Welding P5A-P5A GTAW/SMAW High Humidity

[rmillercwi]

Need some help here guys. Working down in the Dominican Republic watching a pipe spool replacement. 10" sch 160 P22 joint. Pressure above 2000 and temperature probably close to the calculated maxiumum allowable for the material. Welding performed by locals without a whole lot of experience welding anything other than cs.

Tig root, smaw fill, electical resistance pre-heating, stress, RT.....were doing it by the book. My concern here is with the extremely high humidy effecting the dryness of the electrodes. Its like 90% humidiy when it isnt raining with no change coming for at least several days.

Is this a concern? Using Linclon H4 rods with mill certs from hermicily sealed containers, rod ovens....

I am almost temped to use tig for the whole joint but thats going to take forever.

Advisement appreciated

 

[metengr]

Is this a concern? Using Linclon H4 rods with mill certs from hermicily sealed containers, rod ovens....

Sounds like all bases are covered with using H4 electrodes and rod ovens. Unless you have RT rejects, continue on.

 

[stanweld]

Advise issuing rod to welders in heated rod caddies. Make sure that they are plugged in.

 

[vesselfab]

no more rods than they can burn in an hour or so

and long extension chords so no excuse why the caddy is not warm.

 

[unclesyd]

One of the biggest problems I've seen with welders pulling a hand full of rods and sticking them in their hip pocket.

We make sure each welder has an individual rod carrier either plastic or leather.

 

[ApC2Kp]

rmillercwi,

You could get a weld joint finished quicker with two welders on the joint. It reduces heat exhaustion from the pre-heat 350 deg F.(or as called for in WPS)

There was one construction superintendent that called it, "brother-in-law" welding.