TIG Torch Cooler-DIY - Page 3

Sun Sep 04, 2016 11:43 pm

Here's a question I'll put up for debate. have a couple of RV potable water pumps with 12VDC motors. They easily provide enough flow and pressure for a shower or washing the dishes. Does anyone have experience using them to drive a torch water cooler? At the restricted flow level through a torch, I'd think the approx. 25 psi these pumps make would be adequate. I also have the power converters for them, that operate on 120VAC.

Just a thought on an economical route to a home-build cooler.

Steve S

Coldman · Mon Sep 05, 2016 1:20 am

I've seen a diy water cooler fitted with an el-cheapo plastic pump developing 10psi connected to WP20 torch with 12ft leads, no bypass or relief valve. Questioned it at the time and was told they could weld all day without heating the torch.
Also plenty of torches are connected to town mains water for once through cooling so I recon your 12v 25psi pump should work. Question is how will the additives affect it?

LtBadd · Mon Sep 05, 2016 6:33 am

LS Customs wrote:with that sorted... started on making a welding cart... using scrap... i had purchased casters to build one a while ago.. just put together as i went along... i want to add a drawer to it... going to put two tanks (one argon, one helium) and add pvc tubing for filler wire (like Jody has shown in one of his vids)...

Nice, am interested to see why you have round tubing inserted into the square tubing...

motox · Mon Sep 05, 2016 6:55 am

Nice, am interested to see why you have round tubing inserted into the square tubing...
Richard

rich,
my guess is to line it up.
craig

Poland308 · Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:03 am

I would guess that the pumps will work. The limiting factors would probably be weather the pumps can maintain pressure even while delivering low flow. Without overheating the impeller or the motor over longer run times. Average weekend shower in the camper ( 30 minutes x 4 people in the camper ) leaving it run for a few hours as you weld. Might need to keep an eye on it for long term durability or add a flow switch with some kind of feedback so you don't cook a torch. Upside you can run it off a battery charger for a power supply.

LS Customs · Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:59 pm

motox wrote: my guess is to line it up.
craig

LtBadd wrote: Nice, am interested to see why you have round tubing inserted into the square tubing...

I am using scrap metal, or any pieces i have laying around from past projects and ran out of square tubing... i wanted to use the rest of the square tubing and i wanted it to look "intentional", so i split the last bit of square tubing, i had, in 4 equal pieces and use a piece of solid rod i had left over from another project, to make it run the length of the sides...
welded on the bottom...

LS Customs · Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:04 pm

got more of the cart made up... used some aluminum (left over from the tig cooler enclosure) for welder to sit on... using small pieces of aluminum angle (leftover) to "lock the welder into position).. im sure it could just sit on top and be fine.. but i have small pieces of angle in the scrap box...

same thing here, as far as anything mismatched.. just using what i have laying around and trying to make it look as good as i can... without taking it too seriously..

LS Customs · Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:05 pm

LS Customs · Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:09 pm

going to cut holes on each side of the welder... and use pvc tubing as filler rod holders...

I use these husky bands to secure the bottle better than the chains that came with the typical welding cart... i will take this one off the old cart...

and add this tab, to secure it to the new cart

LS Customs · Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:28 pm

added two tabs for the top and bottom cylinder straps.. i will be upgrading to the next size up, next time i fill my bottle, and these straps and this area will accommodate that.. will put a plate over the bottom at that time...

cut some holes for Jody style filler rod holders...

LS Customs · Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:34 pm

wanted the holders to sit approx .5" above the cooler... cut the holes a little larger than the diameter of the pipe (1.5" pvc)... not that they couldnt just rest on the cooler... just didnt want them to... painted the cart with satin black for now... to help prevent rust...

LS Customs · Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:37 pm

will finish the rest tomorrow... may make the longer tubes a little short and then the cap a little longer, so more of the wire sticks up, when i take the cap off... but i could cut it later, as it is all pressure fit for now...

the female ends and the caps, for the shorter pieces of pipe...

LS Customs · Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:11 pm

adding a bolt on handle right behind the welder and one more strap (on the handle) toward the top third of the bottle, though it is very secure... next refill, im going to sell this cylinder to the gas supply and buy the next size up.. and will want the extra strap higher up for that cylinder

LS Customs · Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:25 pm

used the screw together couplings on the cart side of the tubing, so that they wont rock...

LS Customs · Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:28 pm

got the fan in...

moved the radiator and new higher flowing fan to the top panel, up and away from the heat of the motor...

used a mesh filter on this fan as I have it sucking in cool air through the radiator and into the enclosure

LS Customs · Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:31 pm

its 100% better... I have the other fan back behind the motor, blowing the hot air etc out the enclosure... they both work very well... together... coolant is super cool now... no leaks... thought the hose is supposed to be able to handle the pressure this setup will run at... im a little hesitant to leave it as is, without changing it out to the reinforced tubing... but there are zero leaks etc... this is ready to run the torch...

