New Syncro 351, and new to GTAW/TIG

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I'm consolidating machines and picked up a Syncro 351 to handle GTAW and SMAW.  It spent it's life in a small home auto restoration/customization shop.  Came with 2 Argon tanks, really nice cart, nice set of leads and long heavy gage cord, a good pile of fillers/tungsten/cups/collets/etc, and a nice Bernard water cooler.  Combined with my little MM 172 to provide the convenient day to day (where appropriate and in it's range), I think I'll be good for whatever may come.  Rarely (if ever) will I need the capacity of the 351, but it was cheaper than most of the 200 to 250 class machines I've seen (in near a year of casual looking), and I have no issues with the power, so here we are.I'm quite experienced with GMAW/MIG, and competent with SMAW/Stick, but almost no experience with GTAW/TIG, though long ago I did some gas welding and brazing, so hopefully that combination will make the TIG learning curve a bit less slow.  We'll see.One thing I noticed is that the Bernard cooler was full of what looked like chunky pond scum.  Seems to be undamaged, so disassembly, flushing, cleaning, and reassembly appears to have it in working order.  I was told about and planning to use RV antifreeze, but found some threads here that suggest making sure the selected brand does not contain Ethanol.   Of all the options, this seems the best value.It appears to have a bad torch.  HF lights, but primary won't.  Everything I've found says the primary line (water return apparently) is dead, so I ordered a Weldcraft WP-20 with 25' lines.  Should be hear next week  I have connections that can fix the board if it comes to that, we'll see.  But I'm told my chances are good (90% or better, so I'm told) that it's the CK torch that's been on it for over a decade.Another question.  With MIG I generally weld bare handed as long as position/duration/amperage allow.  But I gather I'll want at least some light "TIG gloves".  Any suggestions?  I'll be doing everything from light to heavy (rarely up to 3/4-1") steel/aluminum/stainless.I'm sure many questions will follow, and I'll update as things progress, but I guess that's it for now...
Reply:You'll want to make your power line the water FEED not return. DO NOT use rv antifreeze. Use some miller coolant or I use Toyota red.  Others will hate me for doing so.You'll get a great sun burn if you tig all day with no gloves / sleeves.Run some warm water though the system to flush the pump and lines. Then drain the tank and put in coolant.Miller Dynasty 200DXMiller Spectrum 250DMiller Millermatic 200Bunch of old blue dinosaurs....
Reply:Originally Posted by jontheturboguyYou'll want to make your power line the water FEED not return.
Reply:Yeah, explaining would be good, since I have no idea why it would be reversed.As for the sunburn (rather arc burn), yeah, I know, and I've been there.  But most of the time I don't weld for long, or at that high an amperage.  As I stated in the original post, if that's not the case, I do suit up, but with temps over 110 ambient for a significant part of the year, I do so only as needed.I also noticed some more post talking about DexCool and the like, so may go that way.  I'm not buying the Miller stuff.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonAlthough I agree with you and is what I do, you should explain why you buck the industry recommendation.
Reply:The Miller coolant is simply ethylene glycol and distiller water.  That's it.  The problem with auto antifreeze is apparently the silicates and other additives in it.  I use RV af which is propylene glycol.  Been running that way for 2 years with zero problems.  No way in hell I'm paying $30 a gallon for diluted AF.  As for the flow direction, Shovelon likes it reversed because a new torch head is much cheaper than a power cable. I totally see his point on that.  If the flow stops, it really doesn't matter what direction you're in.  $hits gonna melt.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Pretty well it. You lose flow, you'll most likely NOT notice it until the power cable starts to melt, or the torch is burning up in your hand. Especially at higher amperages.
Reply:Well, I thought I would soon have more info from my side to post, but no luck.  My torch seems to be camped out in Ontario CA.  Seems they are hell bent on holding it there as long as possible, hasn't moved since Friday.  Anyway, I think I've decided to use the GM DexCool for coolant.  Made for heat transfer, seems to have the properties needed, and I have to stock it anyway for my Duramax.And I guess I still don't see much difference in routing.  If the torch stops up, flow stops, and problems happen.  Other than a few degrees differential from passing through the torch first, doesn't seem it would matter much either way.  Still, if I don't see any difference, and people with more experience say reverse is better, perhaps I should listen.  Then again, the manufacturer should know, so... I do like that fuse idea, I'll have to look into that.  But I expect it likely costs close to or more than a replacement torch/line setup, so not sure it makes sense for a hobby machine.Anyway, just wanted to let you folks know this wasn't a drive by post.  Hopefully the torch will be in soon, then the games begin.