Recommendations for Storage & Drying of Electrodes

Storage is an important factor which is necessary. Electrodes are prone to absorb moisture during transportation and due to improper storage conditions and handling. Moisture in electrodes leads to bad performance and defects in welds. The shelf life of an electrode can be incrased by proper storage in a dehumidified room or by maintiaining the room temperature of the storage place at 15-20 C above the ambient temperature. Any other strong condition, apart from this, requires redring of the electordes in a drying oven before use. It becomes absolutely necessary for Hydrogen controlled electrodes to be designed to produce less than 15 ml of diffusible hydrogen per 100 gm. Of weld deposit, as prescribed by ANSI / AWS A4.3-93. In order to avoid under bead cracking phenomenon in heat effected zone of the weldment, the redrying temperature for those electrodes are as per table given below, for an hour or two, prior to use