A device used in arc welding circuits to minimize irregularities in the flow of the welding current. Reactors are choke coils used in an electrical circuit for protection or for changing the power factor.
On an arc welding machine, a reactor is an inductive coil of copper wire or strap, surrounded by a laminated iron circuit provided with an air gap. The reactor slows the rate of change of the current, and stores electromagnetic energy. The first feature enables the operator to strike the metal electrode arc more easily, because the tendency of the electrode to freeze to the work is minimized. The second feature gives the arc additional stability, counteracting any influences, such as air drafts or gas formation caused by impurities in metal being welded, which tend to extinguish the shielded metal electrode arc.