The Basics On Underwater Welding
Summary
TLDRThis video features a commercial diver demonstrating underwater welding at the Ocean Corp in Houston, Texas. It explores the realities of the profession, debunking myths about high earnings and emphasizing the diverse tasks divers perform, such as construction and repairs, in addition to welding. The video discusses different techniques, equipment, and the learning curve between top-side and underwater welding. It also touches on diver career paths, including the progression from tender to diver and eventually saturation diver, with insights into pay scales, challenges, and life as a professional diver.
Takeaways
- đ Underwater welding is part of commercial diving, where divers are trained to perform various tasks, not just welding.
- đš A standby diver is always required during underwater operations for safety and assistance in case of emergencies.
- đ§ Commercial divers engage in multiple tasks like construction, repair, and welding, often in difficult underwater conditions.
- ⥠Only DC current is used for underwater stick welding, and welders need to adjust to the cooling effect of water, relying on feel more than visibility.
- đ ïž The type and amount of welding work varies depending on location, with more repair work in inland diving versus offshore diving.
- đ Certifications for underwater welding focus on specific positions and tasks, like 2F and 4F for fillet welds, which are common in underwater work.
- đž The pay for underwater welders and commercial divers is not as high as some myths suggest, with starting salaries around $50,000, increasing with experience and specializations like saturation diving.
- đ Progression from a tender to a lead tender and eventually to a diver depends on personal work ethic and experience, typically taking 1 to 3 years.
- đ Saturation diving involves deep-sea work at extreme depths, where divers live in pressurized chambers and work in shifts for extended periods.
- đ The career span of a diver can be long if they stay healthy, with many divers continuing into their 40s and beyond, contrary to myths of short career lifespans.
Q & A
What is the role of the standby diver in underwater welding?
-The standby diver is responsible for assisting the primary diver if communication is lost or if the diver encounters any trouble. The standby diver gets dressed quickly and checks on the diver, then escorts them out of the water if necessary.
How do welding students perceive underwater welding, and what do they learn in reality?
-Many welding students come in thinking they'll only be doing underwater welding, but they quickly learn they are being trained as commercial divers. Underwater welding is just one aspect of the job, which also includes construction and repair work.
What type of welding is used underwater, and why is DC current preferred?
-Stick welding is used underwater, and only DC (Direct Current) is preferred. DC is used because it ensures the electrode tip heats up properly in water, which cools the weld quickly, and it prevents dangerous electrical risks associated with AC current.
What are the differences between Broco and Moo brand electrodes used in underwater welding?
-Broco electrodes are industry-standard and dipped in wax, which helps with starting the weld. Moo electrodes have a baked flux coating that makes them easier to start and stop, and they run hotter, which is beneficial underwater.
Are certifications needed for different welding positions underwater?
-Yes, certifications are needed for different welding positions. At the school, students can get certifications like 2F or 4F, which cover most of the types of welding required underwater, such as fillet welding for repairs.
What is Hyperbaric welding, and why is it less common in the Gulf of Mexico?
-Hyperbaric welding involves creating a dry environment using a habitat where water is blown out to perform welds. Itâs less common in the Gulf of Mexico because it's expensive, requires more work, and divers need special training.
How much can an underwater welder expect to make early in their career?
-New underwater welders can expect to make around $50,000 per year. As they gain more experience, especially with certifications in mixed gas and saturation diving, their salary can increase to six figures, though $300,000 per year is unrealistic for most.
What is the career progression for commercial divers after graduating from school?
-Graduates start as a diver tender, assisting divers and managing their gear. With experience, they can become a lead tender, and eventually, after 1-3 years, they can become a full diver. Progression depends on the diver's work ethic and availability.
What is the lifespan of a commercial diver's career, and are there age limits?
-Thereâs no specific age limit for commercial divers. Many divers work into their 40s or 50s, and their career length depends on their health and desire. Some move into more stable roles after making money, while others remain active divers for decades.
