Reference database
Welding Electrodes & Filler Metals
This database covers 20 electrodes and filler metals across carbon steel, stainless and aluminium, with AWS classification, polarity, welding positions, mechanical properties and amperage ranges by diameter for each one.
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Carbon & Mild Steel
Electrodes and wires for carbon and mild steel — the 60 and 70 series stick rods, solid MIG wire and flux-cored wire that cover most structural and fabrication work.
E6010
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 60 ksi
E6010 is a DC-only cellulosic stick electrode with the deepest penetration of any common rod, used for open-root pipe…
E6011
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 60 ksi
E6011 is the AC-capable version of E6010 — deep penetration and a fast-freeze puddle that works on small transformer…
E6013
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 60 ksi
E6013 is the easy-starting rutile rod for thin steel and light fabrication — soft arc, shallow penetration and the…
E7014
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 70 ksi
E7014 is an iron-powder rutile rod that runs like E6013 but deposits faster and stronger — a fast-fill, all-position…
E7018
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 70 ksi
E7018 is the low-hydrogen structural rod — 70 ksi tensile, tough at -20 °F, all positions, and the default electrode…
E7024
AWS A5.1/A5.1M · SMAW · 70 ksi
E7024 is a heavy iron-powder drag rod for flat and horizontal fillets only — the fastest-depositing common stick…
ER70S-6
AWS A5.18/A5.18M · GMAW / GTAW · 70 ksi
ER70S-6 is the default solid MIG wire for carbon steel — high silicon and manganese let it weld over mill scale and…
Stainless Steel
Austenitic and martensitic stainless fillers — 308L, 309L, 316L, 347 and 410, in both covered electrode and bare wire form.
E308L
AWS A5.4/A5.4M · SMAW · 75 ksi
E308L is the standard stick electrode for welding 304 and 304L stainless, with a low 0.04% maximum carbon that…
E309L
AWS A5.4/A5.4M · SMAW · 75 ksi
E309L is the dissimilar-metal electrode — its extra chromium and nickel survive dilution when joining stainless to…
E316L
AWS A5.4/A5.4M · SMAW · 70 ksi
E316L adds 2–3% molybdenum for pitting and chloride resistance, making it the electrode for 316/316L marine, chemical…
E347
AWS A5.4/A5.4M · SMAW · 75 ksi
E347 is niobium-stabilized stainless — the niobium ties up carbon so the weld resists intergranular attack even after…
E410
AWS A5.4/A5.4M · SMAW · 75 ksi
E410 is a 12% chromium martensitic stainless electrode for matching 410 base metal and hardfacing — it air-hardens…
ER308L
AWS A5.9/A5.9M · GMAW / GTAW · 75 ksi
ER308L is the bare wire and TIG rod for 304 and 304L stainless — the same low-carbon 19Cr-10Ni chemistry as E308L…
ER309L
AWS A5.9/A5.9M · GMAW / GTAW · 75 ksi
ER309L is the bare filler for welding stainless to carbon steel — over-alloyed at 23Cr-12Ni so the joint stays…
ER316L
AWS A5.9/A5.9M · GMAW / GTAW · 70 ksi
ER316L is the molybdenum-bearing bare filler for 316 and 316L stainless — the standard TIG rod and MIG wire for…
Aluminum
Aluminium fillers — the 4043 silicon and 5356 magnesium alloys that cover almost all aluminium welding, plus the legacy covered electrode.
E4043
AWS A5.3/A5.3M · SMAW · 14 ksi
E4043 is the covered aluminum stick electrode — a legacy repair consumable for field work where no TIG or MIG machine…
ER4043
AWS A5.10/A5.10M · GMAW / GTAW · 27 ksi
ER4043 is the 5% silicon aluminum filler — fluid, crack-resistant and the default choice for welding 6061 and…
ER5356
AWS A5.10/A5.10M · GMAW / GTAW · 38 ksi
ER5356 is the 5% magnesium aluminum filler — stronger than ER4043, stiffer to feed, and the choice when the joint…
Flux-Cored
Tubular flux-cored wires, both gas-shielded and self-shielded, for high-deposition structural and outdoor welding.
E71T-1
AWS A5.20/A5.20M · FCAW-G · 70 ksi
E71T-1 is gas-shielded flux-cored wire — the high-deposition, all-position production workhorse for structural steel…
E71T-11
AWS A5.20/A5.20M · FCAW-S · 70 ksi
E71T-11 is self-shielded flux-cored wire — no gas bottle, runs DCEN, and works in wind, which makes it the standard…
Amperage quick reference
Typical ranges for the most-used diameters. The full amperage chart lists every diameter for every electrode.
| Electrode | 3/32 in | 1/8 in | 5/32 in | Polarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E6010 | 40–80 A | 70–130 A | 110–165 A | DCEP |
| E6011 | 40–85 A | 75–125 A | 110–160 A | AC, DCEP |
| E6013 | 45–90 A | 80–130 A | 105–180 A | AC, DCEP, DCEN |
| E7014 | 80–125 A | 110–160 A | 150–210 A | AC, DCEP, DCEN |
| E7018 | 70–120 A | 110–165 A | 150–220 A | DCEP, AC |
| E7024 | 100–145 A | 140–190 A | 180–250 A | AC, DCEP, DCEN |
| E308L | 40–80 A | 65–110 A | 95–150 A | DCEP, AC |
| E309L | 40–80 A | 65–110 A | 95–150 A | DCEP, AC |
| E316L | 40–80 A | 65–110 A | 95–150 A | DCEP, AC |
| E347 | 40–80 A | 65–110 A | 95–150 A | DCEP, AC |
| E410 | 40–80 A | 70–110 A | 100–150 A | DCEP, AC |
| E4043 | 40–70 A | 60–95 A | 90–130 A | DCEP |
| ER70S-6 | — | — | — | DCEP |
| ER308L | 70–130 A | 100–180 A | — | DCEP (GMAW), DCEN (GTAW) |
| ER309L | 70–130 A | 100–180 A | — | DCEP (GMAW), DCEN (GTAW) |
| ER316L | 70–130 A | 100–180 A | — | DCEP (GMAW), DCEN (GTAW) |
| ER4043 | 80–130 A | 120–190 A | — | AC (GTAW), DCEP (GMAW) |
| ER5356 | 80–130 A | 120–190 A | — | AC (GTAW), DCEP (GMAW) |
| E71T-1 | — | — | — | DCEP |
| E71T-11 | — | — | — | DCEN |
Electrode comparisons
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairings people actually have to choose between.
- E6010 vs E6011
- E6010 vs E7018
- E6011 vs E6013
- E6013 vs E7018
- E6013 vs E7014
- E7014 vs E7018
- E7018 vs E7024
- E6010 vs E6013
- E6011 vs E7018
- E7014 vs E7024
- E6010 vs E7014
- E6013 vs E7024
- E308L vs E309L
- E308L vs E316L
- E309L vs E316L
- E308L vs E347
- E316L vs E347
- E309L vs E410
- E308L vs E410
- E316L vs E410
- ER308L vs ER309L
- ER308L vs ER316L
- ER309L vs ER316L
- ER4043 vs ER5356
- E4043 vs ER4043
- ER70S-6 vs E71T-1
- ER70S-6 vs E71T-11
- E71T-1 vs E71T-11
- ER70S-6 vs E7018
- E71T-11 vs E6011
- E308L vs ER308L
- E316L vs ER316L
- E309L vs ER309L
- E7018 vs E71T-1
- E6010 vs ER70S-6