Best Liquid Cooled Torch Practices?

Charles_Karl · Sat Mar 22, 2014 9:51 pm

Is it possible to weld with a liquid cooled torch with the coolant pump turned off without destroying the torch? Or, is it best to keep the pump on for even light amperage welds?

Chuck

Oscar · Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:54 pm

I did it accidentally, and I freaked out when I realized it! Mainly because my equipment is brand new. I was using 60A, rule of 33, about 50-70% pedal for about 10 min, but only about 10% duty cycle per 30 seconds. Luckily my power lead does not appear to have been damaged because the water cooler was on prior to me actually welding, so the power lead was likely full of water. It's not really the torch that is in danger, it is the wire inside the power lead that carries the coolant return to the water cooler. The wire inside is much too thin to take a chance with out water/coolant.

The very next day I did a smart thing. I called up HTP and asked about buying replacement power leads to have as extras before inflation takes it's toll and everything goes up in price. Now got two extras, at today's prices. With as little as I weld, I should be good for the next ten years.

AKweldshop · Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:57 pm

Agreed,
Over on ww somewhere there's a thread on the topic....
General agreement is that WC torches don't have heavy enough cables/lines/head to take the heat....

Don't risk it,
~John

Charles_Karl · Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:33 pm

Cool!

Thanks for the responses guys

Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:44 pm

I was welding in the 250-300 amp range on a wc torch (HFAC), and accidentally pinched the supply water line under the wheel of my creeper. In less than 30 seconds, I had this on the return/power line:

: GEDC1031.JPG (183.86 KiB) Viewed 1052 times

And a shop full of smoke.

Note the size of the power wire, on a torch rated for 250A continuous.

Steve S

AKweldshop · Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:54 pm

Steve,
That does not answer Chuck's question.
Have you ever ran a WC torch with the cooler off, even at low amperage???

~John

Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:12 pm

True enough, John,

But it's a cautionary tale. It shows the small size of the power lead, and the damage that can be done should the standing water in the line begin to boil, or should it drain back and be replaced by air. I would be uncomfortable welding even low amps with the cooler off, and would have to stop and feel the return line often (at least at first) to be sure I wasn't about to cost myself money. Remember, this was less than 30 seconds (perhaps much less, I have no way to know for sure) on a 250A torch. I don't know what 3 minutes at 30A would do on, say, a 150A torch or a 90A microtorch.

I'm not sure I can come up with a good reason to have three hoses hanging off my wrist and not turn on the cooler to use them all. I have heard tales of very loud coolers, but I think I'd prefer to find a way to quiet the system if I found it too annoying while welding.

Steve S

Superiorwelding · Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:25 pm

I have turned a syncrowave on to run literally 1.5" of weld without the cooler and that was it, with no damage. I cannot recommend this as a common practice. As Steve has shown things can go bad very fast.
my 2 cents
-Jonathan

Oscar · Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:21 pm

Otto Nobedder wrote:I was welding in the 250-300 amp range on a wc torch (HFAC), and accidentally pinched the supply water line under the wheel of my creeper. In less than 30 seconds, I had this on the return/power line:
GEDC1031.JPG
And a shop full of smoke.

Note the size of the power wire, on a torch rated for 250A continuous.

Steve S

In AC it is even more critical, as you have found out. Since the torch-side of the electrical arc gets much hotter than straight polarity, I can see how that wire would easily get hot enough to boil out the water.

I like the "flow alarm" on my HTP Arctic Chill cooler. If you pinch the line, a loud buzzer sounds to let you know the pressure has dropped somewhere in the path. Of course when you're like me and turn it off (the whole water cooler) because the fan is freakin loud, then you might not hear it

Overall, I think there is a unanimous concession.

AKweldshop · Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:45 pm

No offense intended Steve....

Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:27 pm

AKweldshop wrote:No offense intended Steve....

None taken.

You were right, I didn't answer the original question. I just shared what I had.

Steve S

Charles_Karl · Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:27 pm

Otto Nobedder wrote:I was welding in the 250-300 amp range on a wc torch (HFAC), and accidentally pinched the supply water line under the wheel of my creeper. In less than 30 seconds, I had this on the return/power line:
GEDC1031.JPG
And a shop full of smoke.

Note the size of the power wire, on a torch rated for 250A continuous.

Steve S

Ouch,...point well taken. I don't mind the additional noise of the cooler,...gives me an excuse to turn Waylon up a bit. I have to be honest, being that I am use to stick welding type leads coming from a welder, when I looked at this water cooled torch, I was expecting a larger diameter lead and thought the welding supplier made a mistake. I had to look it up online to know that the lead and coolant hose were one in the same. I'm learning though.

AKweldshop · Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:07 am

Otto Nobedder wrote:
AKweldshop wrote:No offense intended Steve....
None taken.

You were right, I didn't answer the original question. I just shared what I had.

Steve S

All good Steve,
BTW, how were you running 280amps for 45mins with your S'Wave????
Seems like the machine would conk out before the torch, pinched hose or not....
~John

Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:20 pm

AKweldshop wrote: All good Steve,
BTW, how were you running 280amps for 45mins with your S'Wave????
Seems like the machine would conk out before the torch, pinched hose or not....
~John

I was running 250-300A for several hours. In short bursts.

The SW 250 will do 250A HFAC at %40, 310A at %10.

It was winter, so the cool weather extended the duty cycle.

I'd burn two or three 1/8" rods, and stop. Drink coffee... Smoke a cigarette...

Steve S

AKweldshop · Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:37 pm

Ahh,
Short bursts....

~John

Cricket · Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:14 pm

My 2 cents.
My Everlast 250EX has 230V power outlet on the back specificaly for the cooler. I made my cooler myself. The pump and the fan are 115v. I had to put 230\115v transformer in the cooler. The cooler is plugged in the welder and turned ON permanently. When I power up the welder the cooler turns ON automatically. I need to add an "overheat" and "low coolant" alarms to it though.
So it boils down to have the cooler hardwired to the welder's power. If the welder is ON - the cooler is ON.

TamJeff · Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:34 am

The Miller cooler on ours will stop sometimes. I am using Radnor cables at the present. I weld at 250 most days, but since I don't wear gloves, I can feel when the torch is getting unusually warm. I check the little blue water flow indicator and sure enough, it will have stopped. It does give me a couple mins warning if I am paying attention.