What challenges do divers face when welding underwater compared to welding topside?
-Underwater welding is much harder due to poor visibility, faster cooling of the weld puddle, and the need to rely on feel rather than sight. These conditions make it very different from welding topside, requiring a shift in mindset and technique.
Outlines
đ€ż Introduction to Underwater Welding at Ocean Corp
The video begins with the host introducing the underwater welding task at the Ocean Corp facility in Houston, Texas. She explains the importance of having a standby diver for safety, who is responsible for assisting in case of emergencies. The standby diver in this scenario is also the camera operator. The host discusses how many welders come to the course expecting to weld underwater, only to learn that commercial divers do various tasks, not just welding, as diving serves as transportation to work sites for underwater construction.
đ§ Stick Welding and Techniques for Underwater Welding
The second part dives into the specifics of underwater welding. Only DC current is used, and divers use stick welding techniques. The challenges of underwater welding include difficulty seeing due to bubbles and the cooling effect of water on the welding tip. The host explains the feel-based welding approach necessary underwater. She introduces two types of electrodes, Broco and Moo, and discusses their differences in wax coating and ease of use. Welding certification procedures are also covered, with details on the specific positions welders can practice for, like 2F and 4F.
đŠ Wet Welding, Hyperbaric Welding, and the Cost Factor
This paragraph covers the distinction between wet welding, where the diver is fully submerged while welding, and Hyperbaric Welding, where the water is displaced from a habitat, creating a dry environment for welding. Hyperbaric Welding is rare and expensive, especially in regions like the Gulf of Mexico. Most underwater welding is wet welding, where divers use exothermic rods to cut through materials such as barnacles and metals. The paragraph also details the difficulties of night diving, as visibility becomes a significant challenge.
đ° The Financial Realities of Underwater Welding
This segment debunks the myths about how much money underwater welders make, addressing misconceptions that welders earn $300,000 a year. Starting salaries for divers depend on whether they work inland or offshore. Inland divers handle projects like bridges, dams, and sewage treatment plants, while offshore divers work on oil and gas platforms. Graduates usually start as a 'tender,' assisting more experienced divers. With experience, divers progress to higher-paying positions, but new divers arenât immediately assigned to deep or complex dives.
đ Career Progression and Diver Roles
This paragraph explores the career progression of a commercial diver. After school, divers start as tenders, working their way up to lead tenders and then divers. The time it takes to become a full diver varies based on individual effort and willingness to take on extended jobs. It usually takes one to three years to make diver status. The deeper and more complex the dive, the higher the pay, especially for mixed-gas divers who work in depths of up to 300 feet. Career advancement depends heavily on persistence and work ethic.
đ Saturation Diving: Life at Depth
This part introduces saturation diving, a specialized form of deep-sea diving. Saturation divers work at depths of 300 to 1,000 feet and live in pressurized chambers for extended periods, typically around 30 days. These chambers are designed to simulate the pressure at the work depth, allowing divers to live at that pressure. The divers are lowered in a bell, where they work in shifts. Although the working conditions are extreme, the pay for saturation diving is higher, with potential for six-figure salaries after gaining experience.
âł The Demands and Rewards of Saturation Diving
Saturation divers live in confined chambers for days, working in pairs in shifts that last about 3 hours per dive. The host explains how the chamber is pressurized to match the depth and that the divers are picked up and lowered into the water in a bell. While these dives can be challenging, the work is rewarding for those willing to make sacrifices. The financial benefits increase significantly with experience, especially for divers who choose to continue in this line of work over several years.
