AWS A5.4 / ASME SFA-5.4 · Stainless stick electrode (SMAW / MMA)

E308L Stainless Steel Electrodes

E308L is an extra-low-carbon austenitic stainless steel covered electrode classified to AWS A5.4 for shielded metal arc welding of 304 and 304L grade stainless steels and other 19 % chromium, 10 % nickel materials, with carbon held to 0.04 % maximum so the weld metal resists the chromium carbide precipitation that causes intergranular corrosion in the heat-affected zone.

Austenitic stainless steel, 304 / 304L / 19Cr-10Ni
Stainless stick electrode (SMAW / MMA)
EN ISO 3581-A
4 ESAB grades

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Price on request. POFIS is an ESAB Authorized Distributor & Service Centre in Abu Dhabi — quotations include confirmed lead time and delivery terms.

The designation

What E308L means

E: A covered electrode for shielded metal arc welding (stick or MMA).
308: The weld metal composition, nominally 19–21 % chromium and 9–11 % nickel. It is formulated to match 304 and 304L parent material, deliberately slightly over-alloyed so the deposit retains a small amount of ferrite.
L: Extra low carbon — a maximum of 0.04 % against 0.08 % for plain 308. This is the single most important letter in the designation. Carbon combines with chromium at grain boundaries during welding, leaving those boundaries chromium-depleted and open to intergranular corrosion, a failure known as weld decay. Holding carbon low prevents it.
-15: A basic (lime) coating, DC electrode positive only. Tougher weld metal and better low-temperature impact values, at the cost of a harsher arc and a less attractive bead.
-16: A rutile (titania) coating usable on AC and DC. Easy to strike, smooth arc, good bead appearance, and the type most often used for positional and thin-wall pipe work.
-17: A silica-bearing rutile coating, also AC and DC. Similar handling to a -16 but with a more fluid slag that gives a flatter, smoother bead — generally the easiest of the three to run, and a common choice for fillet and horizontal work.

Reading the E308L designation, left to right.

How it behaves

E308L in practice

Why the L matters more than anything else on the label

When austenitic stainless steel is held between roughly 450 and 850 °C — which every weld does on its way to cooling — carbon migrates to the grain boundaries and locks up chromium as chromium carbide. The boundaries are then locally short of the chromium that gives stainless steel its corrosion resistance, and the material corrodes preferentially along them. This is sensitisation, or weld decay, and in a chloride-bearing environment it is quick. Limiting carbon to 0.04 % means there is not enough of it to do meaningful damage. Using plain E308 on 304L parent material undoes the reason the parent was specified as L in the first place.

Ferrite is a feature, not a contaminant

A fully austenitic weld deposit is prone to solidification hot cracking. E308L electrodes are formulated to leave a controlled few per cent of delta ferrite in the deposit, which interrupts the continuous austenite grain boundaries where a hot crack would otherwise propagate. That is why a 308-type consumable is slightly richer in chromium than the 304 parent it welds. It is also why a cryogenic application needs a special grade: ferrite is brittle at very low temperature, so the same thing that prevents cracking during welding harms toughness in service, and the two have to be balanced deliberately.

Heat input and distortion

Austenitic stainless steel has roughly half the thermal conductivity of carbon steel and about one and a half times the coefficient of expansion. Heat stays where it was put and the material moves more as it cools, so the same technique that works on carbon steel produces far more distortion here. Keep heat input and interpass temperature down, use stringer beads rather than wide weaves, and sequence the welding to balance the shrinkage rather than fighting it afterwards.

Where 308L stops being the right answer

E308L is for 304 and 304L. If the parent is 316 or 316L — the molybdenum-bearing grade used where chlorides or acids are present — the consumable must be E316L, because the molybdenum is what provides the pitting resistance and a 308L deposit has none. If stainless is being joined to carbon steel, neither is correct and the answer is E309L. And if the parent is a stabilised grade such as 321 or 347 operating hot enough to need creep resistance, a 347-type electrode is required instead.

What POFIS supplies

ESAB E308L grades

Every grade below carries the E308L classification, which is why a WPS naming E308L can be satisfied by any of them. They are not interchangeable in practice — the differences in current type, hydrogen level and impact toughness are what decide which one belongs on your job. Figures are the manufacturer's typical as-welded values.

