0.030 vs 0.035 Flux Core Wire- Which is better?

“030 vs 035 flux core wire” is a famous point of debate among professional welders. Choosing which flux core wire would be better for your welding operations can be a troublesome procedure, especially if you’re a beginner in the welding industry.

A flux core wire is a welding wire that is used in MIG-welders. These wires are unique in that they come with a flux coating, unlike the standard solid wire.

Flux core welding wires can be self-shielded or gas-shielded (need a shielding gas). The difference between them is the requirement of a shielding gas while welding with the gas-shielded flux core welding wires.

The numbers 030 and 035 represent the diameter of a welding rod. Thicker bolts are likely to require much longer amperage than thin sheets of metal.

Flux-cored wires are particularly useful in outdoor welding and welding in windy conditions. Let us find out the differences between .030 vs. .035 flux-cored wire and also take a look at the best flux core wire available commercially.

How do 0.030 and 0.035 flux core wires are compared?

As said earlier, the numbers .030 and .035 indicate the diameter of a welding rod. Therefore, one important parameter used for comparing the flux core wire is their usability on metal sheets of different thicknesses.

As a general rule, 030 flux core wire is useful for welding thin metal sheets, whereas 035 flux-cored wire is useful in welding thicker metals.

Power usage is another important parameter that has to be considered while comparing the 030 and 035 flux-cored wires. Electricity consumption by a flux core wire is measured in terms of amperage.

It is obvious with the simple analogy that the flux-cored wire that is used for welding thin metal will consume less electricity than that used for thicker metals.

So, the amperage is low value for 030 flux core wire and high value for 035 flux-cored wires.

A compatible welding machine is another important parameter used for comparing the 030 and 035 flux core wires. 030 flux-cored wire is compatible with all the welding machines rated for an operational voltage of 210v.

On the other hand, 035 flux core welding wire is compatible only with high-end welders that are rated for an operational voltage of 250v.

030 Flux core wire

There are a lot of options available in the commercial market when it comes to selecting a 030 flux core wire.

Different brands offer certain advancements and innovations in their 030 flux core wire models. 030 flux core wires are known for their smoothness in the welding process.

Many professional welders recommend using 030 flux core wire for welding thin and coated metals because it reduces spatter to a much minimal extent.

Best 0.30 flux core wire review:

We recommend Forney 42300 Flux core MIG welding wire. It is one of the best 030 welding wires. It is among the self-shielded wire. It is very effective in outdoor and windy conditions for welding thin metals. It is available commercially at a price tag of around $20.

Pros of 030 flux core wire-

• Makes the welding process very smooth
• Reduces spatter output to a minimal extent
• Best for welding thin metals and galvanized roofing sheets
• Economic pricing makes it easily affordable
• High deposition rates

Cons of 030 flux core wire-

• Ineffective in thick welding range
• Can not be used for welding metal sheets having a thickness of more than 16 gauge

How thick can you weld using a .030 flux core wire?

030 flux-cored welding wire has a lesser diameter of the welding rod when compared to that of 035 flux core wire. Therefore, it can only be used to weld thin sheets of metals, ideally, up to a thickness of 16 gauge. For welding metals of thickness more than 16 gauge, a 035 flux-cored wire welding machine can be used.

0.35 Flux core wire

035 flux-cored wire is a perfect choice while welding thick galvanized roofing sheets and thicker metals. 035 flux-cored wire is quite famous in the community of professional welders because of its clean welding process leading to an excellent bead appearance.

It can be used for welding metal sheets of thickness more than 16 gauge and other thinner metals.

Best 035 flux-cored wire review:

Blue Demon 308LFC-OX is a perfect choice among 035 flux-cored welding wires. It is recommended for different welding types of carbon steel because of its dynamic electrode wire. It allows the welder to act in comfortable welding positions. Its quality assurance is of high value as it is only sold after multiple passes through the checks. You have to make sure that the welding machine is tuned into compatible settings of high voltage and reduced wire speed while using it.

