Question about homemade water cooler for TIG

[blueoval557]

Hey all,
Finally got it all buttoned up and working. I made an aluminum tank that mounts to the top of my 180SD, and finally got the torch(WeldCraft 20-25) and everything to go along with it. Im just using a small pump that is 110V. It is rated at 4.5 GPM, but no pressure outlet on it. I notice on the return into the tank it doesnt come out at a very high rate. Just a little over a drizzle....I realize the inside diameter of the return line is quite small but I thought it would do more than that. Maybe not...any ideas or is this correct? It defenitely ciculates through the torch and keeps it cooler but I thought it would circulate the water much faster. Any help is appreciated!
Thanks,
Kyle

[vicegrip]

I have two spare carbonator pumps .....no motor $18 + shipping each


your delivery figure needs to be @ some pressure 50psi to 60 psi

[tigman]

Miller's coolmates, pump 1.3 quarts/min how does yours compare to this.

[Sundown]

Miller's coolmates, pump 1.3 quarts/min how does yours compare to this.

Also should be about 50 psi from the pump.

[Sundown]

I have two spare carbonator pumps .....no motor $18 + shipping each......and one Bernard circulator with motor no tank or coils .......$36 + shipping

glad you posted .....just realised it's out in the garage ......and +7 for low in forcast for tonight:eek:


your delivery figure needs to be @ some pressure 50psi to 60 psi

Engloid over at Miller "ask andy" is in need of a pump.

[tigman]

I have two spare carbonator pumps .....no motor $18 + shipping each......and one Bernard circulator with motor no tank or coils .......$36 + shipping


sent you a PM

[blueoval557]

Im interested as well visegrip. Id need a pump and a motor Im guessing. Please let me know asap! Ill PM you as well.
Thanks!

[razer]

Generally speaking, the flow rate is not critical. Over a set period of time, any segment of the water will spend the same amount of time in the torch regardless of the flow rate. If this does not make sense, consider; the faster the water flows, the shorter time it is in the torch, but the sooner it gets back to the torch. Lower flow, it stays in the torch longer, and takes longer to get back to the torch after having left. As long as the water has not reached the temp of the torch before it leaves the torch, it will still be cooling. Considering that I assume that the torch would get well over 100C if there were no water, or the water were not flowing, as long as you do not have steam coming out, you are probably fine. The same principle applies to the radiator as well.

Here is an interesting commentary about water cooling.
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1088/

-Razer

[vicegrip]

here is the procon ( this was a soda pump high-pressure ) I think "same pump >>>a softer bypass spring <<<or a separate bypass would be required"
I can't turn it by hand ....I would taredown / clean / and inspect...in this case
.....or trade it in on a fresh one at the Procon reconditioning center in Mo.
see them on the net .....the last time I did that it was $45 +tax and shipping
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p92/swadge/000_0683.jpg
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p92/swadge/000_0686.jpg
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p92/swadge/000_0687.jpg
here is the roto-flow ( eye-tie ) procon "considered superior by the vending guys???"
turns free-ly + is suposedly adjustable

If interested send an initial e-mail .....if curious or full of ???s call me , I don't want to spend Sunday @ the Keyboard thanks 262-930-0516 ....if call is dropped I'm in the basement at the old factory and will call you back upstairs

[vicegrip]

NOTE : You guys do realise these these have to go on the correct motor end housing right??in the digging proccess I also found two murry 70amp 240V. pannel breakers
clustered as 3-phase.....
my brain-fart was to split them up and have three sets of single phase -breakers!!
but I found other breaker boxes
2 new weldcraft WP-20 torch-head replacements ...
and some adult /small tig gloves ??? maybe



Generally speaking, the flow rate is not critical. Over a set period of time, any segment of the water will spend the same amount of time in the torch regardless of the flow rate. If this does not make sense, consider; the faster the water flows, the shorter time it is in the torch, but the sooner it gets back to the torch. Lower flow, it stays in the torch longer, and takes longer to get back to the torch after having left. As long as the water has not reached the temp of the torch before it leaves the torch, it will still be cooling. Considering that I assume that the torch would get well over 100C if there were no water, or the water were not flowing, as long as you do not have steam coming out, you are probably fine. The same principle applies to the radiator as well.

Here is an interesting commentary about water cooling.
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1088/

-Razerapplys to ciculation only ,, don't discount the tank skin area and or the radiator coils.......you'll toast your torch do'in heavy aluminum unless you have Oodels of floe @ significant pressure

[ricki beaver]

Well,here is what has worked fo me,i came up with a carbonator motor pump assy had an extra radiator from the shifter kart,put it all together&used a5 gall fuel jug(no gas in it) prolly around 4.5 to 5 gall of liquid,put it all together(to **** with puttin a gauage on it an checkin pressure,long as its a good PISS stream it's good,checked and made sure there was water ftow,BINGO,let's go.sheeeeeeeeeeeeeetit's it does not even get warm,(no fan even),point is:you CAN use a carbonator pump/motor assyand it will work,main thing to remember is water/coolant flow,does not have to be alot,BUT some,you can use even the garden hose/city pressure,and that will work2,If you can come up with a carbonator assy,THAT will get it done,,could somone come up with a part number for the motor ThAT has the double shaft so a fan can be put on the other end so's I can make this a"proper"tig cooler,any other questions come on ,let's here "um', Rick Beaver

[MNellis]

............,,could somone come up with a part number for the motor ThAT has the double shaft so a fan can be put on the other end so's I can make this a"proper"tig cooler,any other questions come on ,let's here "um', Rick Beaver


I don't have the part number but stop by an RV repair or sales store and check out the part number for the AC units on the top of trailers and motorhomes, that's the type of motor they use.

[billbong]

Hi all, to cool anything sufficiently enough using water requires a certain flow rate.
It doesn't matter if the flow is wizzing around or just trickling out as long as you get a flow of water at the outlet from the torch.
Water will reach a temp of 100Deg C, at sea level, and then it becomes steam, which indicates that the flow is too slow.
As long as you get water out, you're OK.
Due to the resistance to the flow, caused by small passageways in the torch, the only way to increase the flow is to boost the pressure.
This will only become necessary if you are boiling the water, otherwise even with a trickle flow the torch will never get beyond 100 deg C.
At the same time the water, having absorbed the heat from the torch, must now pass through a heat exchanger (radiator) where a certain flow of air removes ALL the heat, and so at the outflow of the radiator the water MUST now be at ambient temperature.
The flow rate of the air MUST be sufficient to remove the heat otherwise the returning water, if it is warmer than the ambient temp, will just get hotter and hotter.
If X in = X out + 1 you're in trouble.
The flow rate of the water may be OK, but if the flow rate of the air is too low then the water temp will rise exponentionally.
In all cases the only way to achieve increased efficiency, if required, is to raise the pressure to increase the flow rate.
To over engineer just leads to increased cost with no gain in efficiency.
Like all things mechanical, anyone can build anything that will work, but it takes carefull design specifications to make to efficient.
At the end of the exercise, don't forget to put a bacteria and algae inhibitor in the water otherwise you will incubate a whole lot of trouble.
I think Permanganate of Potash was the stuff we used in the water cooling air-conditioners on top of office buildings.
Ian.