đ Career Longevity and Personal Sacrifices
The final paragraph discusses the longevity and lifestyle of commercial divers. Although there are myths about short career spans and health risks, many divers continue working for decades, building financial stability through their careers. However, the job demands long periods away from home, causing divers to miss important family events. Divers often use their earnings to secure a stable life outside of work, sometimes retiring early after a successful career. The host, a third-generation diver, dispels misconceptions about career limits, emphasizing the importance of staying healthy to sustain long-term diving careers.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄUnderwater Welding
đĄCommercial Diver
đĄStandby Diver
đĄDC Current
đĄElectrode
đĄHyperbaric Welding
đĄTender
đĄSaturation Diving
đĄExothermic Rod
đĄMixed Gas Diving
Highlights
The standby diver is essential for safety, always present during underwater operations to assist if any issues arise.
Underwater welders are trained primarily as commercial divers, not just specialized welders.
The main task for underwater welders is not welding alone but includes a range of construction-related tasks.
Underwater welding primarily uses stick welding with DC current for optimal performance in water.
The welding rods are coated in wax or baked flux to ensure ease of use and prevent malfunction underwater.
Hyperbaric welding, a dry welding technique, is rarely used due to high costs and complexity.
Wet welding is more common and involves divers welding directly in water, managing environmental factors like cooling and visibility.
Divers must adjust their approach and rely on tactile feedback when welding underwater, as visibility can be very limited.
The process for cutting underwater uses exothermic rods that can heat up to 10,000 degrees, allowing cutting through various materials.
Night diving adds an additional challenge as visibility drops significantly, making underwater tasks even harder.
The myth that underwater welders can earn $300,000 annually is debunked; most start at around $50,000 with potential growth depending on experience.
There are two main career paths for underwater welders: inland diving (rivers, dams) and offshore diving (oil platforms, gas pipelines).
New divers usually start as tenders, supporting experienced divers with equipment, and gradually work their way up to become lead divers.
Divers can advance from surface-applied air diving to mixed-gas diving, and eventually to saturation diving, which allows working at depths of 1,000 feet.
Saturation divers work for around 30 days at a time, living in a pressurized chamber and performing deep-sea tasks in highly challenging conditions.
Transcripts
[Music]
hey everyone da Bush gutter here with
weld.com today I'm going to be doing
some underwater welding here at the
ocean Corp in Houston Texas
so I'm going to have a standby diver
with me today um that's the other
gentleman that's going to be in the tank
with me while I'm diving anytime we have
a uh diver in the water we always have a
standby diver so if we lose
Communications diver gets any kind of
trouble our standby diver gets dressed
as quick as we can gets down to the
diver checks him out then escorts him
back out the water today we're in a
shallow tank so we're going to have our
standby diver uh is also going to be our
camera guy so he's going to be down
there keeping an eye on her while she's
there uh doing some video stuffff and
also being her assistant so if she needs
help with anything uh she can radio up
to us and we can radio to the standby
diver and help her out being a welder
myself how many welders do you have like
come and take this course and think
they're going to be an underwater welder
and like how often are you actually
welding underwater so we get um quite a
few students who went to welding school
and they go I want to be an underwater
welder and then they get here and day
one we let them know that you're here to
be a commercial diver not just weld
underwater if you're a diver you put
your diving hat on your helmet you get
down and get that's your transportation
to the work site and you weld you burn
you do your construction or whatever
come up and so it's just transportation
to get you to the work site you're a
construction worker you just happen to
be working underwater as far as the
amount of welding um varies quite a bit
so if you're offshore in the Gulf of
Mexico not a lot of welding uh maybe
some anod you might be doing some repair
work closer in Inland diving uh you
could be doing quite a bit so it just
kind of depends on what air you like to
do and what you're good at
[Music]
good so for the underwater welding
you're going only use uh stick welding
and we'll only use DC
current so we tell everybody we only use
DC current underwater we use uh electrod
negative Y and so we want that tip
getting really hot because the water
cools really fast uh when you start
