A system comprising a welding power supply and a portable electronic device comprising remote control circuitry, wherein the welding power supply comprises: - a housing ; - power conversion circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and - local control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device , and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal, wherein the remote control circuitry comprises a radio subsystem configured to wirelessly send and receive control signals to and from the local control circuitry using a signaling protocol, characterized in that the remote control circuitry is configured to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply , and the local control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply , and that the remote control circuitry is configured to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the portable electronic device , and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to wake the welding power supply from a sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the portable electronic device , and the local control circuitry is configured to wake the welding power supply from a sleep mode upon detection of activity on the welding power supply , and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the welding power supply , wherein the portable electronic device comprises a memory medium , the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to one or more operating parameters and statuses of the welding power supply and/or data relating to a user-preferred welding process parameter for the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry for storage in the memory medium , and the remote control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium , and wherein the last used operating conditions for the welding power supply are stored in the welding power supply and/or the wireless remote control device . - a housing ; - power conversion circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and - local control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device , and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal, <EOS>