Welding Tips and Tricks

Has anyone ever tried to run a water-cooled 20 torch on a Maxstar 150 STL? I sometimes need a water-cooled torch for restaurant work. I tried to connect a diamond-back 20 torch to the new Multimatic 200, and I could not get it to work.

I have to say I'm puzzled by this - a 150 amp power source doesn't develop enough heat in the torch to need water cooled torches?

A wp-17 is rated at 150 amps.

I was even using mine at 190 amps for 2" long welds.

Could only do about 8 at that amperage before it needs some cool down time though.

I would be using a wp-26 for those welds, but burned them up on 230 amps of AC for too long.

My water cooled torch is in the works (mostly for aluminum)

mcgirrwelding wrote:Has anyone ever tried to run a water-cooled 20 torch on a Maxstar 150 STL? I sometimes need a water-cooled torch for restaurant work. I tried to connect a diamond-back 20 torch to the new Multimatic 200, and I could not get it to work.

Why on earth do you think you need a WC torch?

Maybe a 17 torch is to big to get into tight places for him?
A 9 will be fried if used more than short runs at 150 amps. Guess how know, twice

What was the problem getting a 20 to work?

The W9 is my go-to torch for restaurant stainless work, and it works well most of the time. I have the larger torches, but they are not my first choice. I have a diamond-back 20 torch hooked up to a cool-arc 40, all tied to a small hand truck that I take anywhere I need it. It is set up with a 50mm water dinse for the Dynasty 200DX. I bought a 50 to 25mm adapter, put it in a lathe and drilled a hole so it would work on the Multi-matic 200 (gas through 25mm port). Set up the Multi-matic to TIG Lift-arc, and could not get it to light either with or without the foot pedal. I connected the 20 torch to the Dynasty and it worked fine. Anyway, I called Miller and asked them if there was something in the inverter software, and I'm sure they are still laughing in the break room. He told me they designed that machine to work with any TIG torch. So back to square one.

mcgirrwelding wrote:The W9 is my go-to torch for restaurant stainless work, and it works well most of the time. I have the larger torches, but they are not my first choice. I have a diamond-back 20 torch hooked up to a cool-arc 40, all tied to a small hand truck that I take anywhere I need it. It is set up with a 50mm water dinse for the Dynasty 200DX. I bought a 50 to 25mm adapter, put it in a lathe and drilled a hole so it would work on the Multi-matic 200 (gas through 25mm port). Set up the Multi-matic to TIG Lift-arc, and could not get it to light either with or without the foot pedal. I connected the 20 torch to the Dynasty and it worked fine. Anyway, I called Miller and asked them if there was something in the inverter software, and I'm sure they are still laughing in the break room. He told me they designed that machine to work with any TIG torch. So back to square one.

I see.

That is strange.
I don't see how the water cooled torch is any different then your air cooled torch as far as hooking it up.

Strange.

I would start looking at that adapter with an ohm meter.
First without torch connected

It might help if you posted a pic of how you hooked it up.

Update: Did some resistance checks and found 2 ohms resistance in the torch power cable. It still works on the Dynasty with the foot pedal, but according to Miller, 2 ohms is enough to interfere with Lift Arc. So it ended up being a slowly dying power cable. I also learned that the Dynasty will tell you if you have a bad torch. According to Miller Tech Douglas Beyer: "You can do a test with the Dynasty 200 by putting the torch above you head and ask for output. Then see what your voltage is reading. 10V to 12V estimate. Then dead short the torch to the welding table and read the meter. It should read less than 1V. If it reads more than 1V the torch is bad." Good info.

mcgirrwelding wrote:Update: Did some resistance checks and found 2 ohms resistance in the torch power cable. It still works on the Dynasty with the foot pedal, but according to Miller, 2 ohms is enough to interfere with Lift Arc. So it ended up being a slowly dying power cable. I also learned that the Dynasty will tell you if you have a bad torch. According to Miller Tech Douglas Beyer: "You can do a test with the Dynasty 200 by putting the torch above you head and ask for output. Then see what your voltage is reading. 10V to 12V estimate. Then dead short the torch to the welding table and read the meter. It should read less than 1V. If it reads more than 1V the torch is bad." Good info.

"Keeper" info indeed!

Steve S