{"id":2438,"date":"2019-09-10T14:40:18","date_gmt":"2019-09-10T12:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.fronius.com\/welding\/?p=2438"},"modified":"2026-02-24T13:16:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T12:16:36","slug":"underwater-welding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.fronius.com\/welding\/en\/know-how\/underwater-welding\/","title":{"rendered":"Underwater Welding: Weightless Welding Under Probably the Toughest Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The deep underwater world of our planet can be as alien as outer space. Bridges, oil platforms, and other structures reach into and over these areas requiring skilled workers to build and maintain them. Above the surface, welding, cutting, and assembling these structures requires only the training and skill to do the job. Performing those same jobs underwater requires an entirely new set of skills, understanding, and equipment. Welcome to the world of commercial diving, and more specifically, underwater welding.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Often referred to as one of the most dangerous jobs on earth, underwater welding faces challenges from the environment, the tools, and even from the welding process itself. What makes a good underwater welder? \u201cGrit,\u201d says fifteen-year veteran diver Kirk Hooker. \u201cGrit and patience.\u201d A taste for adventure might lead someone to become a welder-diver, but patience and tenacity will help them succeed. Hooker began welding about twenty years ago. He became a certified commercial diver to take his love of welding underwater. In the past few years he designed and built a patent-pending mobile dive tank to teach others about underwater welding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wet- vs Dry-welding?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Underwater welding comes in two forms. Wet welding, our focus here, and hyperbaric or dry welding. Hyperbaric welding is done underwater, but a dry habitat protects the weld. This can be small, just encompassing the weld area, or large enough to hold a team of welders. Underwater dry welding has its own challenges including high costs. The biggest benefit over wet welding is that it mimics surface welding, allowing for the use of multiple processes that can provide a stronger weld. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Challenges of Underwater Welding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wet welding uses shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and specially coated electrodes. As any welder knows, a solid weld requires keeping a keen eye on the arc and weld puddle. Visibility is the biggest challenge of wet welding. Murky water, lack of light, and floating particulates are just the beginning. Inside the helmet the view is limited, as with a regular welding hood, but welder-divers need to keep track of their environment more than surface welders do. Air bubbles from exhalation and those created by the welding process are constantly obscuring the view. If the diver can get a good position where bubbles aren\u2019t in their face, seeing the arc is still difficult because the water is constantly quenching the weld puddle. Keeping a close arc gap is important, and there isn\u2019t a lot of puddle to watch. Maintaining a fluid weld is difficult and creating attractive welds underwater is significantly more challenging than above the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n