Water cooler requirements

[dynasim]

What are the water cooler requirements(flow and temperature) for the 250 amp water cooled tig torches?

Thanks
Chris

[dirtyfarmer]

Chris,
When I was researching building my own TIG cooler these are the values I always found: "advised setting the pump at 50 PSI, the recommended maximum output rate for GTAW torches, and a flow rate of 1 quart per minute."
As with how much heat rejection needed, it depends on welding amps and duration. I'm using 2 gallons of "Miller" coolant (First tried pink RV fluid with a little water pump lube added, and this mix worked fine, but started to grow algae after about a month) , along with two pancake fans behind a trans cooler. My pump is an in-tank 12v fuel pump. Works for me.

[dynasim]

Thanks for the info!

Chris

[Wrenchtamer]

Man Do you have any idea how many fuel pumps I have tried to use for a tig cooler?!?! It always kills the pump. As long as I want to run it it's fine but if it sits for a week, dead. What exactly is the pump lube you mentioned? I replace high end fuel pumps alot that are still working. either they are noisy or they failed to turn on once then tap on them and they work indefinitely. also, what are you using for a power supply?

[Zoomie]

When I was researching building one I kept going back to the soda fountain pumps and motors. The problem seems/seemed to be the expense of all the guts. I finally just broke weak and ordered a PowerCool W300. I'm all about a warranty and they reportedly are pretty reliable.

[dirtyfarmer]

Man Do you have any idea how many fuel pumps I have tried to use for a tig cooler?!?! It always kills the pump. As long as I want to run it it's fine but if it sits for a week, dead. What exactly is the pump lube you mentioned? I replace high end fuel pumps alot that are still working. either they are noisy or they failed to turn on once then tap on them and they work indefinitely. also, what are you using for a power supply?

Wrench, When I first started with just the pink RV stuff, the pump body would turn black and hang on start-up, like you found. So to the 2 1/2 gal of pink stuff, I added 1/2 a bottle of "Solder Seal/Gunk" brand radiator anti-rust w/water pump lube,11oz. bottle, I found at the local hardware($1.99). With this mix, the pump stayed shiny and always started, but like I mentioned in post #2, algae started to grow on top of the liquid in the tank. After pricing the smallest bottle of algicide,$10.00, I quit the home brew and bought 2 gal of "Miller" tig coolant. This stuff already has lube, algicide, and a mix of ethelene glycol and deionized water, if I remember correctly. For the power, I originally used an old 10amp regulated D.C. adjustable power supply to see how this would work. It's nice 'cause I could control volts and amps which would vary the pressure from the pump. Now I'm running it using an old 300w ATX computer power supply after a simple modification to convert it to an 11amp 12v DC supply. It works but I can't limit the pump pressure using voltage, so right now the flow is around twice the recommended 1qt/min and the pressure, with just the hoses,torch, and cooler as restriction, runs between 30 to 50psi. I'm not sure why the pressure varies, but it does so slowly with a 45-60 sec cycle. Just Google "convert PC power supply" to see the "simple modification". By the way, the pump I'm using came from a 2004 T-Bird.
Anyhow, I went with this set-up just because I had everything on hand. The only expense was for the fluids used.

[aaxiss]

why the pressure requirement if there is a flow requirement. I mean if your Getting 1qt/min what does it matter if its at 10psi or 50?

[nanoplane]

So I'm building my own... got a procon pump from a carbonator and a matching 220V motor. I have some 20# stainless that I'm going to weld a 2 gal tank out of (more TIG welding practice Yay!). I've found some heat sink extrusion material that I'll bind to the outside of the tank and then I'll add a fan. Total invested will be about $150.
I'd like to add a 220V socket on the back of Welder to plug the cooler into... have to think about that though since I suspect it would void the warranty..

Note to aaxis: I think the 50PSI is the max pressure requirement for the pump. It's not a specification of what you will actually see, it just the spec necessary to ensure you can pump enough water through the tiny holes in the torch....

[jakeru]

I'd like to see some actual pressure and flow measurements anyone has taken for coolant being pumped through TIG torch and cables?

I wonder how much more pressure it would take to pump 1 quart per minute of coolant through 25' cables, compared to 12' cables.

