Can you weld 304 stainless with 309 wire?
One of the most common questions among welders or welding engineers is whether we can weld 304 stainless steel with 309 wire rod. For me, to answer this question, it’s essential that you understand both materials and their properties.
Firstly, 304 stainless steel is an austenitic stainless steel alloy that contains chromium and nickel, making it highly resistant to corrosion and able to withstand high temperatures compare to carbon steel.
On the other hand, 309 wire is a filler metal used for welding dissimilar metals such as stainless steel to mild or low-alloy steel. It has a higher content of chromium and nickel than 304 stainless steel, which compensate nickel and chromium in the dissimilar weld made between SS and CS materials.
In term of weldability, you can use 309 wire rods to weld 304 stainless steel.
While it may seem logical to you that using 309 wires would be advantageous when welding 304 stainless steel due to its higher nickel and chromium content, there are some factors that need your consideration before you make a final decision, such as:
- 309 wire rod is costlier than 308 filler wire. So you will spend more money for same welding.
- 309 wire is best for welding stainless steel (SS304, SS316) to carbon steel or low alloy steel.
- The hardness of weld will be more with 309 wire compared to 308 weld (308 wire is the recommended welding wire for 304 welding).
Remember, that before the invention of 308 wire, 309 type wires are commonly used for welding 304 stainless steel alloys.
