The paper is primarily concerned with the effect of the a.c. resistance welder upon the networks of the public supply authorities and the problem of securing an equitable revenue for the service rendered to the user. To that end, the electrical characteristics of the welding machine are detailed, together with some particulars of experience and consumption of energy in the metal trades, both of this country and of the United States. There is a brief reference to the d.c. capacitance-storage welder, which is of comparatively recent development, and some details of the energy used by this type of machine are given. Proposals are made for a standard specification for the use of welder manufacturers and for the more satisfactory guidance of the supply authority and the user. The possibilities of a special tariff for welder consumers are discussed. Throughout the paper references to frequency denote a 50 c/s supply.
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