6010 VS 6011: Welding Rods Compared

A welding wire is a metallic rod which is utilized to produce a heated arc for the purpose of joining metals through the process of welding.

These wires are gas-shielded electrodes with an array of characteristic mechanical and chemical properties, arc behaviour, quality, and cost.

Wires also come in various diameters and are usually chosen on the basis of the welder being used and the material of the job.

The following sections will provide essential information on both the products.

Overview of 6010 welding rods

Image Source: Miller

The 6010 is an all-position, cellulosic electrode that has a quick-starting, steady, and deep penetrating arc. It produces x-ray quality welds in flat, horizontal, overhead, vertical-up, and vertical-down positions.

The electrode is used for fabrication, repair, maintenance welding, out-of-position x-ray welds, construction and shipbuilding, pipe welding. The electrode is also used for vertical and overhead plate welding.

The product is a DC only welding wire and is designed for maximum penetration, for instance putting the root bead on the inside of a piece of pipe. The 6010 is preferred when the job has rust, oil, paint or dirt on its surface.

The 6010 electrode has ample strength to do the job and is faster than other electrodes in its category. It also works in all positions and is suitable for pipeline work, but could prove to be a little difficult for novice users.

The wire does not produce much slag and what slag is produced can be easily removed. The all-positional characteristic of the wire makes it compatible for welding in a lot of areas.

The material of the wire is mild steel and the wire coating is of high cellulose sodium. The welder has good elongation and good strength characteristics. Another feature of the 6010 electrodes is the speed at which it burns.

This makes it ideal for welding at a stiffening angle or downhill passes.

Parameter	Details
Material	Mild Steel
Wire Coating	High cellulose sodium
Welding Current	DC+
Tensile Strength	78,000 psi
Yield Strength	60,000 psi
Elongation	22%
Position	All positions

Overview of 6011 welding rods

The 6011 is a deep penetrating mild steel electrode used for various purposes like structural, shipbuilding and repair, rail cars, piping, pressure vessel fittings, boilers, and general fabrication.

The electrode delivers a smooth arc and is very versatile in its applications due to that. The coating on the electrode is high cellulose potassium which produces a powerful, spray-type arc, resulting in a deep penetrating welding arc.

This electrode is widely used for all-position AC-type welding, users use it to weld on rusty, a contaminated or older metal which is often hard to weld. The wire is well suited for welding mild, galvanized and some low-alloy steels.

The 6010 also burn quicker which makes it convenient for welding difficult angles and thicker materials. The welder can be used on rusty and contaminated jobs, unlike other electrodes.

The 6011 wire is a fast-freeze rod, which translates to faster solidification of the weld puddle, thus resulting in a faster process.

A DC machine produces a smoother arc. DC rated electrodes will only run on a DC welding machine. Electrodes that are rated for AC welding are more forgiving and can also be used with a DC machine.

The 6011 can work on both and is very versatile in that regard and can be used by the user’s convenience. The wire has a tensile strength of 60,000 psi and yield strength of 48,000 psi.

Parameter	Details
Material	Mild Steel
Wire Coating	High cellulose potassium
Welding Current	AC, DC + or DC -
Tensile Strength	60,000 psi
Yield Strength	48,000 psi
Elongation	22%

Key Differences between 6010 VS 6011

Both the wires are mild steel, but the coating is different for both of them, the 6010 has high cellulose sodium and 6011 has a high cellulose potassium coating. The 6010 has higher tensile and yield strengths as compared to 6011.

The 6011 is compatible with AC as well as DC currents when compared to the 6010 that is just DC compatible. The quality of the weld is more or less the same in both of the rods.

	6011	6010
Material	Mild Steel	Mild Steel
Wire Coating	High cellulose potassium	High cellulose sodium
Welding Current	AC, DC + or DC -	DC +
Tensile Strength	60,000 psi	78,000 psi
Yield Strength	48,000 psi	60,000 psi
Elongation (in 2 inches)	22%	22%

Summary

The wires are fast-freeze rods great for all welding positions, and they are used primarily by pipefitters, pipelines, and boilermakers.

They also have deeper penetration than other rods in its category, and produces a flat, rippled bead and leave little slag post-process.

The 6010 and 6011 are different electrodes, however, their similarities far outweigh the differences. The 6011 electrode runs on AC and direct current electrode positive (DCEP) as well, while 6010 runs only on DCEP.

The 6010 runs more smoothly due to high penetration and smooth arc delivery. The slag is better handled after the process than 6011, and it is the primary reason the 6010 is used more often than 6011 in root passes on pipes.