FCAW · Carbon steel
E71T-8
A self-shielded flux cored wire that needs no gas bottle, combining all position capability with the low temperature impact toughness structural codes ask for.
What the designation means
- E
- Electrode carrying the welding current.
- 7
- 70,000 psi minimum tensile strength of the deposit.
- 1
- All position capability.
- T
- Tubular flux cored construction.
- -8
- The usability class: a self-shielded, fast freezing flux run on direct current electrode negative, with notch toughness requirements suited to structural work.
At a glance
| Process | FCAW |
|---|---|
| Family | Carbon steel |
| Positions | All positions |
| Polarity | DCEN |
| Shielding | None required; the flux core generates its own shielding as it burns |
| Minimum tensile strength | 70 ksi |
Typical uses
- Field erection of structural steel in wind
- Bridge and building connections requiring notch toughness
- Outdoor repair welding where shielding gas would be blown away
How it runs
- Self shielding, so it tolerates wind that would ruin a gas shielded weld
- Fast freezing slag that supports vertical up and overhead beads
- Good low temperature impact toughness in the deposit
- Produces more smoke and fume than gas shielded wires, so extraction matters
Storage and handling
Keep spools in sealed packaging with desiccant; a self-shielded flux that has absorbed moisture puts hydrogen straight into the weld.
Compare with
FCAWE71T-11A general purpose gasless wire with a smooth spray-type arc, common on small machines and light fabrication where no impact toughness requirement applies.FCAWE71T-1The dominant gas shielded flux cored wire for structural work, giving high deposition with a fast freezing slag that holds the puddle for vertical up welding.FCAWE71T-GSThe gasless wire that ships with small hobby machines, made for single-pass welds on thin steel where no code requirement or multipass buildup is involved.