LongTeng E308-16 Stainless Steel Welding Electrode

About LongTeng E308-16

LongTeng E308-16 is a stainless steel stick electrode that the manufacturer lists to AWS A5.4 E308-16. It is the first of two stainless electrodes in the LongTeng welding materials catalogue, the other being E309-16, and it is the standard match for the common 18-8 family of austenitic stainless steels. The catalogue states its application plainly: suitable for welding the corrosion resistant stainless steel structure. Seven Star LLC supplies LongTeng welding consumables to industrial buyers in Oman and the GCC, where stainless piping, tanks, food and water equipment and process skids are everyday welding work.

This page reproduces the numbers the manufacturer prints, explains in labelled general terms what the E308-16 class is, and describes how to obtain the datasheet and a batch test certificate through us in Muscat.

Typical values listed by the manufacturer

The table shows what the LongTeng catalogue page for stainless steel welding electrodes lists for this grade. These are typical values and not a guarantee for each lot; the batch certificate is the document to rely on.

The catalogue gives tensile strength and elongation for this grade and does not print yield strength or impact energy, so none is quoted here.

Chemical composition

The reference chemistry for LongTeng E308-16, in percent, is carbon 0.038, manganese 1.35, silicon 0.68, sulphur 0.008, phosphorus 0.022, chromium 19.75, nickel 9.60, molybdenum 0.064 and copper 0.010. Chromium near 20 percent and nickel near 10 percent are the hallmark of the 308 composition. The low carbon figure of 0.038 percent helps limit carbide precipitation in the heat affected zone, although the class designation itself is not an L grade.

Reference current ranges

Stainless steel conducts heat poorly and expands more than carbon steel, so welders generally stay in the lower and middle part of these bands and avoid long arcs and heavy heat input. The ranges are lower than those of carbon steel electrodes of the same diameter, and that is deliberate.

What the E308-16 class means (general class information)

The following describes the AWS A5.4 E308-16 class in general. It is not a LongTeng guarantee. The letters E308 identify an electrode whose deposit has the 308 stainless composition, around 19 to 21 percent chromium and 9 to 11 percent nickel, and the suffix 16 identifies a lime-titania type covering with a smooth arc and a self-releasing slag, usable in all positions. The deposit solidifies as austenite with a small amount of ferrite, which resists hot cracking and gives a ductile, non-magnetic or weakly magnetic weld. The class is generally selected to weld base metals such as 304 and 302 stainless steels and similar wrought or cast grades, in service where general corrosion resistance is needed. It is not designed for sulphuric acid duty at high temperature or for environments that call for a molybdenum-bearing deposit, for which a 316 type is normally chosen.

Welding practice for stainless electrodes (general guidance)

• Use dedicated stainless brushes and grinding discs. Carbon steel contamination causes rust spots.
• Keep the electrodes dry and use them from sealed packs, with a holding oven where the packaging says so.
• Maintain a short arc and use stringer beads. Wide weaves raise heat input and distortion.
• Limit interpass temperature, and let thin sections cool between passes.
• Remove the slag completely and, where the application needs it, clean or pickle the weld surface afterwards to restore corrosion resistance.

Why buyers shortlist LongTeng E308-16

Stainless work rarely tolerates guesswork, so procurement teams normally shortlist an electrode by classification first and by supplier second. LongTeng E308-16 meets the first test on paper because the catalogue names AWS A5.4 E308-16, and it supports the second because the manufacturer prints a full chemistry for the grade, with chromium and nickel in the expected 308 range. Inspectors then check the batch certificate against the same classification. If you plan to buy LongTeng E308-16 for a regulated or code job, ask for the certificate in advance and compare its chemistry with the table above.

Where LongTeng E308-16 is used

Typical jobs include stainless pipework, water treatment and desalination equipment, food and beverage vessels, chemical tank repairs, architectural handrails, and cladding or overlay repairs where the base metal is an austenitic grade. For dissimilar joints between stainless and carbon steel, the catalogue points to the separate E309-16 grade instead, and our page on LongTeng E309-16 explains that choice. Procedure and qualification requirements for the job always take priority.

For other equipment on the same project, the Lincoln Electric Power Wave S500 and ESAB Rebel EMP 285ic pages describe welding power sources, and the Kobelco Lubricator Assembly page covers a maintenance part. Check that the machine supports DC electrode positive stick welding at the amperage you plan to use for LongTeng E308-16.

Datasheet, certificates and ordering

The manufacturer’s catalogue extract that contains LongTeng E308-16 is attached as the datasheet; it also holds the E309-16 entry because both are printed on one page. Please send diameter, quantity, destination and any certificate requirement, and Seven Star LLC will reply with a quotation. Packaging and lead time are confirmed per order. No approval is claimed on this page for this grade. If the project needs one, ask for the batch test certificate, and ask for the LongTeng E308-16 datasheet if you want to read the printed table itself.

Seven Star LLC can also help you decide whether a straight 308 deposit or a different stainless class suits a given base metal, using the catalogue data and the manufacturer certificate as the basis for that conversation.

On delivery, check that each carton shows the grade name and diameter you ordered, store it dry, and keep stainless electrodes separate from carbon steel ones so they cannot be mixed up at the bench. A mix-up between LongTeng E308-16 and a carbon steel grade is easy to prevent with clear labelling, and it avoids costly rework on corrosion-critical parts.

For stainless-to-carbon steel joints, the sibling grade LongTeng E309-16 is the catalogue option, while LongTeng E308-16 stays the choice for similar 304-type material.