CK flex-loc water retriction

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Just got a flex-loc series 2 torch in and hooked it up to my Lincoln square wave 355 with magnum 10 cooler and with this torch hooked up the cooler surges. It has a shut off on it so when you release the foot pedal and the solenoid shuts off the pressure builds in the line to 45 psi and shuts off. So I'm guessing the torch has have a restriction somewhere and that's why its surging. I've tried taking ends apart and blowing them out and have made a real mess. Anyone run across this before? I hook my other ck rigid up and all is fine, both have the superflex hose. Thanks in advanceSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:If your cooler has enough GPM and the torch is restrictive enough, you may need to rig up an adjustable bleed valve at the water connection to the torch and have it dump back to the reservoir. May be just too much flow for the torch.
Reply:Yup probably so.  Give ya $40 for the torch.  ;-P 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:So I called CK this morning and ended up talking to the President of the company a guy named Jeff and he offered up to send a new one out to try to verify if its the torch or if it maybe that they just may not play nice together without a bleed off or something different.  Real good guy to talk to and appreciate their effort to help solve my problem.      ---- Weldfabulous has them on sale right now if ya want one Oscar.Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by roaddoggJust got a flex-loc series 2 torch in and hooked it up to my Lincoln square wave 355 with magnum 10 cooler and with this torch hooked up the cooler surges. It has a shut off on it so when you release the foot pedal and the solenoid shuts off the pressure builds in the line to 45 psi and shuts off. So I'm guessing the torch has have a restriction somewhere and that's why its surging. I've tried taking ends apart and blowing them out and have made a real mess. Anyone run across this before? I hook my other ck rigid up and all is fine, both have the superflex hose. Thanks in advanceSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:What did he say the desired torch flow is? At what pressure? I'm surprised a commercial cooler shuts off at 45 psi. That sounds really dumb in fact because the torch body can boil the water out of itself with accumulated heat if the flow stops too soon.
Reply:Originally Posted by roaddoggSo I called CK this morning and ended up talking to the President of the company a guy named Jeff and he offered up to send a new one out to try to verify if its the torch or if it maybe that they just may not play nice together without a bleed off or something different.  Real good guy to talk to and appreciate their effort to help solve my problem.      ---- Weldfabulous has them on sale right now if ya want one Oscar.Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:When I first changed to my CK torch I too was concerned by the difference in flow from my previous torch. I have an old Miller "One" with a sight glass and what was once a soda-straw stream went to a trickle with the CK. I called them and they told me it sounded normal and gave me the min specs (I forget the actual #, might have been Qt/Min) at the 65psi my Miller is set to. I disconnected the return and, despite what looked like a trickle, it Easily met that by filling a soda cup in 30 sec.
Reply:Dave1- I reread the manual and it shows 45 psi working pressure and 60-65 psi "shutdown pressure"3- The cooler has a pressure shut off switch wired in the feed "cold" line". When done with the weld the solenoid on the welder stops coolant flow, the pressure builds up in the cooler line trying to feed reaching 60-65 psi and shuts off the cooler from continuously running thru a bypass back into the tank (is how the one at work works I believe). So maybe getting rid of the solenoid in the welder could be an answer?4- I believe its getting too much restriction(pressure) and don't believe there's an adjustment for the switch but maybe I did see a spot with a sticker on it.ATG- Jeff said 1quart in 1 minute. We did not discuss pressure just flow. He asked me to unhook the return (power) hose and just run it for 30 seconds and look for a pint in the jar. With the hose off in a jar it still surged on and off assuming there should be less restriction when doing this, no change but did get to 1 pint. Did the same test just to try it with my CK 230 that doesn't have a problem with my system and it did over a pint in 20 seconds = less restriction more flow. But the flexloc did meet the standard. Thanks guys for the helpSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:http://www.tectorch.com/PDF/On-demand%20Coolers.pdf
Reply:Thanks for the link leightrepairs. I guess I thought the on demand was more of an upgrade and was figured into the engineering as the only two machines I've used with coolers are the 330 abps at work and my own and was thinking the manual describes them as an upgrade but I do see this as being a potential problem. So should I unhook the solenoid to get coolant flow all the time and also bypass the pressure switch ( which I already did today to test this)? To add to the link you sent my square wave 355 and miller 330 abps also have those solenoids, to stop coolant flow, for reference for anyone else who comes along this thread.Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:I would make it so the flow was constant, ie bypass the solenoid and either set the pressure switch higher or bypass it . You should make sure there is a relief in the circuit some where if you disable the pressure switch.Mike