Pros of 035 flux-cored wire-

• The optimal choice for welding thick metals and galvanized metals.
• Thicker welding wire allows deeper penetration into the metal.
• Auto body parts can be welded easily using it.
• Works effectively in adverse weather conditions such as windy outdoor welding.
• More user-friendly than 030 flux-cored wire to weld thicker metals.
• Pricing is affordable.

Cons of 035 flux-cored wire-

• Not suitable for welding thin metal sheets
• Produces smoke and spatter while welding and burn hotter
• Requires filler metal while welding

Can you use .035 wire with .030 Tip?

A welder once experimented while welding an aluminum sheet by upsizing the contact tip of the welding wire and found that the welding process was even smoother.

Using a .035 tip with a .030 welding wire can be a good technique for certain metals such as aluminum. However, you should not try it and follow the guidelines regarding the use of 030 and 035 flux core wires.

.035 flux core wire settings

As stated above, operating the MIG welder with a .035 flux core wired requires special settings in a welding workshop. You have to operate the welder at a higher voltage as 035 flux-cored wire is compatible with a welder operated at 250V.

You also need to reduce the wire feed speed range of the MIG welding wire. An anti-spatter spray might also be required while using a 035 flux core wire for welding. You can take a look at the important settings given below:

• High operational voltage
• Reduced wire feed speed

Conclusion

Flux wire cores deliver satisfactory results compared with solid wires. Most people prefer flux-cored wire because their tanks lack a filter. In addition, the wires work perfectly in adverse conditions. Not only the flux core allows a high deposition rate, but it also produces strong and clean welds. Flux-cored wires are mainly of two different types based on the requirement of a shielding gas while welding:

1. Gas-shielded welding wire
2. Self-shielded welding wire

You can compare different types of flux core wire based on the following welding technicals:

• Amperage
• Operational voltage
• Welding metal thickness
• Compatible welding machine

Particularly among 030 vs. 035 flux core wire, 035 flux-cored wire is particularly useful while welding metal sheets of thickness more than 16 gauge. It is also useful for welding galvanized metal sheets and mild steel. 030 flux core wire is operational at a low voltage rating of 210V and has a low Amperage value. It makes the welding process smoother and reduces the production of spatter and smoke.

FAQs’

Q. What are the numbers on flux-cored wires?

A. Flux-cored wires are of different types, such as 030 and 035 flux core wires. The numbers 030 and 035 indicate the relative wire diameter of the welding rod.

Therefore, the .030 flux core wire is used to weld materials such as thin metal sheets, whereas the .035 flux core wire is used for thick welding sheets of metal. An ideal parameter is that you should use a 035 flux core wired MIG welder to weld metals of thickness more than 16 gauge and other thicker materials.

Q. Where these flux-cored wires are mostly used?

A. Flux-cored welding wires are used in various welding processes, including mild steel, alloys such as Nichrome, and galvanized metal sheets. 030 flux core wired MIG welders are useful to weld metals of lesser thickness. 035 flux core wire is useful in welding thick metal sheets with more than 16 gauge thickness.

Q. Are there any safety guides while using flux core welding wire?

A. You should always be careful while welding using a 035 flux core wire. Because it is compatible with welders operational on a high rated voltage of 250V. A 035 flux core wire also produces smoke and spatter during the welding process. Therefore, you might need an anti-spatter powder after welding. You should also use personal safety gear such as gloves, long pants, and a welding jacket to protect yourself.

Q. What are the things to look for while choosing the size of flux-cored wire?

A. You should consider the following welding parameters while choosing the size of flux-cored wire:

• The thickness of the metal sheet
• The amperage of the flux-cored wire
• Operational voltage rating of the compatible welder
• Welding conditions

If you are welding on a metal sheet of thickness more than 16 gauge, you should prefer a 035 flux core welder. Similarly, while welding a thin metal sheet, 030 flux core wire works pretty well.

Q. Should you use a flux-cored wire on a dirty or clean metal?

A. One of the main advantages of flux-cored welding wire over solid welding wire is that it can be used on dirty metal as well as clean metal. But we recommend cleaning the metal to be welded before welding to reduce the production of smoke and spatter. Also, a capable welder should be used for the purpose.