2025-12-01 – Weekly Welding News : Origins of the '5P' electrode

Last week, the forum saw some engaging discussions centered around the origins and applications of welding techniques. Members shared insights into the mysterious ‘5P’, sparking a lively debate about its history and significance. New welders were particularly active, discussing strategies for building professional connections in the field. Additionally, practical advice on pre-job checks and efficient setup routines resonated with many experienced members.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Where did ‘5P’ actually come from
The origins of the ‘5P’ electrode are a hot topic, with members delving into its history and the lore surrounding its development. It’s a fascinating look at the background of a staple in many welding kits.
Read more here

Making connections as a new welder
New welders are sharing tips and experiences on breaking into the industry. It’s all about networking effectively and building a solid reputation from the start.
Read more here

Pre-job checks that save miles
A discussion on pre-job checks highlights simple routines that can save time and resources, especially for those working in remote locations.
Read more here

Night TIG class paid off fast
One member’s experience with a night TIG class shows how quickly skills can pay dividends, offering encouragement to those considering further training.
Read more here

Ten-minute weld station setup
Efficient setup techniques are being shared, showing how a quick ten-minute routine can make a big difference in daily productivity.
Read more here

Back gouge or melt-through on prints
The forum is buzzing with a technical discussion on the merits and applications of back gouging versus melt-through on different prints.
Read more here

The 30‑minute kickoff that pays off
A thread has been exploring how a well-structured 30-minute kickoff can lead to smoother project workflows and better team cohesion.
Read more here

Welding gear in the plumbing van
Members are discussing the practicality and challenges of integrating welding equipment into plumbing setups, sharing tips for mobile efficiency.
Read more here

One-page job pack for field welds
There’s a practical conversation about creating concise job packs that help welders quickly understand field project requirements.
Read more here


Looking forward to seeing more valuable contributions and shared experiences in the coming week.

And @pipehands I started stamping our one-page field packs with the actual root settings — ‘1/8 5P: 80–85A, 3/32 land, nickel gap’ — so new hands nail the keyhole on the first joint; if QC swaps in 5P+, plan on about 5A hotter…

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​​⁠‌‌​‌‌‍‌⁠​⁠​‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‌​‌‍‍⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Old-timers told me ‘5P’ was just Lincoln’s tag for their 6010 that pipe crews adopted, not an AWS code. @james_rhodes78 those stamped settings are gold; I add a quick lead-length check on site because 5P gets cranky with voltage drop — run the same whip timing on 50 ft vs 150 ft and it’ll keyhole like two different rods, like it woke up on the wrong side of the truck.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍‌‌​⁠‌‌​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‍‌‌​‍‌‌‌​​‌⁠​‍‌​‍‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‍‌​‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I run dig about 60% for 1/8 ‘5P’ on inverters; low OCV? use 6011, @pipehands.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‍‌‌‍‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠​‍‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠​‍⁠‌‌⁠​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Had it bite me last week — downhill root was bubbly until a quick 150°F preheat with a Tempilstik and feathering back 1/2" at the tie-in fixed it. On inverters I turn hot start way down and keep arc force modest; if your machine lacks a true ‘6010/cellulose’ mode, @pipehands, a 6011 strike-in for starts is a workable crutch. Minor caveat: don’t oven-dry 6010 like 7018 — just keep it clean and dry or it’ll lose that crisp drive.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌‍‍​⁠‍‌‌​​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‌⁠​​‌‍‌​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌​​⁠‍​‌‌​‌​⁠‌⁠‌​​⁠‌​‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

When 5P starts wandering from arc blow on a downhill root, I’ll move the ground 180° from the start and wrap one turn of the lead around the pipe as a quick choke — calms the keyhole without cranking dig; just watch you don’t cook the insulation. @james_rhodes78 ever try that trick?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍​⁠‍‌‌​⁠⁠​⁠​‌‌​‍​‌‌‍​‌​​⁠‌‌​‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌​⁠‍‌⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

FWIW, “5P” started as Lincoln’s Fleetweld 5P (E6010) — old-timers just called it “pipeline rod.” On finicky inverters I get steadier penetration by turning hot start down and keeping the work lead short and close; if you swap to 5P+ it runs stiffer, so add about 5 amps and tighten the whip a hair. Tiny caveat: if the arc still chatters, a machine with a 6010/cellulosic mode makes life easier.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‌​⁠​‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​⁠​⁠‌‌‌‍​⁠‌​​‍‌‌‍​‌​​⁠‌​‌‌‌⁠‍​‌‍⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