FlyBoy66 Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Does anyone have experience welding on Volvo trucks? My concern is if any current does not playing nice with the truck’s electronics. I will certainly disconnect the truck’s batteries. But does anyone go to the added protection of disconnecting the engine ECU, or even the instrument cluster? I’m all about being careful, but don’t know what other ramifications or resetting is required if I start disconnecting things. Thoughts? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Welcome to the forum. This topic has been discussed multiple times and there still is no consensus. Some folks say all wires should be disconnected from battery to protect electronics and welder ground placed as close to weld as possible. The welder who built my bed didn’t disconnect anything, just put the ground close and I’ve not had a problem in the 10 years since. Quote 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy66 Posted September 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Thank you. The battery is easy enough to disconnect. I’ll do that and feel comfortable about welding then... I appreciate the feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpsinc Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 14 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said: just put the ground close The best practice even if disconnecting the batteries. Disconnecting the batteries is VERY GOOD to do. Quote Marcel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 A good clean welding ground near the weld Is best practice. What you want to avoid is an alternate ground path through a sensitive piece of equipment. There are several ground connections on our trucks but the battery itself isn’t a ground so I don’t understand the value of disconnecting from the batteries. Maybe somebody can provide a technical explanation. Having said this, I also don’t see any harm in disconnecting the battery either. Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpsinc Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 4 minutes ago, Jim & Wilma said: I also don’t see any harm in disconnecting the battery either. As a welder, this is my best practice. I dont take the chance. Hi Jim, say hello to Wilma from her "Niece" Roxanne Quote Marcel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 16 minutes ago, rpsinc said: Hi Jim, say hello to Wilma from her "Niece" Roxanne BIG smiles from Wilma. Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy66 Posted September 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2020 My understanding on disconnecting the batteries is that all the electrical equipment, while grounded to the frame, has the power through circuitry and fuses, but ends up at the power side of the battery. If you disconnect the battery, essentially, you’re breaking the circuit to the electronic equipment and thus, no harm should come to them from arrant current through the frame... but... that’s just my theory. Thank you everyone for your replies. I will disconnect the battery and keep my ground close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 I extended the frame and built the bed and tool boxes on our Volvo. I always disconnect the battery, strap the positive and negative leads together and ground as close to the work as possible. For what it is worth I haven't had a problem with the electronics. I am making some modifications now and will follow my practice. I have read the safer way is to also disconnect all of the electronics. Probably the safest way would be to remove them from the truck but that is time consuming and can cause other problems. Any time you weld on a truck there is a slight chance of a problem but if the ground is clean and close it is only a very slight chance. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 2, 2020 Report Share Posted December 2, 2020 We always ground close to weld. Actually a termination if you don't. Current taking easiest shortest route. Good ground. Seen old weak grounds not make contact also. I weld on jobs around hundred thousand dollars worth of equipment, we disconnect nothing. Just good ground close to weld. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steiny93 Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 On 12/2/2020 at 9:17 AM, GlennWest said: We always ground close to weld. Actually a termination if you don't. Current taking easiest shortest route. Good ground. Seen old weak grounds not make contact also. I weld on jobs around hundred thousand dollars worth of equipment, we disconnect nothing. Just good ground close to weld. In a past life did warranty work on heavy equipment for a large dealer (HDT's was within our scope of work as was ag and construction equipment). Welding happened daily in the shop on all sorts of equipment (cheap and expensive). Similar to GlennWest, we didn't disconnect batteries ever. We did ground well and near the weld. I personally have never witnessed welding damage; but I'm pretty sure one could sure cause it intentionally. For example weld on a frame but attach the welding ground to the power side of an ECU. All the load will be forced through the ECU which isn't going to like it. But I don't see how the device being powered or not would matter. Quote 2000 volvo 6102013 cyclone 3950 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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