Why does it happen that the penetration depth is higher in Reverse Polarity Arc Welding?
Because current flows from positive to negative, welding reverse polarity (electrode +, weldment -), more heat is generated in the weldment, so penetration is increased. In straight polarity welding, more heat is generated in the electrode, which allows faster welding speeds, but with less penetration and more spatter. Certain electrodes are, however, designed to work in either straight or reverse polarity. This site; http://www.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/agcenter/… will give you a good grounding.
