Flux Cored Arc Welding - Dual Shield Vs Self Shielding Electrodes

When it comes to flux cored arc welding there are two choices for electrode types. No matter what you are welding sooner or later you will need to understand the differences between these types of electrodes and what they do. The two types of electrodes are:

Self Shielding
Dual Shielding

Self shielding is an electrode that does exactly what the name states. It is a self shielding electrode that does not require any other form of shielding from the air around it. Flux cored arc welding self shielding electrodes are just like stick welding rods turned inside out. The electrode is a hollow tube that contains a flux inside of the center. This flux inside turns into gas when the welder starts a arc and heats it up to the needed temperature. The best way to describe this process is by comparing it to a road flare burning. Once the power inside of the flare is ignited it starts producing a steady flow of gas. This is the gas that protects the weld area from the gasses in the air that contaminate welds. Self shielding electrodes are a great choice for welding in windy conditions or for hobbyists that have a MIG welding machine and don't want to bother with maintaining a bottle of shielding gas.

Dual shielding electrodes are just like the self shielding electrodes with one main exception. They also require the use of a shielding gas while welding. The main advantage of dual shielding electrodes is that the weld is cleaner then a self shielding wire and the flux inside also have additional filler metal added to it. The dual shielding electrode provides the fastest deposit rate of all of the manual welding processes. It can produce as much as 25 pounds of weld in a single hour. The down side is that welding in conditions that have high winds may cause weld porosity from a lack of shielding gas. When it comes to dual shielding electrodes they typically require a C25 gas. This is a bottle of compressed gas that contains 25% Co2 and 75% Argon mixture. This shielding gas must be used in addition to the flux inside of the wire. This also means there is additional cost for the gas and it requires setting the gas flow rate to appropriate flow rate for the conditions the welder will work in.

Finally it just comes down to weighing the cost.vs your welding condition that will determine the type of electrode you will need.