welding uh you have to turn off your
welder brain and turn on your diver
brain and a lot of it goes by feel uh
because you have the puddle cools real
fast and you have bubbles coming up so
it's kind of hard to see the puddle but
you feel the rod kind of melting down
you want to do just a straight drag then
it's pretty much about controlling your
speed and your angle right so we got two
Brands here broco which is kind of an
industry standard uh basically it's a uh
60 series electrode and we've got it
dipped in wax so you can see the wax at
the end so whenever uh the diver gets
ready to start we'll break that off
scrape it down otherwise it's not going
to light uh then we have a moo brand
this is a new brand we've been testing
uh it doesn't have wax coating but the
way they bake the flux on keeps it nice
and tight uh these electrodes actually
are pretty easy to start and stop and uh
they run pretty hot when it comes to
underwater welding is there like a major
coupon that you could do that would be
good for all the positions or do you
have to specifically get each
certification for the different
positions right so here at the school uh
for top side we have everybody start off
and they can get a one 2 3 or 4 F cuz
most of your stuff underwater is going
to be fill it well you're going to have
a lap joint you have repairs that kind
of stuff so we have them do that and
then in the water you can get a 2f or a
4f here and so we kind of got a in
between not the easiest and then a
little bit more harder kind of thing to
get for your welding you have to get
aert for each position that you're going
to be welding
[Music]
in it's not going to be a lot of
critical welds you're really not going
to be doing any pipe welding if you do
then you have to resort to Hyperbaric
Welding which is you have a habitat
basically over whatever you're welding
on they blow all the water out you got
fans for getting rid of the smoke your
diver comes down gets into the habitat
uh takes his hat off puts his welding
hood on and welds in the dry everything
is done take everything out reverse the
process pretty much in the Gulf of
Mexico they don't do a lot of Hyperbaric
welding because it's expensive yeah
way more expensive and a lot more work
and you have to have your divers
specially trained most of your stuff is
going to be wet Welding which is
basically your diver jumping in the
water in the surroundings and Welding
right
there uh like I said you got your nuts
and bolts construction your underwater
burning so we use an exothermic Rod it's
hooked to a welding machine so you're
down there and you're ready to cut
something up make it hot just like
you're welding they turn it on hit your
trigger oxygen goes through it lights
these things heat up to about 10,000 de
and they can cut through your Barnacles
iron sharks
whatever all right so right now I'm
getting ready to go do a night dive see
how it is at night
well I just wrapped up my night dive I
will say getting in and out of the water
was very cold but once I made it inside
I was warm it's definitely a lot harder
than the day because I could not see a
dang thing so trying to figure out where
my electrode was in The Joint was very
hard um but I like the challenge and it
was a lot of fun now probably one of the
biggest questions is how much money you
actually do make I know there's lots of
myths out there of actually how much
money you can make I've seen a lot of
stuff out there in social media and um
you know I'm going to be an underwater
welder now I'm going to make 300,000 a
year and I laugh and I tell the students
if it paid 300,000 a year I would either
be on my sailboat in the keys or I'd be
underwater welding yeah so doesn't quite
pay that much so the way it works is um
when you come to our school and you
graduate you can go two different
directions one you can do inland which
is Rivers dams Bridges water treatment
plants sewage treatment plants Nuclear
So for Inland when you get out of school
you're basically considered a diver okay
if you want to be a I got deep sea diver
a gulf diver where you're diving on the
oil platforms gas platforms and
pipelines uh when you go out you start
out as called a diver tnder so you're
kind of the lowest level person uh
you're holding the diver's hose you're
tending the diver's gear running
equipment setting up rigging running the
decompression chamber uh from Tinder you
make lead tender and I tell everyone the
world starts to turn so your respect
level goes up your pay goes up some and
responsibility goes up so now you're
over the crew much more dive rotation
doesn't mean you won't Dive Right out of
school uh but the reason is they're not
going to just let you get out of school
say hey we need to go jump you in 200 ft
of water and put this complex stuff
together in zero visibility because you
don't have the experience yep it's kind
of like any job you got to work your way
up like on average how long is that time
period that at least you would recommend
