Water cooler

[hesstx]

Hi all just got the 250lx today and just saw where it is being said you need a water cooler to run this tig? I know zip about this will I need to add one? is there a cheap way to make one? I have attempted to contact some at EL but so far notting.

Need to know so I can decide to keep it or send it back another 450 is just not in the plans

Thank
Hess

[parkour]

You don't need a water cooler to use it out of the box.. just try to stay under 150 amps or so, and don't run continuously... maybe call it a 25-30% duty cycle. It is really hard to say for sure what the torch will take, but I welded a whole welding cart of 1" square 14ga tube without water cooling and it's still working just fine.

You can make a water cooler out of an aquarium pump and a 5 gallon pail of water.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXuqjxMNdjw

You can also use the garden hose or a house faucet and a few adapter fittings to make an open loop water cooler. http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...thread.php/153

You can also use your shop air to blow air thru the water path and provide it with good air cooling. Water is obviously best.

Here is an excerpt from the manual http://www.everlastgenerators.com/do...wertiggen2.pdf on page 25 about water-cooler use.

A.2 Water Cooler Use. Any PowerTig unit
when used over 160 amps may require the ad-
dition of a water cooler and the use of a water
cooled torch. The LX and EX units both come
with a standard water cooled torch, which will
operate up to 160 amps as an air-cooled torch.
However, considerable duty cycle will be lost
when operated with air cooling only with the
water cooled torch. Operation of the torch
over 200 amps is forbidden without the use of
a water cooler. Melting and destruction of the
torch will result.

[geezer]

As parkour has said you can improvise in the mean time, a small fountain pump and a container will do you, look at getting a large stainless steel stock pot with lid for cooking as a container they are cheap and have a smart look about them, the larger the container the less you have to worry about cooling. I have the W300 and it works fine, looks smart and matches my 250EX, however if your are on a tight budget there are ways around that. Any flow is better than no flow when you have a water cooled torch. I would never run one dry, too easy to forget the amps and cook it.

[hesstx]

Cool guys thanks for the info. I will try to rig one up. Seen the carbonizes all over Ebay was thinking of going that way if needed. Have emailed Sales for the $$ on the 300 they must not want to sell me one as no one has FU?

[parkour]

If you have water in the torch, and you don't have enough flow/cooling for the amps you're running, it will eventually start vibrating in your hand. What is causing that vibration?! AH! The water is boiling! The water is BOILING! When that happens, its time to take a break.

You can use an evaporator coil from a window ac unit as the radiator.
Probably reservoir, pump, torch, radiator, reservoir.

Don't use aluminum in the system; just brass, copper, stainless, and non-metals where appropriate

[Titan winch]

Cool guys thanks for the info. I will try to rig one up. Seen the carbonizes all over Ebay was thinking of going that way if needed. Have emailed Sales for the $$ on the 300 they must not want to sell me one as no one has FU?

I know the US Office is crazy right now with most getting last minute preperations for the SEMA Show ( or perhaps there just crazy period ) . Most are leaving in the Early morning for settting up the booth.
Getting a real person on the phone may be a little awkward because i have a feeling it will just be one person answering the phone untill they get eveything sorted out.
Cheers
Duncan

[hesstx]

I have a wound cooler that is used on recent surgery wound that circulates ice water though a pad it has a to and return line wonder if I can add a radiator? it pump via what appears to be a bilge pump. Holds about 2 to 3 gal. in the medical frild they charge about 400 for them I picked it up for 5 bucks so if it would convert that would save some bucks. Are the coolers out there worth the money? I dont mind putting it out if they are needed and worth it
Thanks
Hess

[hesstx]

I know the US Office is crazy right now with most getting last minute preperations for the SEMA Show ( or perhaps there just crazy period ) . Most are leaving in the Early morning for settting up the booth.
Getting a real person on the phone may be a little awkward because i have a feeling it will just be one person answering the phone untill they get eveything sorted out.
Cheers
Duncan

Yep looks like Alex must be on his own. I called this afternoon he was on another line. left a mess to just email me with what they will take for the 300. Sad fact is my emails were sent out many days ago and repeated. It will work out, if they dont want to qoute me than that helps me make up my mind on making one so it works ether way
Thanks
Hess

[Grizzly1944]

It should work. Just grab some kind of radiator. A condensor coil from an old window style air conditioner or an automotive heater core will work just fine. I'm sure you can also scrounge up some kind of fan also. The flow is more important than the pressure. About 30 to 50 psi will work just fine. Remember heat transfer is from hot to cold and flow brings the heat out of the torch.

