As With Any Part of The Welding Process, Knowing The Basics About E7018 Low-Hydrogen Stick Electrodes Can Be Helpful in Understanding Their Operation, Performance and Resulting Welds

For many contractors, stick welding is at the heart of their business.
Over the years, materials

used for structural applications have continued to lend themselves readily to the process, making
the use of filler metals like AWS (American Welding Society) E7018 stick electrodes a
prominent choice. These stick electrodes provide the chemical properties necessary for the
applications, along with the low hydrogen levels needed to prevent issues like cracking. They
also provide the appropriate mechanical properties for these jobs — most steel used for structural
applications (A514, for example) requires filler metals that offer 70,000 psi of tensile strength.
E7018 stick electrodes meet those specifications.
As with any part of the welding process, knowing the basics about E7018 low-hydrogen stick
electrodes can be helpful in understanding their operation, performance and resulting welds. To
help along the way, consider these details.
As with any part of the welding process, knowing the basics

about E7018 low-hydrogen stick electrodes can be helpful in
understanding their operation, performance and resulting welds.
Characteristics
As a general rule, E7018 stick electrodes are a good choice for structural steel applications due to
their smooth, stable and quiet arc, and their low spatter levels. Because these applications also
require careful attention to heat input and are typically on strict deadlines, it’s important to have
a filler metal that gives the welding operator good control over the arc and one that will
minimize the need for post-weld cleanup — any time spent reworking or cleaning welds means
less time focused on gaining productivity.
These stick electrodes also offer good penetration (typically designated as “medium
penetration”) so that welding operators, with the right technique, can typically avoid weld
defects like lack of fusion. They also offer good deposition rates, allowing welding operators to
add more weld metal into the joint in a relatively short amount of time. This characteristic is
made possible by the addition of iron powder to the coating of the stick electrode.
Other elements like manganese and silicon (both of which must be present in specific levels in
all E7018 stick electrodes) also provide distinct advantages to these products. In particular, the
elements function together as deoxidizers to help weld through certain levels of dirt, debris or
mill scale that can be commonly found on structural steel applications.
Finally, E7018 stick electrodes offer good arc starts and restarts, which help eliminate issues like
porosity at the start or end of the weld. If restriking is allowed, it’s necessary to remove the
silicon deposit that forms at the end of the stick electrode in order to initiate an arc again. Note,
however, some welding codes or WPS procedures do not permit the restriking of stick
electrodes. Always consult with the specifications for the job beforehand.
Classification and designators

As with any filler metal, E7018 stick electrodes are classified by the American Welding Society
(AWS). In their nomenclature, the “E” indicates that the product is a stick electrode; the “70”
indicates that the filler metal provides 70,000 psi of tensile strength; the “1” indicates that it can
be used in all welding positions; and the “8” refers to the low-hydrogen coating on the electrode,
as well as the medium penetration it provides and the current types it requires for operation (see
next section).
In addition to the standard AWS classification, E7018 stick electrodes can also have
supplementary designators such as H4 or H8. These designators refer to the amount of diffusible
hydrogen the stick electrode deposits in the weld. For example, H4 indicates that the product has
4 ml or less of diffusible hydrogen per 100 g of weldment. Similarly, the H8 designator indicates
that the stick electrode has 8 ml or less of diffusible hydrogen per 100 g of weldment.
Some E7018 stick electrodes will have an additional “R” designator (e.g., E7018 H4R). The “R”
indicates that the product has undergone specific testing and the filler metal manufacturer has
deemed it to be moisture-resistant. Specifically, to obtain this designation, the product must be
able to resist moisture (within a given range) after being exposed to 80 degree Fahrenheit
temperature and 80 percent relative humidity for nine hours.
The addition of a “-1” on an E7018 stick electrode (e.g., E7018-1) means that the product offers
additional impact values to resist cracking at lower temperatures. Products classified as such
offer impact values of 20 ft-lb at -50 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a standard E7018 stick
electrode that provides impact values of 20 ft-lb at -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Operation
E7018 stick electrodes are designed to operate with either a power source that provides either an
AC or a
DC (electrode positive-EP or electrode negative-
EN) current.
During AC welding, the additional arc stabilizers

and/or iron powder found in these filler metals’
coating make it possible to maintain a stable arc
even when the power source cycles through the
alternating currents (at up to 120 times per
second). The welds created with an E7018 stick
electrode may not be quite as smooth, however,
because of the continuous changes in the direction
of the current.
Conversely, welding with a DCEP current can
make it easier to control the arc and gain a more
appealing weld bead because the direction of the
current flow is constant.
To gain the best results, it is always important to

follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for
operating parameters for the given E7018 stick E7018 electrodes provide the chemical
electrode diameter. Approximations for these properties necessary for many structural
parameters are as follows: applications, along with the low hydrogen
levels needed to prevent issues like cracking.
• 3/32 inch – 80 to 100 amps
• 1/8 inch – 90 to 150 amps
• 5/32 inch –110 to 230 amps
• 3/16 inch – 150 to 300 amps
• 7/32 inch – 220 to 350 amps
• 1/4 inch – 270 to 380 amps
Techniques
Proper technique is always important during welding and using an E7018 stick electrode is no
exception. For an E7018 stick electrode maintain a good leading angle and “drag” the stick
electrode along the weld joint. A 3 to 5 degree angle is ideal for vertical up welding, and
employing a slight weaving technique works well in this position, too. In the flat and horizontal
positions, maintain a tight arc length, ideally, keeping the stick electrode almost on top of the
weld puddle. Doing so helps minimize the opportunity for porosity.
A good rule of thumb is to maintain a weld bead width approximately two and a half times the
diameter of the core wire inside the stick electrode for flat and horizontal welding applications.
For vertical up welding, try to create a weld bead width around two and a half to three times the
size of the core wire. Wider weld beads than these recommendations increase the potential for
slag inclusions, which compromise the integrity of a structural weld.
Packaging, storage, handling and reconditioning

Because of the low-hydrogen designation of E7018 stick electrodes, these products typically ship
from the filler manufacturer in a hermetically sealed package. To protect from moisture damage,
it is important to keep that package intact until the products are ready for use. It is also important
to keep the stick electrodes in a dry storage area.
Once opened, welding operators should handle the stick electrodes with clean, dry gloves to
prevent dirt and debris from adhering to the products’ coating and to eliminate the opportunity
for moisture pickup from the sweat or oils on their hands. These products also need to be held in
an oven at the temperatures recommended by the filler metal manufacturer after being opened.
In some cases, certain job codes may dictate how long a stick electrode package can remain open
on a jobsite and how often the product can be reconditioned in a holding oven — frequent
reconditioning can degrade the outer coating and minimize the product’s shelf life. Always
consult with the specifications and codes for the requirements on each job.

As With Any Part of The Welding Process, Knowing The Basics About E7018 Low-Hydrogen Stick Electrodes Can Be Helpful in Understanding Their Operation, Performance and Resulting Welds

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As With Any Part of The Welding Process, Knowing The Basics About E7018 Low-Hydrogen Stick Electrodes Can Be Helpful in Understanding Their Operation, Performance and Resulting Welds

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For many contractors, stick welding is at the heart of their business.

Over the years, materials

As with any part of the welding process, knowing the basics

Classification and designators

During AC welding, the additional arc stabilizers

To gain the best results, it is always important to

Packaging, storage, handling and reconditioning

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