being a tender to get all that
experience before you move up to lead
tender right a lot of this is what's
really neat that I liked about the
diving is it's dependent on you how
aggressive are you um this industry will
weed you out if you're lazy how long
does it take from the time I graduate
school to make diver everybody wants to
know one to three years what is that
based on you so the way it works is
let's say we graduate the same time we
go to work at the same company and they
go hey we have a six- week job really
long job great we go out and after three
weeks I go hey I miss my girlfriend or
my buddies or whatever I'm going in and
you stay out well you just made 3 weeks
more money and 3 weeks more experience
so my whole thing is push push push work
work work make diver you know that's the
whole thing make diver and then you can
kind of relax a little bit get in the
club and then yeah it's worth the the
sacrifice and the push to get you know
to that
level so once you make diver then you
can start doing deeper stuff so you can
go from surface apped air you go to mix
gas and that's going to be 165 or so
depending on the company um down to
about 300 ft and so you're breathing
helium oxygen mixture the deeper you go
the less time you have to work okay and
so the deeper you go they're expected to
produce more that's why we start out 20
ft of water you have all day to work 250
ft of water not a lot of time okay uh
after about five years or so you've got
some deeper mixed gas more complex Dives
you have the option of becoming a
saturation diver the difference is
you're going 3 to 1,000 ft and it's
technically if you want to speak one di
because what happens is typically it's
in the US it's going to be six divers
get in a chamber and it's basically
going to be about 9 ft wide 20s
something feet long it's got a transfer
lock which is typically where your
shower and your toilet is and then your
bell attaches to that the whole system
is pressurized so if you're diving a 500
ft it's pressurized 500 ft so you're
basically living at depth so you look
out out the window people are walking
around you sound like Donald Duck in
there when it's time to dive you and
your bell partner getting the Bell you
have all your gear your hats your wet
suits you take your lunch get in there
close the hatch the crane picks up the
Bell lowers it down and you can see over
here we got our Bell and our one diver
gets out and he works for usually around
three hours okay and then gets in next
diver gets out and works 3 hours gets
back in close the hatch pulls it back up
it mates back up those two divers get
out next two divers get in and keep
everything going now how long can you
stay in one of those chambers typically
it's going to be a three-hour dive and
then a three-hour dive so uh us 8 Hour
Excursion total from uh seal to seal get
the Bell down coming back up a
saturation job so to speak will last
about 30 days on
average how much can you make 50,000 a
year doesn't seem like a whole lot start
out um but again 7 and 1/2 months worth
of school no college degree once you
make diver you know starts going up you
know 75 plus once you start getting your
mix gas and everything especially your
sat diving you know six figures right
but are you going to be in the two
300,000 range if you go start your own
diving company maybe but yeah and I've
Got Friends who've done that
on average like the lifespan of a diver
I know that's a big I mean there's a lot
of myths out there of oh you you know
eight years and on that you know day one
after those eight years you're dead
total myth misunderstandings of that uh
what happens is you have a lot of divers
they go into diving in their 20s their
30s their 40s they make a bunch of money
you know they pay off their house their
condo sailboats and Cadillac and gold
Rolexes which is what divers tend to do
and then they go okay I want to have a
more stable Family Life uh because when
you're out you tend to miss birthdays
and kiddos first steps and Christmas and
holidays and stuff like that I'm
actually a third generation diver my dad
and Grandpa were divers um 25 years 26
years uh as active divers um so there's
real no age limit
to stay healthy right good
all right so I just got done underwater
welding and burning it kind of sounds
like I pass my 2f 4f I might be a little
shy on that one getting my certification
definitely a lot harder than it looks I
give credit to those that weld
underwater definitely not the same thing
welding top side versus bottom side um
that was probably my biggest Hiccup and
learning curve was I was thinking of
everything I had to know to weld top
side and and it's completely different
when it comes to bottom side I hope you
guys learned something from this video
if you have any questions drop it down
in the comments I hope you enjoyed this
video and if you're not learning
something new every day you're not
living have a good one
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)