After opening their package, the only correct way to store moisture-sensitive electrodes is to put them in a welding electrode oven. No other solution is safe enough for critical or professional work when using these rods.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
$\"Portable$
Portable welding rod oven<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
When you open a low-hydrogen rod package, you must use the rods within a specific period or store them in a rod oven to prevent moisture absorption. This way, you won’t have to rebake them. Rebaking requires heavy-duty rod ovens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The temperatures to store rods in ovens are specific:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
If the temperature is lower, the rods will not be 100% safe from absorbing moisture. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Store the rods at higher temperatures, and the flux will deteriorate. As a result, you can’t do any critical work with them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The following chart is a general example of storing temperatures for moisture-sensitive rods. Every manufacturer mentions their own precise temperatures for each rod they produce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Electrode type<\/th> Storage oven temperature<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Low-hydrogen
Exx15, Exx16, Exx18<\/td> 250\u00b0F-300\u00b0F (120\u00b0 to 150\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr>
Stainless steel EXXX-15 <\/td> 225\u00b0-260\u00b0F (105\u00b0 to 125\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr>
Cast iron
nickel rods<\/td> 215\u00b0-230\u00b0F (100\u00b0 to 110\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Storage oven temperatures for hydrogen-sensitive rods.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Weldpundit has a more in-depth article on welding rod ovens, rebaking, and temperatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n
How can you store rods that aren’t moisture-sensitive?<\/h2>\n\n\n
When storing welding rods that don’t have low-hydrogen flux, things are much simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n
Cellulosic rods<\/h3>\n\n\n
Cellulosic rods such as the E6010 and the E6011 are the easiest rods to store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is normal for cellulosic flux to have at least 4% moisture in their flux. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you store cellulosic rods in high temperatures, they will dry up. As a result, their flux will deteriorate, precisely the opposite of low hydrogen rods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the original package, cellulosic rods are stored at 40-120\u00a0\u00b0F (4-48\u00a0\u00b0C) with 50-70% humidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After opening the package, keep the rods in sealed plastic tubes. They will protect the rods enough from physical damage and keep their moisture content.<\/p>\n\n\n
Rutile rods<\/h3>\n\n\n
Rutile rods such as the E6013 and the E7014 can absorb moisture from the air if left exposed for a long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, rutile rods are not as sensitive as low-hydrogen rods. They work great, except if they are meant for critical work, which is rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the original package, rutile rods are stored at 40-120\u00b0F (4-48\u00b0C) with 50-70% humidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After opening the package, store rutile rods in rod ovens if they will weld something with demanding service conditions. The storage temperatures for rutile rods are relatively low, at 100-130\u00a0\u00b0F (38 to 55\u00a0\u00b0C). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For normal welding, store rutile rods like cellulose rods in their own sealed containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n
How to store welding rods at home?<\/h2>\n\n\n
For home welding, rod storage is not strict except if you are welding something critical, for example, a trailer. Ensure you store the rods indoors at a stable temperature, low humidity, and away from water. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the rods came in an airtight package, you can continue keeping them in it. If they came in a paper or plastic package, you can put them in rod containers or seal them in your own vacuum bags.<\/p>\n\n\n
What is a welding rod storage container?<\/h3>\n\n\n
A welding rod storage container is a simple solution for storing rods. They are affordable, and you can buy a couple of them at a local hardware store. You can also make your own electrode containers from plastic tubing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n
$\"\"$
Stick electrode storage container<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
Electrode containers are easy to make from cheap PVC tubes. You can also weld metallic containers as a home project, but they will be heavy. Ensure that they are airtight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, if you have some kind of airtight box that is big enough for the rods, you can use it as a welding container. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you place some silica bags in the container, they will hold the rods extra dry.<\/p>\n\n\n
Can you use a vacuum sealer machine to store electrodes?<\/h3>\n\n\n
You can use a vacuum sealer machine to store welding electrodes, and it is a great solution if you want to store them for an extended time in moisture-heavy environments. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n
$\"Vacuum$
Vacuum sealer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
You can put the rods in plastic or, even better, an aluminized bag and seal them with a home vacuum sealer. The sealer will absorb all the air from the bag, ensuring no moisture will affect the rods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The downside is that if these bags are accidentally struck, the rod flux will not be protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Remember that you should never store different types of rods in the same container or bag. For example, E7018 rods with E6010 rods. All of them will go bad.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
If you want to weld critical work with low-hydrogen rods, you need a proper rod oven. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you use low-hydrogen rods for non-critical welding, you can store them like rutile rods but in their separate container. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, there is no reason to buy these rods for common welding. There are efficient, cheaper, and easier-to-use rods<\/a> for home welding.<\/p>\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n
Welding rods can go bad. Correct storage and handling are essential to preserve life expectancy and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Low-hydrogen rods are very sensitive to moisture. For critical work, you must store them in rod ovens after you open the package. For non-critical work, keep them in airtight containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non moisture-sensitive rods are easy to store by keeping them away from excess moisture. With careful storage, you can preserve them for years without turning bad and with good results for home projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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