Beginning of a Tig cooler

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Here is the beginning of my tig torch cooler. I picked-up a 20 series torch after I made my ac- stick welder into a air cooled tig welder. I made a rectifier to create the dc needed to tig weld ferrous metal. I scored the motor and pump off ebay, the stainless terminal box I had,I have a cooling coil out of an old dehumidifier and I will be using the fan out of it too. I will post more pictures as I make further progress..Later.. Attached Images
Reply:Here are the rest of the pictures...later.. Attached Images
Reply:Looks pretty good. what size pump is that? I have a 125 gph pump but worried it may be too much flow.TA PAK 5XRTA 185Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by 2rodsLooks pretty good. what size pump is that? I have a 125 gph pump but worried it may be too much flow.
Reply:The pump is 100 gph, and yes it has an internal regulator set to crack at 99 psi...I collected the small regulator from somewhere, I have read other posts about the by-pass line and thought about doing that instead of messing with the internal one. I'll see how it goes and if I have to change it I will. I"ll let you all know.
Reply:Your cooler looks really big by the size of that radiator, should cool plenty good.  I think by the way your pump is located, the pressure adjuster screw located behind that cap is blocked not allowing you to remove it.  Just my thoughts.  Best  Bob
Reply:You do great work.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Very nice! Does look like way overkill to me though.
Reply:I've thought about this, but when pricing all of the components, used ones look good. One of the harder to find parts was the motor with the shaft all the way through, which turns a fan also. If so, how will you be turning your fan?"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:The factory adjuster for pressure regulation is out of the loop, I didn't touch it, I added an external by-pass line with by-pass regulator.The factory regulator is set for 99 psi, I set the by-pass to dump at 55 psi.     Yes, the cooler is  big, It has 3 passes, it was free, The cooler fan is a  seperate unit out of a dehumidifier,I haven't posted pictures of it yet. I will readjust the regulator once the torch is is in the loop.I scored the pump off ebay for 40.00 including shipping, I also scored the pump motor of ebay for 45.00 with shipping...Bigger is always better, Thank you for the compliment!! I try to do nice work! Later...Last edited by Fuelhead; 04-06-2013 at 08:24 PM.
Reply:Here are some pictures of the cooler section of the torch cooler. I welded the 18ga. sheet metal with .045 wire and autogenous welding. The fan and radiator came out of dehumidifier. later... Attached Images
Reply:That thing could easily cool the water if you were putting all of the weld power directly into heating the water lolWelding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:That thing will cool like crazy. When I built mine, I thought it would be good enough, having just used a small tranny cooler. Hah. It will cool 200 amps worth of welding without breaking a sweat. That one there could probably do a dynasty 700!
Reply:Thanks, I just used stuff I could scrounge, The cooler is big but you know bigger is better, lol. The only cash out lay is the motor,pump and a few fittings..total 85.00 bucks. My machine is only 200 amps , When I upgrade this should work on whatever I buy.
Reply:I dont even run a heat exchanger and my water has never even become warm.. just a 2 gallon aluminum tank.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:It's overkill but you know how things can snowball. This whole project started when I scored a 20 series torch, I didn't have a power supply for it. I then fabbed a rectifier for my ac welder, then I purchased a 17 series air cooled torch. That works just fine, but you know I have that other smaller more flexible 20 series torch...Soooo ..here I am building this cooler. I like to make things, and to me the journey is usually better than the destination. Thanks to everyone for the  comments and compliments...Later
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverI dont even run a heat exchanger and my water has never even become warm.. just a 2 gallon aluminum tank.
Reply:Here are some new pictures, I made a small skid to mount everything . I will add some 2x2 angle at the tank end and 2x4 angle at the radiator end. I plan to add legs to support the whole thing between my welder and argon bottle. Needless to say I am making a cart to hold the whole contraption. Later.. Attached Images
Reply:I finally got my left hand thread B size water fitting. Here are a couple pictures with the torch connected, now I have to plumb in the cooler section and configure the electrical stuff. It was cool to feel the torch cool as the water flowed! Now to finish the whole contraption. I also added a flow indicator..later all... Attached Images
Reply:That is enough cooling for a small car engine!
Reply:You'll never go back to a 17 after getting used to that 20.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:The original sledgehammer to crack a walnut.....Ian.
Reply:Yeah , 'ya know..overkill, but a fun project. I just like to build things and they sometimes get away from me....Later ..
Reply:Hi, at least you made a good job of it........sometimes the making is the best part and the using is secondary.You could heat your workshop with it if you had a heat source to circulate the water through, maybe a ex propane tank wood burner with a water coil in it.......that fan will shift the air a bit.Ian.