[Steve]

You don't NEED a water cooler....you could run a hose through it.....I do.....I have a brass connection that I got from Lowe's that allows me to attach my garden hose to my tig torch. It is a PITA to hook up but it is cheap and it works really well. I have to be near a drain to use it or just let it drip all over the floor. Not too safe for being around 220 volts! Plus in the winter, if I am welding in the garage, the darned hose gets frozen up so I have to thaw it out. Not a lot of fun.

I am planning on buying a water cooler from Everlast though.

I could build one but......it would not be 220 volts. I really like the idea of having the water cooler tied directly to the machine. I hate it when I forget to turn the water on and start welding. I notice it right away but it is annoying. The Everlast water cooler would be ON automatically when the machine is on as its power cord will plug right in the back of the welder. So the Everlast cooler is a go for that. Plus it matches the Powertig 250EX so nicely. And for the price, I think that the Everlast water cooler is a great deal.

Just my $00.02

[Grizzly1944]

I can't really speak for the other models but on my 250EX the 220V outlet for the water cooler hot all the time the welder is plugged in. Basically a computer extension cord that can be ordered from Wal-Mart for about eight bucks will plug into it. On my cooler the 220 volts goes through a computer power source that was converted into lab power supply. The pump and the fan run on 12 volts DC. Th pump is just a HF special.

You can pair that 220V back down to 120V through a Jbox using one of the power wires and the ground. Unless you feel comfortable doing that kind of stuff, don't try this at home.

As long as you are moving cool water through the torch is what counts.

[parkour]

The connector on the back of my 250ex is hot all the time as well.
This is the kind of cable you could use to plug into that connector.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200667002097

[zoama]

Could someone post a pic of the back of a 250EX please.

[Grizzly1944]

Parkour,

That's an affirmative. That's the one you're looking for.

My setup might be different than others, but I would rather mix a low DC voltage with water for the sake of safety. There are a couple of websites that show you how to convert a computer power supply to give you 12 volts.

The neat thing about the power supply is that you can switch from 120V ac to 240V ac just by flipping the switch.

[Grizzly1944]

I just snapped some pics of my semi-redneck water cooler. Since I'm not into posting pics in photobucket of youtube, Pm me and I will email them to you. I get skeptical of pure strangers and others of that ilk.

[parkour]

Here's the back of my 250EX.

The cord I linked to on eBay is identical the the one I got to connect my water cooler to the welder. I used the connector from a bad ATX supply as the power connector for the water cooler; thereby allowing me to use the power cord, unmodified.

[zoama]

Here's the back of my 250EX.

Thanks, there were no pics of the back at the Everlast store.

[hesstx]

OK what I have come up with is a EDM medi cooler that runs off 110 and has a bilge pimp that pumps to a closed loop sys. So all I need now is a radiator and fan and I should be in business

Now another question I think the touch that comes with the LX is fairly big and was wondering if the 20 would be smaller size wise and also well the WP 9 be smaller and work with the LX looking at using it on turbos on bikes
any and all input is welcomed and appreciated
Hess

[zoama]

OK what I have come up with is a EDM medi cooler that runs off 110 and has a bilge pimp that pumps to a closed loop sys. So all I need now is a radiator and fan and I should be in business

Now another question I think the touch that comes with the LX is fairly big and was wondering if the 20 would be smaller size wise and also well the WP 9 be smaller and work with the LX looking at using it on turbos on bikes
any and all input is welcomed and appreciated
Hess

The 9 and 20 are the same size and the standard in small torches. The only difference is the 20 is water cooled where the 9 is gas cooled. The 9 is good under 100 amps and the 20 is good to 250.
Here's a video from CK to explain the sizes...

[parkour]

I've only ever used the WP-18 that came with my EX, so cannot comment on size comparisons. Strictly speaking, any torch should be adaptable to be made to work with the welder.

There is a tacked thread at the top of this forum that could be of interest.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...thread.php/833