Finally got a decent TIG welder, a Lincoln Precision TIG 225. I have been slowly getting better but now wonder about a cooling system. When welding it seems I have to wait for cool down too much! Is there an entry level cooling kit that is recommended? I notice some smaller complete kits on EBay are from $649 to $799 which claim to include everything (torch, cooler/pump, etc.). Are these too cheap to be good (crap, the Miller and Lincoln coolers are expensive!)? Maybe I just need to practice patience and not worry about a water cooled torch setup... I couldn't find much online that would explain what cooler setup fits my welder or if I really "must" have one. Any help appreciated!
I have a water cooled torch and my pump died . Couldn't afford a replacement so I bought a $40 fish tank pump and it works great.
Can you tell me what type and brand? The pump on my TIG isnt giving enough pressure or flow, and it wont keep the torch cool at higher amp settings. ( Dont want to fry another set of cables...)
That hi end price for the h2o cooler was what I paid for the whole Miller Dailarc HF with water cooler and foot controller. No bullshit......
Crap, I need to do some better homework. Still, any ideas for what would work well for my setup appreciated.
As long as you are not doing aerospace or nuke reactor stuff you can plumb it in to your water system and drain it back to the sink. Illeagle as hell for a shop but I have seen it done.My cooler came with my Dynasty package and I bought their coolent @ $27 a gallon.
X2 on the fish tank pump, I used a Beer Keg and a fish tak pump, used it for years before I lost it in a shop fire
Another thing is if your welder has a water solenoid, don't use it. Just plumb it for constant flow. If the solenoid goes bad you will burn up a torch.
Look for a Bernard or Weldcraft, Tweco is a good cooler too. Dont put anything but ethylene glycol thru your torch or you could plug it up and fry it.
My Tig is an old Ideal Arc 250 Lincoln, I got it years ago in a package purchase. Used it heavy for several years in a boat prop repair shop, welding SS, Nibral, and aluminum props. You do need a water cooled torch of course, but my cooling system was and still is an old pump sorta like a small sump pump sitting on a wooden frame work above a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Works great, and your ass will be wore out way before that water bucket gets too hot! Dave
don't have any idea on a package meant for you specific welder, sorry. but i agree with these guys about the fish tank/fountain pump. i used one for a buddy's TIG torch and we used a few coils of tubing he had sitting around from his plumbing days. then we just wired in a fan to blow air over the coils and built a aluminum box around the whole thing with some louvers in it. took out the solenoid and made it a constant flow. he's been running it like that for over a year and a half with no problems. if you don't want to bother with all that, you should be able to buy torch leads that don't have the coolant lines in it.
I used a fountain pump from sears in a 5 gallon pail with a lid works fine. if you have a power tap on your welder plug the pump in there then when your welder is on so is the pump and you can't forget to turn it on this way. I used only clear water in it you only need antifreeze/ coolant if your shop is unheated otherwise just run water this has worked several years with no problems. One of the shops I worked at ran the same set up never had a cooling problem.
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