How to Read Welding Rod Numbers

Every stick welding rod has a code stamped on it. E7018, E6010, E6013, they look random until you know the system. Once you do, you can pick up any rod and know its strength, positions, coating type, and polarity just from the numbers.

The Breakdown

Take E7018 as an example.

E stands for electrode. Every stick rod starts with E.

70 is the tensile strength in thousands of psi. E70XX = 70,000 psi. E60XX = 60,000 psi. This tells you how strong the finished weld will be.

1 is the position digit. 1 means all positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead). 2 means flat and horizontal only. If a rod ends in 2X, you cannot weld overhead or vertical with it.

8 is the coating and current type. This last digit (or last two digits together) tells you what kind of flux is on the rod and what polarity to run it on.

What the Last Digit Means

This is where it gets practical. The last digit of a stick rod tells you how the rod behaves:

0, cellulosic, DC only. Deep penetration, aggressive arc. That is E6010.

1, cellulosic, AC or DC. Same as 0 but runs on AC. That is E6011.

2, rutile, AC or DCEN. High slag, good gap bridging. That is E6012.

3, rutile, AC or DC either polarity. Easy arc start, smooth running, shallow penetration. That is E6013.

4, iron powder rutile, AC or DC. Faster deposition than 3. That is E7014.

8, low-hydrogen iron powder, AC or DCEP. Smooth arc, strong welds, code-quality. That is E7018.

The pattern: lower numbers (0, 1) mean deep penetration and aggressive arcs. Higher numbers (3, 4, 8) mean smoother arcs and easier operation.

MIG and Flux-Core Wire Numbers Work Differently

Wire electrodes use a different naming system. ER70S-6 breaks down like this:

ER = electrode rod (can be used as filler or electrode). 70 = 70,000 psi tensile strength. S = solid wire. 6 = chemical composition class (higher deoxidizer content).

For flux-core: E71T-11 means electrode, 70 ksi, all positions, tubular (flux-core), classification 11 (self-shielded).

The key difference: with wire, the number after the dash is a chemical composition code, not a coating/polarity indicator like stick rods.

Quick Cheat Sheet

If the first two digits are 60, the weld strength is 60,000 psi. If the first two digits are 70, the weld strength is 70,000 psi.

If the third digit is 1, you can weld all positions. If the third digit is 2, flat and horizontal only.

If the rod ends in 10 or 11, expect deep dig and rough beads. If the rod ends in 13 or 14, expect smooth easy running. If the rod ends in 18, expect code-quality low-hydrogen deposits.

Classification system defined by AWS A5.1/A5.1M, AWS A5.18/A5.18M, AWS A5.20/A5.20M.