Arc welder and method providing use-enhancing features

A stator for an arc welder, such stator having main power windings and including:

• a laminated core;
• a first group of slots radially spaced around the core;
• and
• a second group of slots radially spaced around the core, each slot of the second group being interposed between pairs of slots comprising the first group;
• and wherein:
• each of the slots of both groups has a slot width;
• the width of the slots comprising the second group is less than the width of the slots comprising the first group;
• and
• the power windings are lodged entirely in the slots comprising the first group of slots.

An arc welder having a cooling apparatus including:

• an air duct;
• a fan mounted for rotation with respect to the duct;
• and wherein the fan includes:
• a fan body;
• a first set of blades projecting from the fan body in a first direction;
• and
• a second set of blades projecting from the fan body in a second direction.

A method for electronically controlling engine speed in an engine-driven arc welder having a rated maximum current, the engine having an idle speed, an intermediate speed higher than the idle speed and an elevated speed higher than the intermediate speed, the welder including a welder controller with a microprocessor having a current-selecting device coupled thereto, the method including:

• manipulating the device to select a weld current no greater than the rated maximum current;
• manually contacting a work piece with a rigid welding rod connected through a rod holder to the welder;
• accelerating the engine to the elevated speed;
• determining the weld current which has been selected;
• and
• decelerating the engine to the intermediate speed.

A method for electronically controlling engine speed in an engine-driven arc welder having a rated maximum current, the engine having an idle speed, an intermediate speed higher than the idle speed and an elevated speed higher than the intermediate speed, the welder including a welder controller with a microprocessor having a current-selecting device coupled thereto, the method including:

• manipulating the device to select a weld current no greater than the rated maximum current;
• manually contacting a work piece with a rigid welding rod connected through a rod holder to the welder;
• accelerating the engine to the elevated speed;
• determining the weld current which has been selected;
• and
• maintaining the engine at the elevated speed only if the weld current selected is greater than 50% of the rated maximum current.