Electrode comparison

E6013 vs E7014

E7014 is E6013 with iron powder added: same easy arc, but faster deposition, medium penetration and a 70 ksi deposit instead of 60 ksi.

E6013 vs E7014 at a glance

	E6013	E7014
AWS specification	AWS A5.1/A5.1M	AWS A5.1/A5.1M
Process	Stick (SMAW)	Stick (SMAW)
Form	Covered electrode	Covered electrode
Tensile strength (min)	60 ksi	70 ksi
Yield strength (min)	48 ksi	58 ksi
Elongation (min)	17%	17%
Impact toughness	Not required by AWS A5.1 for this classification	Not required by AWS A5.1 for this classification
Polarity	AC, DCEP, DCEN	AC, DCEP, DCEN
Positions	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical, Overhead	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical, Overhead
Penetration	Shallow to medium	Medium
Deposition rate	Medium	High — roughly 30% iron powder in the coating
Coating / core	High-titania (rutile) potassium	Iron-powder titania
Slag	Heavy, self-lifting, leaves a smooth bead face	Heavy, friable, usually self-releasing
Shielding gas	None — self-shielding	None — self-shielding
Storage	Keep dry at room temperature. A sealed container or a warm cabinet is enough — no rod oven required.	Dry room-temperature storage. No oven required, but keep it sealed.
Primary use	Sheet metal and thin-wall tubing where burn-through is the risk	Production fillet welds where travel speed matters

Which should you use?

E7014 is essentially the production version of E6013. Both use a rutile coating and both run on AC or either DC polarity with a soft, easy arc. Adding roughly 30% iron powder to E7014's coating raises the deposition rate, deepens penetration from shallow to medium, and lifts the deposit from 60 to 70 ksi. The trade is that E7014 is best dragged rather than manipulated, and the heavier slag is slightly less pleasant vertical-up. On thin sheet E6013 still has the edge because its shallow penetration is the point.

Choose E6013 when

Sheet metal and material under about 1/8 in
Maximum control over a small puddle
Cosmetic beads on light fabrication

Choose E7014 when

Production fillet welds where fill rate matters
Joints needing 70 ksi weld metal
Plate from 1/8 in upward with good fit-up

Amperage compared

Diameter	E6013	E7014
1/16 in (1.6 mm)	20–45 A	—
5/64 in (2.0 mm)	25–60 A	—
3/32 in (2.4 mm)	45–90 A	80–125 A
1/8 in (3.2 mm)	80–130 A	110–160 A
5/32 in (4.0 mm)	105–180 A	150–210 A
3/16 in (4.8 mm)	150–230 A	200–275 A
7/32 in (5.6 mm)	—	260–340 A

Ranges are typical starting points. Diameters listed for only one electrode are shown as — for the other.

E6013 vs E7014 — common questions

Is E7014 just a stronger E6013?

Largely, yes — 70 ksi instead of 60 ksi, with iron powder for higher deposition and medium rather than shallow penetration. They run similarly enough that most welders switch between them without adjusting technique much.

Can E7014 be used on sheet metal?

On the heavier end of sheet, yes, but its deeper penetration and higher deposition make burn-through more likely. E6013 in a small diameter is the better choice on thin material.

Is E7014 low hydrogen?

No. Both E6013 and E7014 are rutile electrodes. For low-hydrogen requirements you need E7018, E7016 or E7028.

Full specifications

E6013

AWS A5.1/A5.1M

E6013 is the easy-starting rutile rod for thin steel and light fabrication — soft arc, shallow penetration and the best bead appearance of the 60-series.

E7014