**E308L grades supplied by POFIS** — typical as-welded properties. Blank cells are values the manufacturer does not publish for that grade, not zeros.
Grade	Classification	Current	Yield	Tensile	Elong.	Impact (lowest published)
OK 61.30 POFIS recommends	E308L-17 (AWS A5.4) E 19 9 L R 1 2	DC+, AC	430 MPa	580 MPa	45 %	49 J at −60 °C
OK 61.20	E308L-16 (AWS A5.4) E 19 9 L R 1 1	DC+, AC	430 MPa	560 MPa	45 %	48 J at −50 °C
OK 61.35	E308L-15 (AWS A5.4) E 19 9 L B 2 2	DC+	445 MPa	610 MPa	44 %	40 J at −196 °C
OK 61.35 Cryo	E308L-15 (AWS A5.4) E 19 9 L B 2 2	DC+	425 MPa	580 MPa	45 %	43 J at −196 °C

OK 61.30 E308L-17 (AWS A5.4)

The general-purpose choice: fluid slag, smooth flat bead, AC or DC, and the widest diameter range in the group at 1.6 mm to 5.0 mm. For most 304 and 304L plate and vessel fabrication.

Diameters: 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi
Type: Acid rutile coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-11

OK 61.20 E308L-16 (AWS A5.4)

Designed for thin-walled pipe, and welds in all positions including vertical down — which most stainless electrodes will not do. Supplied in 2.0 and 2.5 mm only, which is what it is for.

Diameters: 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi
Type: Acid rutile coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-9

OK 61.35 E308L-15 (AWS A5.4)

The basic-coated grade for positional pipe welding where impact requirements are real: 445 MPa yield, 100 J at room temperature and 70 J still at −120 °C. DC+ only.

Diameters: 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi
Type: Basic coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-12

OK 61.35 Cryo E308L-15 (AWS A5.4)

Purpose-built for cryogenic service, with controlled low ferrite so the deposit meets lateral expansion requirements at −196 °C, where it returns 43 J. The grade for LNG and cryogenic storage work.

Diameters: 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi, controlled low ferrite
Type: Basic coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-13

Diameters are listed from the manufacturer's deposition data. Ordering part numbers and pack sizes are confirmed with your quotation — send the grade and diameters you need to weldiv@pofis.ae.

Specifying

Which E308L grade to specify

For general plate and vessel work

OK 61.30 is the broad-coverage choice: an E308L-17 with a fluid slag and a smooth flat bead, available from 1.6 mm up to 5.0 mm, which is the widest range of the group. AC and DC capable. For most 304 and 304L fabrication this is the electrode to quote.

For thin-walled pipe and vertical-down work

OK 61.20 is an E308L-16 designed specifically for thin-wall pipe, and it welds in all positions including vertical down — which most stainless electrodes cannot do. It is supplied only in 2.0 and 2.5 mm, which reflects what it is for. On small-bore stainless pipework this is the electrode that behaves.

Where mechanical requirements are tough

OK 61.35 is the basic-coated E308L-15: 445 MPa yield, 610 MPa tensile and 100 J at room temperature, with 70 J still available at −120 °C. Basic coatings give better toughness than rutile ones, and this is the grade for positional pipe welding where the procedure sets real impact requirements rather than nominal ones. DC+ only.

For cryogenic service

OK 61.35 Cryo is the purpose-built low-temperature grade, with controlled low ferrite content so the deposit meets lateral expansion requirements at −196 °C, where it still returns 43 J. LNG and cryogenic storage work needs this grade rather than a standard 308L — ordinary ferrite content that protects against hot cracking during welding is the same ferrite that embrittles at liquid nitrogen temperature.

If you are welding 304 to carbon steel

Do not use E308L. A dissimilar joint between stainless and carbon or low-alloy steel needs the over-alloyed E309L deposit, which has enough chromium and nickel in reserve to stay austenitic after dilution with the carbon steel side. A 308L deposit diluted by carbon steel can turn martensitic and crack.

Storage & handling

Storing and handling E308L consumables

Stainless electrodes still absorb moisture

Basic-coated stainless electrodes are hygroscopic in the same way carbon steel basic electrodes are, and moisture in the coating causes porosity and can contribute to cracking. Keep them in sealed packaging until use and in a holding oven once opened. ESAB packs small-diameter high-alloy electrodes in Mini VacPac for this reason.

Keep stainless and carbon steel tools apart

Iron particles transferred from a grinding disc, a wire brush or a steel bench will rust on a stainless surface and start pitting corrosion underneath. Dedicate abrasives and brushes to stainless, keep fabrication areas separate, and pickle and passivate after welding where the service environment demands it. POFIS supplies both the dedicated stainless abrasives and the pickling and passivation chemistry.

Frequently asked

E308L — common questions

What does E308L mean?

E is a covered stick electrode; 308 is the weld metal composition, nominally 19–21 % chromium and 9–11 % nickel, matched to 304 and 304L stainless steel; and L means extra low carbon, a maximum of 0.04 %. The low carbon is what stops chromium carbides forming at the grain boundaries during welding, which would otherwise leave the weld open to intergranular corrosion.

What is the difference between E308 and E308L?

Carbon content. Plain E308 allows up to 0.08 % carbon, E308L up to 0.04 %. The low-carbon version resists sensitisation — the chromium carbide precipitation that causes intergranular corrosion in and around the weld. If the parent material is 304L, use E308L; using plain E308 defeats the purpose of specifying an L-grade parent.

What is the difference between E308L-16 and E308L-17?

The coating. A -16 is a rutile coating; a -17 is a rutile coating with added silica, which gives a more fluid slag and a flatter, smoother bead. Both run on AC and DC. A -17 is generally the easier of the two for fillet and horizontal work; a -16 is often preferred for positional and thin-wall pipe. A -15 is different again: a basic coating, DC+ only, tougher weld metal and a harsher arc.

Can E308L be used to weld 316 stainless steel?

No. 316 and 316L contain molybdenum, which is what gives them resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride and acid environments. An E308L deposit contains no molybdenum, so a 316 joint welded with 308L has a weld bead that will corrode while the parent material next to it does not. Use E316L on 316 and 316L.

What electrode welds stainless steel to carbon steel?

E309L, not E308L. A dissimilar joint dilutes the weld metal with the carbon steel side, and a 308L deposit so diluted can become martensitic and crack. E309L is deliberately over-alloyed — roughly 23 % chromium and 12 % nickel — so it stays austenitic after dilution. It is also the standard first layer when buttering carbon steel before cladding with stainless.

Do stainless steel electrodes need to be kept in an oven?

Basic-coated grades such as E308L-15 should be, for the same reason carbon steel basic electrodes are: the coating absorbs moisture, and moisture means porosity and a risk of cracking. Keep them sealed until use and in a holding oven once the packet is opened. Rutile grades are less sensitive but still keep far better dry than damp.

Who supplies E308L stainless electrodes in Abu Dhabi?

POFIS supplies the full ESAB OK stainless electrode range from Abu Dhabi across the UAE and the wider GCC, as an ESAB Authorized Distributor and Service Centre, approved ADNOC vendor and ISO 9001 certified supplier. We also supply the dedicated stainless abrasives and the pickling and passivation chemistry the finished joint needs. Email weldiv@pofis.ae.

Procurement & supply

Buying the E308L consumables through POFIS

The E308L consumables is supplied from Abu Dhabi by Perfect Oilfield & Industrial Supply LLC as an ESAB Authorized Distributor and Service Centre. The information below covers what procurement and QA/QC departments normally need before raising a purchase order.

Lead time

Stock items dispatch from Abu Dhabi within 24–48 hours. Indent items are quoted with a confirmed lead time at the time of offer.

Approved vendor status

POFIS is an approved ADNOC vendor and is listed on the approved vendor lists (AVL) of major operators and EPC contractors across the GCC. We can complete supplier registration and prequalification documentation on request.

Payment terms

Standard credit terms are available to registered corporate accounts. LPO, LC and advance payment are all accepted.

Delivery terms

Delivery across the UAE and the wider GCC. Quotations can be issued on EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP terms to suit your project.

Warranty

Full manufacturer warranty, honoured locally. As an ESAB Authorized Service Centre we carry out warranty work and repairs in Abu Dhabi rather than returning equipment abroad.

Service & spares

In-UAE service, commissioning, operator training and spare parts backing for every machine we supply.

ISO 9001 Certified
Approved ADNOC Vendor
ESAB Authorized Distributor & Service Centre

Price on request

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Send the form and the POFIS welding division replies with pricing, confirmed lead time, delivery terms and availability. Tell us who you are and what the job is, so the reply can be specific to it rather than a catalogue price list.

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