Reply:Ill have to have a few beers and think about this one but probably bypass solenoid and look into changing something with the pressure switch. The welder at work has a dynaflux cooler and has a bypass on the pump when the solenoid closes.Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:The water valve on the welder should be controlled by the post flow timer. this way you can have the water run for a while after welding stops. Now, any cooler that has a procon pump should be run all the time and the water valve should be bypassed. If the flow is stopped the pump will over heat and be damaged. The safety bypass pressure valve dumps output flow back into the pump input. Coolant goes round and round and picks up heat. No chance to cool off.Only the magnum cooler with a pressure shut down switch can be used with a water valve.The water valve must be wired with the gas valve so the post flow timer will keep it running for a time. The pump in the magnum cooler is an RV pump and are designed for water only.Putting the wrong coolant in the pump will damage it. See owners manual or call Lincoln for what coolant can be used safely. Most TIG coolers are set at 60psi. Any higher pressure and the torch will leak. Just need to T in a pressure gauge to see what the cooler supply pressure o the torch is.
Reply:I do have the manual downloaded and am running an automotive coolant per manual. When I get this other torch if it does still trip the pressure switch I may put a gauge on it just to check. The solenoid on the welder is hooked into the post flow but that only runs for several seconds and sounds like I may need flow longer than that to keep the torch cool. Still on the fence with the solenoid as its home use not production. If I leave solenoid as is I greater the chance to damage torch, if I unhook it the pump runs continuous and probably shorten the life of it since the manual says its plastic parts in it. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:Gas post flow is seconds.  Water post flow should be minutes.  How do you reconcile that?
Reply:Pretty sure the gas and water are hooked together and on the same timer so they would come on and off together. That's my understanding of how the system works but if I'm wrong I'm wrongSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by roaddoggif I unhook it the pump runs continuous and probably shorten the life of it since the manual says its plastic parts in it. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:Are you offering to donate one to the cause? :-)Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:No, but I am offering moral support for you working more hours in order to get a capable water cooler.   1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Originally Posted by roaddoggPretty sure the gas and water are hooked together and on the same timer so they would come on and off together. That's my understanding of how the system works but if I'm wrong I'm wrongSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:I'm hearing what your saying and listening to you. I'm just taking in and commenting on all comments to this thread also. CK has been nice enough to sent me another torch to try and I'm waiting on it before my next step. If it doesn't fix it which it very well may not then I'll follow all your recommendations as you've got almost an identical setup and have learned the hard way already for me so I'd be dumb to not listen. Is the Shurflo pump you speak of the same as what comes in them?Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by roaddoggI'm hearing what your saying and listening to you. I'm just taking in and commenting on all comments to this thread also. CK has been nice enough to sent me another torch to try and I'm waiting on it before my next step. If it doesn't fix it which it very well may not then I'll follow all your recommendations as you've got almost an identical setup and have learned the hard way already for me so I'd be dumb to not listen. Is the Shurflo pump you speak of the same as what comes in them?Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:OK so I messed around with it a little tonight. Stopped by lws and grabbed some fittings to check pressure. First order of business was to disable water solenoid sooo I tore the side off machine and unhooked and secured the two wires coming from it then went to hook a gauge up to the inlet side to measure pressure to find out fittings were wrong so scrounged around to cobble some together then turned the power on and ...... Nothing no flow. Duh the solenoid is normally closed so taking power away did jack. Sooo I unhooked the fittings for it and took it off and disassembled it and the plunger fell out so I left it out so its open all the time. Put it back together and with the flex loc it had 50 psi woo-hoo. So I tried the other torch and it had 42-43 psi so I messed with the screw on the side of the pump and could not raise the pressure but could lower it, I only turned it a couple turns each way from factory setting. I don't know of any other way to bypass solenoid? Also I could have just ran hose to cooler but I already have cooler mounted on top of welder and line comes in the back so one line would be stretched 6' from other two lines. I think I'm good to go now but if you guys see a better way or something wrong let me know. ThanksSent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk