YH-10-185
YH Single-Core DC Welding Machine Cable, 10–185 mm²
A Class 6 copper conductor under one thick rubber covering, sized for the current the machine puts out.
A welding secondary is a low-voltage, high-current circuit, and the cable for it is built the opposite way round from a power cable. There is no separate insulation layer under the covering, because the heat that has to escape is generated in the copper itself, and a second wall would only hold it in. What there is instead is a very fine Class 6 conductor and a single thick rubber covering that takes the sparks, the dragging and the hot metal swarf.
Class 6 stranding to IEC 60228 is what makes a welding lead behave like rope. With several hundred wires of 0.20 mm or finer, the conductor is limp in the hand and survives being coiled, dropped and dragged across a steel plate. Voltcore produces YH from 10 mm² to 185 mm² and terminates it with electrode holders, earth clamps and lug ends to the length the workshop specifies.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Single-core welding machine secondary lead |
| Conductor | Class 6 flexible plain copper, IEC 60228 |
| Cross-section range | 10 – 185 mm² |
| Covering | Rubber compound, ozone and heat resistant, 1.8–2.8 mm nominal |
| Typical operating voltage | Up to 100 V on the secondary side |
| Maximum conductor temperature | +85 °C in intermittent duty |
| Minimum installation temperature | −20 °C |
| Reference welding current | 80 A at 10 mm² up to 700 A at 185 mm² |
| Standard | GB/T 5013.6, IEC 60245-6 |
| Flame behaviour | IEC 60332-1-2 |
| Colour | Black, red, orange, yellow or blue by size |
| Supply form | Coils, drums, or cut lengths fitted with holder and clamp |
Layer-by-layer construction
Listed from the conductor outward. Read this alongside the specification table — the two together tell you whether the cable will survive its installation method.
- 1. ConductorClass 6 flexible plain copper, 322 × 0.20 mm to 1702 × 0.30 mm, to IEC 60228
- 2. SeparatorPolyester tape separator to stop the covering keying into the fine strands
- 3. CoveringSingle rubber covering, 1.8–2.8 mm nominal, ozone, heat and abrasion resistant
- 4. MarkingSheath print with GB/T 5013.6, YH, size and metre mark
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal cross-section (mm²) | Conductor structure (n×mm) | Covering thickness (mm) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. weight (kg/km) | Max. DC resistance at 20 °C (Ω/km) | Reference welding current (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 322 × 0.20 | 1.8 | 8.4 | 130 | 1.91 | 80 |
| 16 | 513 × 0.20 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 190 | 1.21 | 130 |
| 25 | 798 × 0.20 | 2.0 | 11.2 | 285 | 0.780 | 180 |
| 35 | 1121 × 0.20 | 2.0 | 12.6 | 385 | 0.554 | 240 |
| 50 | 1596 × 0.20 | 2.2 | 14.6 | 530 | 0.386 | 320 |
| 70 | 2214 × 0.20 | 2.4 | 17.0 | 730 | 0.272 | 420 |
| 95 | 2997 × 0.20 | 2.6 | 19.4 | 980 | 0.206 | 520 |
| 120 | 1702 × 0.30 | 2.6 | 21.6 | 1220 | 0.161 | 620 |
Reference figures for preliminary sizing and drum planning. Overall diameter and weight vary with strand construction and sheath thickness tolerance; certified drawings are issued with each quotation.
Engineering characteristics
- Class 6 conductor to IEC 60228, with 322 to 1702 wires, which is what gives the lead its limpness.
- A single rubber covering instead of insulation plus sheath, so copper heat escapes to the surface directly.
- 1.8–2.8 mm of covering thickness absorbs the abrasion of being dragged across a steel fabrication floor.
- Ozone-resistant compound survives the ultraviolet and the arc ozone a welding bay generates all day.
- Rated for intermittent duty at +85 °C, which matches the short high-current cycles an arc actually draws.
- Resistance tabulated per size, so the voltage available at the electrode can be calculated for a long lead.
- Supplied terminated with electrode holders, earth clamps and crimped lugs, not just as bulk cable.
Typical applications
- Manual metal arc and MIG welding machine secondary leads
- Electrode holder and earth clamp connections in fabrication shops
- Shipyard, structural steel and pipeline welding
- Mobile welding generators on site work
- Resistance welding and stud welding secondary connections
- Replacement leads for welding sets under OEM and distributor supply
Ordering options
- 10–185 mm², in black, red, orange, yellow or blue covering
- Cut to length with electrode holder, earth clamp or crimped lug ends
- Tinned copper conductor for coastal and humid workshops
- Twin-lead assemblies bundled and taped at intervals for site use
- Private-label printing and packaging for welding equipment brands
Standards manufactured to
- GB/T 5013.6
- IEC 60245-6
- IEC 60228
- IEC 60332-1-2
Manufactured to other standards on request. Send the standard number with your RFQ and we will quote against it rather than against a near-equivalent.
Price and availability for YH Single-Core DC Welding Machine Cable
Include cross-section, core count, voltage grade, route length and installation method — those five determine price more than anything else on the page.
- Engineer-reviewed before pricing
- Reference drawings issued with the quotation
- Free sample up to free sample up to 5 m
YH Single-Core DC Welding Machine Cable — frequently asked questions
How do I size a welding lead?
On the maximum output current of the machine, not on voltage. As a working guide, 25 mm² covers a 200 A set, 50 mm² a 300 A set and 70 mm² a 400 A set for a standard 10 m lead. For every 15 m you add, move up one size, because the arc voltage collapses and the welder loses penetration at the electrode.
Why is there no separate insulation layer on a welding cable?
Heat dissipation. A welding secondary runs at low voltage but hundreds of amps, and the copper itself is the heat source. A single covering over a Class 6 conductor lets that heat out; a second wall would trap it. It also means the covering is not an insulation layer in the power-cable sense, which is why a welding lead must never be used as a mains cable.
Can I use a welding cable for a battery or an inverter DC link?
Physically it works, and the Class 6 stranding handles vibration well, but check the voltage first. A welding covering is built for a secondary circuit under 100 V. For a battery bank or a DC link at several hundred volts, the correct product is a cable with a rated insulation wall to the system voltage, not a welding lead.
Do you fit the connectors, and what lengths do you supply?
Yes. Voltcore cuts to the length you specify and fits electrode holders, earth clamps, or crimped and bolted lug ends, with the terminations moulded or clamped. Standard lengths on the line are 10 m, 15 m, 20 m and 30 m assemblies; bulk supply on drums is available for distributors who terminate themselves.