Terrence Booker, Power & duty-cycle writer
I write the guides about the numbers printed on the side of the box: amperage, duty cycle, input voltage and how thick a plate a machine claims to handle. Those are the figures people buy on, and they are the ones listings stretch the most.
Take duty cycle. "60% duty cycle" means nothing until you know at what amperage, and it's often stated at a low setting while the headline amps sit far higher. So I go to the spec table in the manual, match each figure to its amperage and input voltage, and note where the listing and the manual disagree. Dual-voltage machines get the same treatment: the 200 amps usually need the 240V plug, and the 120V number is the one most garages will live with.
I also cover the welder and plasma cutter combos, where cut-thickness claims deserve the same slow reading. Is it a clean cut or a severance cut, and does the listing say which?
I read spec tables, manuals and a lot of owner reviews about tripped breakers and long extension cords. Carla edits my guides and sends back anything I can't trace to a source.
Areas of expertise
- Duty cycle at its rated amperage
- 120V vs 240V input and breakers
- Amperage vs plate thickness claims
- Welder and plasma cutter combos
- Plugs and extension cords
How I work
- I match every duty-cycle figure to the amperage and input voltage it's stated at, using the spec table in the manual.
- Where the listing and the manual disagree, I quote both and say which one the guide relies on.
- For plasma combos I note whether a cut-thickness figure is a clean cut or a severance cut, whenever the maker says so.
- I read owner reviews for breaker trips, plug types and extension-cord trouble, because that is where input problems show up.
Articles by Terrence Booker
Written
Buying and ownershipWelder duty cycle explained: percent and amperage
Understand what a duty-cycle percentage means, why its amperage basis matters and how to use our planner without treating it as a thermal guarantee.
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Buying and ownership110V vs 220V welders: what listings actually state
Dual-voltage wording explained: what a listing can tell you about input, what only a manual and a qualified electrician can confirm.
Read the guide
Buying and ownershipWelder and plasma cutter combos: what to check
Cutting-thickness claims, compressed-air requirements, included torches and duty cycle are the columns that separate combo listings.
Read the guide
Buying and ownershipReading welder amperage and thickness claims
Maximum output, current range, single-pass thickness and multi-pass thickness are different statements; learn to keep them separate.
Read the guideEdited
Buying and ownershipHow to choose a multiprocess welder: start with the joints
A practical checklist for process modes, amperage, input voltage, duty cycle and included leads before you compare exact multiprocess listings.
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Buying and ownershipMIG vs TIG vs stick welding: which process fits?
MIG vs TIG vs stick welding compared: how each process works, metals, thickness, outdoor use and learning curve, from Miller guides and ANSI Z49.1.
Read the guideHow we score and rank the welders is laid out on How we rate. The rest of the team is on Our editors.