1 quart / minute is not a very high flow rate. I wash my hands with several times that much flow.

[dirtyfarmer]

I'd like to see some actual pressure and flow measurements anyone has taken for coolant being pumped through TIG torch and cables?

I wonder how much more pressure it would take to pump 1 quart per minute of coolant through 25' cables, compared to 12' cables.

1 quart / minute is not a very high flow rate. I wash my hands with several times that much flow.

Jakeru, Since it's a dreary,snowy day this afternoon in Michigan, I decided to go and try to answer part of your question. Ambient temp 34deg using "Industrial Supreme, all weather protection,low conductivity Antifreeze/Coolant, recommended for Miller,WeldCraft,Bernard and others" as fluid.($20.50/gal @LWS)
Short answer: Using my adjustable power supply to control the in-tank pump's pressure, and laying the cable/hoses on the floor but the torch itself up on the table surface to simulate actual head pressure, 14 to 15psi will deliver 1qt/min, measured by dumping the return hose, after the 5/16" tubed trans cooler, into my "calibrated" 2qt pickle jar. When I ran the pump using the modified PC power supply, the flow was 1.5qt/min @20-40psi (again the slow, pressure cycling would occur). All this with 12' leads. It's all I got.

[jakeru]

Great data point, Tony - thanks! (Should come in handy if I ever should decide to go watercooled.)

[angular]

My homebrew TIG cooler moves a lot of water at 40 PSI, I'd guess 2 quarts a minute but I can't remember exactly. I would think that the type and diameter of cables (and particular model of torch) would make more differance than the length of the cables. I have only tested my DIY water cooler with the stock torch that came with the 250EX. I should be getting a CK-200 watercooled torch with 25' superflex cables on Tuesday, so I could perform a delivery rate test using that setup if you'd like.

Bradley

[dynasim]

Thank you all for your help. I am getting the 250ex, and needed to cool the torch. Your advice is just right. It sounds like I need a pump that puts out ~14 psi(33 ft) of head, at 0.25 gpm. Perfect.

Thanks again
Chris

[aaxiss]

thanks so much for all the info. Helps quite a bit with lots of questions i had. I couldn't quite get my noodle around the pressure vs flow numbers until someone mentioned the small hose/torch lines an transitions from off the floor to work height. All this is giving me some ideas and maybe avoid some mistakes.

cheers

[lowell]

Do you have any more info on you homebrew tig cooler
thanks

[Rodsmachineshop]

the water line pressure don't mean a thing its the volume of water being pumped threw the torch more water cooler torch . my pressure is like only 8 to 10 psi but water volume from my water line is a little under 2 quarts per min way over min specs . pic came out to small it say's min 1 quart per min volume for water flow. as for coolant lol i use flywheel grinding coolant and 5 gallons of distilled water . the coolant i 30 to 1 ratio mix that like 22 oz of the flywheel grinding lube it has a alga and chemicals to keep water from going rancid and pump lube . its over 2 years old and still looks like the day i put the water and coolant additive in .

[acourtjester]

Lowell
go back a few months on here and there is info about tig coolers. Also google "diy tig coolers"
Here is a good buy on Ebay for a procon pump (what most use)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROCON-PUMP-...item4603e22cf1
There are others too. These pumps have a pressure adjustment for setting to the right pressure when its all hooked up.
Mine ran about 25psi with out the torch and 50 with the torch this is due to the restrictions in the torch. If you hit it with too much you may blow the torch so start low and hook up the torch then build the pressure up. Make sure you have enough water in the reservoir (2 to 2-1/2 Gal.).

Have fun
Tom

[Rambozo]

A long time ago, I worked at a shop that switched from total loss cooling with city water to a Miller recirculating cooler. My boss came from the if a little is good, a lot is better school and decided to just use straight coolant concentrate without dilution. It was too thick to get much flow through the system and he promptly melted the power cable. So he turned up the pressure relief valve to the max. That worked for a short time until it blew off a hose at the torch, melted another power cable and made a huge mess.

You do need enough pressure to keep the flow going if the hose to the torch is hanging over something that can cause a mild kink in the line. There are also special fuse links you can install that will protect your cable if the water flow stops for any reason.