Patent ID: 7820943

Claim:
A welding apparatus comprising: a stick welder; an electrode operationally connected to the stick welder; and a controller disposed in the stick welder and configured to: set the stick welder to a pre-welding state upon powering-up of the stick welder, the stick welder configured to provide an open circuit voltage when in the pre-welding state; detect a short between the electrode and a workpiece; upon detection of the short between the electrode and the workpiece, set the stick welder to an arc formation state, the stick welder configured to deliver an arc formation voltage that exceeds the open circuit voltage when in the arc formation state; monitor a voltage output of the stick welder for a defined period of time that begins upon the detection of the short between the electrode and the workpiece; detect whether an arc is created between the electrode and the workpiece before expiration of the defined period of time; upon detection that the arc is not created between the electrode and the workpiece, return the stick welder to the pre-welding state and cause the stick welder to provide the open circuit voltage at a level substantially less than the arc formation voltage; and in response to detection that the arc is created between the electrode and the workpiece, reduce a current capability of the stick welder to a user-desired weld current that has a magnitude less than that present during arc formation.