8 electrodes
Stainless Steel Welding Electrodes
Austenitic and martensitic stainless fillers — 308L, 309L, 316L, 347 and 410, in both covered electrode and bare wire form.
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Stainless Steel fillers
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…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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) |
Electrode comparisons
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairings people actually have to choose between.
- 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
- E308L vs ER308L
- E316L vs ER316L
- E309L vs ER309L
Other materials
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.
Aluminum
Aluminium fillers — the 4043 silicon and 5356 magnesium alloys that cover almost all aluminium welding, plus the legacy covered electrode.
Flux-Cored
Tubular flux-cored wires, both gas-shielded and self-shielded, for high-deposition structural and outdoor welding.