LS Customs · Fri Sep 09, 2016 12:14 am

4hwL_0UUFd0

LS Customs · Fri Sep 09, 2016 12:19 am

im going to add a vent on the back side of the enclosure to help draw more cool air in over the pump and motor.. and i think i can call this one done... time to test it

Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:15 pm

Coldman wrote:... Question is how will the additives affect it?

(For reference, this is about the RV pump question I tossed into the thread. I doubt I'll bring it up again, so I won't split it to a separate topic.)

RV antifreeze is generally (relatively) pure propylene glycol made for plastic pipes and RV pumps for winter freeze protection, and have no need for additives to protect aluminum heads, iron blocks, or radiators, so should be safe for the pump, for HFAC use, and for, say, a copper-core heat exchanger like a higher-priced heater core for a vehicle.

The pump is self-regulating for pressure (a demand pump), and Chris (Rocketsurgeon) suggested putting an accumulator after the pump to make for longer cycle times (less frequent on/off switching), and adding a valve after the accumulator as an off switch, so the system is ready to go as long as it's powered rather than waiting for pressure to build. And, yes, a basic 6A battery charger with an added smoothing capacitor, powered by the welder's 115V out for the cooler would be a sufficient power supply.

Thanks to all who helped me think this through.

Steve S

LS Customs · Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:44 pm

Otto Nobedder wrote: At the restricted flow level through a torch, I'd think the approx. 25 psi these pumps make would be adequate. I also have the power converters for them, that operate on 120VAC.

Just a thought on an economical route to a home-build cooler.

Steve S

i had to go back and do a little readin.. i did not initially comment on it, not cause it bothered me as far as changing topic, more that i have no experience with it... it doesnt bother me that you ask the question here, or bring it up, as there will hopefully be a good number of views on this thread and its about a DIY tig cooler... the way ive done it here, did save me quite a bit of money, and i did more than i probably had to.. but for sure, if you have a more economical way to achieve the same thing, im all for you talking about it in this thread..

the only thing i would question is the 25psi.. is this max? or can this be adjusted...

as far as the recommended flow rate through the torch (as far as my research) is 1 quart of water flow per
minute. ive seen where some had to set their pumps to around 45 psi to get the recommended flow/cooling etc... i could be wrong... and that particular pump you are talking about, may flow more at a lower pressure? the research i have done, wanted the pump set at around 50 psi (but they use the same pump im using on mine). and 50 psi is the maximum recommended pressure for the torch im using... some setups are set at 60psi from the factory/miller or like.. it was recommended to change this to 50... i could be wrong... i have mine at 50psi at this point... but i will more than likely go ahead and actually measure how much the setup is flowing and adjust it down lower if more than the desired 1 quart per minute... hope what im saying makes sense...

LS Customs · Sat Sep 10, 2016 1:38 am

i did a little research on the procon pump... based on the numbers on the back of the pump, this one does have the internal relief valve spring (some do not), to regulate the pressure.. and based on the numbers, with the stock spring, this pump is adjustable from 151 psi to 250... and the pumps flowrate is up to 100 gph (want it to be 15)

i am going to change the spring in it, with the one that changes the range to 30-59 psi, which is the spring that is stock, when the pumps are used in the factory style tig coolers... this way i can set the pressure at the pump, which will be more reliable and better/easier on the pump... it also has a 100 mesh strainer in it

LS Customs · Sun Sep 11, 2016 8:13 pm

was able to track down the correct spring... and the company (JC Beverage Company) is sending it out to me on Monday... awesome company, their customer service is amazing! very fast response, answered all the questions I had about the pump, etc...

hey_allen · Sun Sep 11, 2016 9:10 pm

LS Customs wrote:was able to track down the correct spring... and the company (JC Beverage Company) is sending it out to me on Monday... awesome company, their customer service is amazing! very fast response, answered all the questions I had about the pump, etc...

They were great to deal with when I had a much larger procon pump they they were willing to take in on exchange toward one for my watercolor.

As you mentioned, they were very helpful and informative when asking questions about your project, even though it is not what the pump is normally intended for.

LS Customs · Sun Sep 11, 2016 9:13 pm

hey_allen wrote:
LS Customs wrote:was able to track down the correct spring... and the company (JC Beverage Company) is sending it out to me on Monday... awesome company, their customer service is amazing! very fast response, answered all the questions I had about the pump, etc...
They were great to deal with when I had a much larger procon pump they they were willing to take in on exchange toward one for my watercolor.

As you mentioned, they were very helpful and informative when asking questions about your project, even though it is not what the pump is normally intended for.

definitely awesome to deal with...

LS Customs · Sat Sep 24, 2016 9:04 pm

usps held the package, with the spring and finally delivered yesterday... was a little short on the postage amount, so that delayed and had me put the difference in an envelope and back in the box... smh! but glad they finally delivered them... JC Beverage, thought they may have lost the package so they actually sent me another set...

they sent two one to regulate between 30-59 and the other 60-90... sweet company to deal with...