A hybrid-powered (HP) power source (HP power source) for a welding or plasma cutting system comprises: power inputs including an AC input for AC power and a battery input for battery power; an HP power converter to convert one or more of the AC power and the battery power to a weld power for welding or plasma cutting when the HP power converter is turned ON; and ON/OFF control circuitry including a user switch and which is coupled to the power inputs and the HP power converter, wherein the ON/OFF control circuitry is configured to turn ON the HP power converter upon actuation of the user switch while the HP power converter is turned OFF, wherein the ON/OFF control circuitry is configured to connect to the HP power converter whichever of the AC power and the battery power is or are present upon the actuation.

Systems and methods for a welding-type power supply to provide both a welding output voltage and a battery charging output voltage. The power supply includes a first contactor associated with a first circuit to provide the welding output voltage, and a second contactor associated with a second circuit to provide the battery charging output voltage. An auxiliary switch is operatively coupled to the second contactor, to prevent the first circuit from closing when the second contactor is closed to prevent transmission of the welding output voltage to the second circuit.

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power is disclosed. It includes an input circuit, a dc bus, an output circuit, and a control module. The input circuit receives power and provides an intermediate signal to the bus. The output circuit receives the dc bus and provides an ac welding-type output. The output circuit includes a half-bridge output inverter with at least first and second switches. The output inverter further includes an output control circuit. The output control circuit provides freewheeling paths that includes control switches, the output, antiparallel diodes. The control module has a four quadrant control module that provides control signals to the half bridge output inverter and provides modulating control signals to the first and second output control switches. The modulating signals cause the output control switches to be turned on and off multiple times to control a rate of change of output current.

A welding system includes a plurality of welding power supplies connected in parallel, and the polarity switching is performed by the respective welding power supplies. When the output current of a welding power supply is below a threshold, the welding power supply sends out a permission signal and proceeds to switch the polarity. Another welding power supply whose output current is not below the threshold performs its polarity switching upon receiving the permission signal.

A hybrid arc welding system includes a waveform generator comprising a switching type power converter. A welding torch is operatively connected to the switching type power converter to receive electrical energy and produce an electric arc for welding. The system includes an engine-generator and a rectifier connected to receive an output of the engine-generator and supply electrical energy to the switching type power converter. A battery is connected to receive an output of the rectifier and supply electrical energy to the switching type power converter. A bidirectional battery charge-discharge circuit is connected between the rectifier and the switching type power converter and comprises a first and second electronic switches. A controller is operatively connected to the bidirectional battery charge-discharge circuit to control operations of the first and second electronic switches such that the bidirectional battery charge-discharge circuit is configured to selectively conduct charging current from the rectifier to the battery and selectively conduct welding current from the battery to the switching type power converter.

Example systems to enable multiple welding-type power supplies to be concurrently set up for operation on a same workpiece include: a work lead splitter configured to couple respective work lead terminals of the multiple welding-type power supplies to a same work clamp; and a power splitter configured to couple respective input power terminals of the multiple welding-type power supplies to a same source of input power.