Reply:I have a flow meter too. I don't know why Lincoln doesn't build it into the face of their machine panels. A pressure gauge is good to have, but you can get pressure with no flow. I would like to have both on the face of the machine. But here is one step better of an idea I have.You know what would be cool? If the flow meter was electric. Like a Hall effect distributor, it could indicate the amount of flow to a digital panel. And the best part would be a loud siren that would go off if the sensor did not sense FLOW. Because how many of us have been welding, lose power, flip up the hood only to find that the hose overheated and popped because there was no flow? It takes so little time to happen. A siren might save it. Hell, they could use the electric signal to shut down the output of the torch by opening the contactor.Dang, I am too smart sometimes.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brainThere is a flow meter that has an electrical output that you could use for just such a situation. Mcmaster and Carr has a listing in their catalog. It is probably called a flow transducer..Later
Reply:Here are some pics with all the parts assembled for a leak test. No leaks!! Now to finish the cart that the whole franken' tig will reside on and to try it out, hopefully the temperature rise in the tank won't be to much....later... Attached Images
Reply:It is a fine cooler.  But I want to ask one question. Is the radiator actually constructed with copper Tubing? If so you may have some eclectralytic action and need to put a sacrificial lug in the tank.  Mac
Reply:Originally Posted by Tool MakerIt is a fine cooler.  But I want to ask one question. Is the radiator actually constructed with copper Tubing? If so you may have some eclectralytic action and need to put a sacrificial lug in the tank.  Mac
Reply:Here are are some pictures of the cart for my 'Franken tig. I will add some more bracing and a terminal box to power the cooler and the cooling fan of the rectifier unit.Yeah, the shelf for the bottle is to high, I'll build some stairs to roll the bottle onto the shelf. I'll post pictures as time allows. Thanks for the feedback. Attached Images
Reply:Hi, better be careful with the fan mounted sideways the wind force could spin the unit round and round, (joking),  but if it pointed backwards you'd have the first ever self propelled water cooled welding trolley in the World....LOL......patents pending?You could call it the Model W&CT.......Ford already has the right to the T, so W&CT for what else....Welding & Cooler Trolley.BTW, I'd have mounted that unit right down at the bottom inside on the frame rails pointing backwards (cut that one round spreader bar out) to keep the CG as low as possible as I assume you are going to mount a Tig Caddy welder on top.You need to access the Tig controls at waist height more than the on/off switch for the cooler which would be better located at the bottom, also easier to fill and drain the tank when needed.....who wants a fan blowing hot air in your face.Now, with the exact science of hindsight, if you had the motor as a double ender you could have the pump one end and the fan the other, all sitting on top of the tank, making a very compact unit......perhaps a re-work?It's a bit of overkill, but what the heck, with a decent paint job, some panel work and mag wheels it'll be the envy of all the guys around......reminds me of the BBQ made to looked like a V8 engine.....life is not meant to be purely functional and artists are born not made.Ian.
Reply:I here what you 're sayin'...If you look for my posts about a rectifier for an ac arc welder converted to dc you can see what kind of machine I'm dealin' with. It isn't your normal stick machine converted to tig welder, the control for current is on the top of the machine ,not the front. If you look at the other pics you'll see what I mean.
Reply:Hi, you must be anticipating doing a lot of Tig........in small doses Tig is great, but after a while it drives you nuts.....your whole body suffers one way or another.Ian.
Reply:Originally Posted by puddytatHi, you must be anticipating doing a lot of Tig........in small doses Tig is great, but after a while it drives you nuts.....your whole body suffers one way or another.Ian.
Reply:Very cool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Maybe you can find an used electric thermostat switch, to start the fan sa needed, saving $$ and also reducing noiseBest RegardsMauricio
Reply:Originally Posted by mauricio_daniel_62Very cool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Maybe you can find an used electric thermostat switch, to start the fan sa needed, saving $$ and also reducing noiseBest Regards
Reply:Here are some pictures of the 'Franken Tig in it's intermediate stage...I have to finish the electrical hook-ups. The cooling unit had no leaks and it held an arc without stress. What a big difference between this 20 series torch and my 17 series...later all.... Attached Images
Reply:Here are the rest of the pictures.... Attached Images
Reply:More...Oh yeah...I settled on deionized water and 50% ethylene glycol as coolant..it shouldn't have that much affect on the s.s. , brass and copper. The three metals are pretty close on the galvanic scale, Of course the scale is based on salt water...It should be OK..later... Attached Images
Reply:That's a nice TIG cooler. Nice job. Now you need a Miller 330A/BP with 435A of AC power and a WP18 torch to give that cooler something to do!
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinThat's a nice TIG cooler. Nice job. Now you need a Miller 330A/BP with 435A of AC power and a WP18 torch to give that cooler something to do!
Reply:Here are some picture of my welds with the 'fraken TIG ...It was around 100 amps.. and .125"  sheet stock. The temp didn't rise more than 10  degrees in the tank.. Later.. Attached Images
Reply:Here are some more pics .... Attached Images
Reply:The 73 degree on the garage door opener is the ambient temp in the garage at the time I took the pictures...Later...