Welding circuits including superposition elements that charge and discharge to assist with re-establishing a welding arc between an electrode and a workpiece after the arc is extinguished when a welding output current polarity changes are described.

A power source applies an AC voltage between a welding torch and a workpiece. The power source includes an inverter circuit to switch between a positive polarity and an opposite polarity, a restriking circuit to apply a restriking voltage to an output of the inverter circuit when the positive polarity is switched to the opposite polarity, and a control circuit to control the restriking circuit. The restriking circuit includes a restriking capacitor to be charged with the restriking voltage, a charging circuit to charge the restriking capacitor with the restriking voltage, and a discharging circuit to discharge the restriking voltage in the restriking capacitor. The control circuit causes the charging circuit to start charging at a time of the opposite polarity, and to end charging after the opposite polarity is switched to the positive polarity.

A method and apparatus provides welding-type power and preferably includes a removable battery or other energy storage device, a converter connected to the battery, and a controller. The controller may have a CV and/or a CSC and/or an AC weld control module, and/or an ac auxiliary control module. The converter is a boost converter, a buck converter, a cuk converter, a forward converter, an inverter, a bridge converter, and/or a resonant converter. The controller may include a battery charging control module, and may have one or more charging schedules, and/or data for stored charge, thermal information, expected life of the battery, maximum amp-hour charge for the battery, maximum charging current and/or feedback. The battery charging schedules may include at least 3 phases, such as a phase of increasing voltage and a phase of decreasing current, a substantially constant power phase. The controller can wirelessly provide data to a display or pda. A generator may provide power to the battery, charger, and/or the weld. It can include a vehicle and use its dc power system.

The invention described herein generally pertains to a system and method for a welding device and, in particular, a hybrid welding device, that leverages a renewable energy source for a source of electrical current. The welding device can include one or more renewable energy kits that harvest renewable energy sources for performing a welding operation or a powering at least one of a device or component external to the welding device. The welding device includes renewable energy component that collects an input to convert to an electrical current that can be used as a replacement current, a supplemental current, or a complimentary current.

A power source for an implement used to perform a welding or cutting operation, the power source including an engine component including a generator and a rectifier electrically connected to the generator and adapted to convert alternating current provided by the generator to a direct current, the engine component being switchable between an on condition and an off condition; at least one battery, wherein the engine component and at least one battery are electrically connected to a chopper bus; and a controller in communication with the generator, chopper bus, operation chopper, and the charging switch; an auxiliary power converter including at least one of a DC to AC and a DC to DC converter, the auxiliary power converter being electrically connected to the operation chopper and the at least one battery.

An ignition device for welding equipment includes a capacitor, a transformer, a high voltage output circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer, a discharging switch enabling discharge of the capacitor to a primary winding of the transformer, a charger and an operation control circuit that controls the charger and the discharging switch.

A method and apparatus provides welding-type power and preferably includes a removable battery or other energy storage device, a converter connected to the battery, and a controller. The controller may have a CV and/or a CSC and/or an AC weld control module, and/or an ac auxiliary control module. The converter is a boost converter, a buck converter, a cuk converter, a forward converter, an inverter, a bridge converter, and/or a resonant converter. The controller may include a battery charging control module, and may have one or more charging schedules, and/or data for stored charge, thermal information, expected life of the battery, maximum amp-hour charge for the battery, maximum charging current and/or feedback. The battery charging schedules may include at least 3 phases, such as a phase of increasing voltage and a phase of decreasing current, a substantially constant power phase. The controller can wirelessly provide data to a display or pda. A generator may provide power to the battery, charger, and/or the weld. It can include a vehicle and use its dc power system.

The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source that includes a power source housing and an engine arranged in the power source housing to supply electrical power. An energy storage device is included that is in rechargeable association with the internal combustion engine and arranged to provide welding-type power for at least a given period.

Hybrid welding modules are disclosed. An example hybrid welding module includes a welding input switch, an energy storage input switch, an energy storage output switching circuit, and a control circuit. The welding input switch receives welding-type input power and selectively outputs the welding-type input power to a weld circuit as first welding-type output power. The energy storage input switch receives the welding-type input power and selectively conducts the welding-type input power to an energy storage device. The energy storage output switching circuit converts energy output by the energy storage device to second welding-type power and outputs the second welding-type power to the weld circuit. The control circuit enables charging of the energy storage device by controlling the energy storage input switch to output the welding-type input power to the energy storage device, selectively controls the welding input switch to output the welding-type input power to the weld circuit, determines a commanded total welding-type current, monitors a first welding-type current through the welding input switch, monitors a second welding-type current output by the energy storage output switching circuit, and controls the energy storage output switching circuit to output the second welding-type power for combination with the first welding-type output power based on the commanded total welding-type current, the first welding-type current, and the second welding-type current.

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power derives motive power from a variable speed engine and driving a variable frequency generator with the motive power to provide a generator output. The generator output is preregulated to provide an intermediate signal, and the preregulating is controlled at least in response to feedback indicative of the welding-type output power. Welding-type output power is derived from the bus, and controlled at least in response to the welding feedback. Auxiliary output power is also derived from the bus, and controlled at least in response to feedback indicative of the auxiliary output power. The speed of the engine is controlled at least in response to one of the auxiliary feedback and the welding feedback. Energy produced by the engine that is not used as an output is stored by batteries. When the output exceeds the energy generated, the difference is supplied by the batteries.