the ECU is necessary if you are going to try to weld on your vehicle. This type of issue is main cause of damage due to welding Dont consider everything is ground.

Some computers in auto can cost upwards of many hundreds of and it aint no fun to replace them. If this weld is close to a delicate system such as a computer you might have problems but odds are very high that nothing bad would happen. Battery cable helps anything such as computers regulators or other electrical devices from being damaged from the welding process.

Todays computers sensors and microscopic gold wiring terminations inside processor chips will and can burn open. I have witnessed 100000000 damage to electronic components on Navy Ships in a single day of welding. Ill bet that old timer at the muffler shop will mess in his pants when that 1 in 100 chance or whatever will set off the computer system on the auto he welding on.

I have been told that TIG welding on cars that have computers can damage the computers. Better to be safe than sorry with these expensive electronic computer systems nowadays. But you said Just bought my first welder a Hobart 125 Flux Core implying that you are new AND you have a 110v machine.

Modern vehicles use a control circuit which regulates the voltage in and out of the alternator to prevent over charging. Its a risk welding on a truck especially a new one with several computers that could be affected. The biggest possible issue would be inducing a current in something else.

The on-board computers are extremely sensitive to over voltage and die rapidly maybe not damaged noticeably immediately after welding but theyre definitely the weakest electronic link and its easy to kill them stone dead or permanently damage them. TIG welding can be performed safely once these electronics are protected. I disconnect ALL computers before welding including any load sensors unfortunately you have to find them first.

The reason to do it is that it helps to prevent damage to the vehicles ECU and other electronics. The most important aspect of TIG welding on a modern car is protecting the cars ECM and digital electronics which can otherwise be damaged by the high frequency generated during the TIG welders initial voltage spike while starting an arc. Many people believe the negative terminal should be disconnected but cannot explain why it should be done.

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