[AT] Welder shocks

[John Wilson]

It sounds to me like you have an electrical service ground issue.

The thing to remember about electricity is that you have to touch two
different voltages to get shocked. If you get shocked when touching the
welder ground lead, you either need to be touching the welder hot lead or
something else that is at a different voltage than the welder ground.

My guess is that the "something else" you are touching is the soil under
your feet. It should be very close in voltage to the welder ground, but
apparently it isn't. I'd guess there is a flaw in your electrical service
somewhere or maybe just corroded grounding electrodes. Many opportunities
for grounding mistakes and failures with outbuilding service and welders
being a little different from other electrical devices.

This does have the potential to hurt you, so you probably want to look into
it sooner rather than later.