Building A Tig Water Cooler For Dummies!!!

[rahtreelimbs]

Lets say you have the sheet metal to make the liquid tank but have to buy everything else.
How much time and $$$ is spent making your own?
there are chineesse tig water coolers on ebay for $375, they are the same ones that everylast and longevity sell.

Help me determine what savings if any are achieved by DIY?

I don't know how much I will have in this..........but..........I enjoy building things for myself!

[sparkness]

how about using parts that they use to cool computers and laser ? inexspensive and sized right

[happymachinist]

I stole this from another thread that google led me to. This was a VERY clean build using computer cooling components like mentioned above.

Scroll down to posts 26-30

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=640590&page=2

[records2]

I used an aquarium pump and 50 gallon drum in a machine shop I worked at running 300 amps on copper induction coils for case hardening for hours at a time. I bet you could use a smaller beer keg since the drum was only ever half full anyways. The water never required a chiller since the volume was so large and it just ran on windshield washer hose lines same as my argon lines. The tool and die makers had it setup when I started and I used a 90 or 110 cfm bathroom fan with alum flexible dryer tubing for fume extraction to the outside.

[atg]

Not that inexpensive actually but easier to configure than a car heater core (1959 Olds 88 comes to mind as the largest one I could find, which was $71 at Rock auto). Then you have to wonder is it aluminum or copper etc. At least the PC rads tell you up front whether it is copper with brass tanks or aluminum etc.

Anyway you don't really need a radiator or a fan unless you are maxed out on 200A or more all the time on a high duty cycle in high ambient temps.

The small annular gear pump is the genius move if you can find one. You could have a totally silent cooler that way.

[gnm109]

You can add a radiator if you want but they really aren't necessary. I have two coolers. One is a Barnard with a radiator and the other is a home built with a large tank. Neither one of them has ever gotten hot but I seldom weld at high amperages. I use Procon pumps in both coolers. They are excellent.

[rahtreelimbs]

Finally acquired a Procon pump and a motor. Got it put together tonight.......tried it with my TA 185 maxed out and all was cool. I made it portable so it use it on different machines.

Like to thank all who help on this project.

[motolife313]

Great job! Glad it works good for you. I need one bad for my pt225

[turismolover22]

Finally acquired a Procon pump and a motor. Got it put together tonight.......tried it with my TA 185 maxed out and all was cool. I made it portable so it use it on different machines.

Like to thank all who help on this project.

Where did you pick up those quick disconnects?

[Gamble]

Great now I want to build one
Great work!!

[wannab1]

Wow, this is very interesting. Makes me want to construct one as well and I don't even need one!

[rahtreelimbs]

Where did you pick up those quick disconnects?

USA Weld.

[labparamour]

Nice job!!

DB

[rahtreelimbs]

Finally got the cooler all done. I added a cover for nothing other than looks While I was at it I added a second fan. The radiator is close to the motor and I wanted to get enough air flow. The two big holes are for the fans and the small hole is to read the pressure gauge. The cover I bent up out of .060 clear anodized sheet.

[Gamble]

Looking good dude! That came out good looking

[Robert Hall]

Looks good. The way I plumb, I would be worried about leaks and not being able to see them.

[Heavyopp]

How about the quick connect fittings -- Do they seal or must you drain the hoses when disconnected?

I just got my ebay carbonator today -- I'd love to do quick connect fittings but would hate to have to drain the hose every time I take it apart

[teachagmech]

How about the quick connect fittings -- Do they seal or must you drain the hoses when disconnected?

I just got my ebay carbonator today -- I'd love to do quick connect fittings but would hate to have to drain the hose every time I take it apart

What is this carbonator you speak of?


Sent from my dumb smartphone

[Heavyopp]

What is this carbonator you speak of?


Sent from my dumb smartphone

A carbonator is used to inject co2 into water making seltzer -- I has a 2 gallon stainless tank, motor and a procon pump with misc water lines -- All the main parts you need to make a tig cooler

for the cool price of $75 shipped to my home -- This is the base for my home built...

[teachagmech]

Nice!


Sent from my dumb smartphone

[CODE4]

I built my own cart using a standard Procon pump, Marathon electric 1/3 HP AC motor, and stainless 1/2" tubing and fittings. The reservoir is a piece of 6" sanitary tubing that holds about 2 gallons. I have a temperature gauge and pressure gauge on the system as seen in the pictures. Currently no heat exchanger, and with the moderate welding I do at the house, I have not had a need for one yet. I may plumb a transmission/oil bar & plate cooler in line in the future if needed.

[Softail Rider]

Code4 very nice build.
I like it...

[motolife313]

for my precision tig 225, 3 gallon tank made of 1/8 AL. The welder is louder then the cooling system

[njs552]

Here is my DIY water cooler:

I got a carbonator on Craigslist for $100 that had a Procon series 1 pump with a motor and small stainless steel tank. I rewired the motor to bypass the float switch, and plumbed the output of the pump into my WP20 torch, with a bypass valve back to the tank. The pump I got puts out 190psi, so the bypass valve is a necessity or else I will blow the lines off my torch. I usually run the cooler and 55-60psi, and that gives me about 0.5-0.75gpm. I plumbed the return line through a transmission cooler with a big muffin fan, and that keeps the warm water from the torch nice and cool. Most of the plumbing is done with the 3/8" transmission soft line that came with the trans cooler, except for the clear return hose. I used Parker 1/4 npt hydraulic fittings (BHS-60, and BH2-61) to connect to the torch. Using the hydraulic fittings that are double shutoff, the water in the torch lines doesn't drain out when the torch is disconnected from the cooler.

The first version of the cooler used the stock stainless tank, but now that I have a AC/DC tig welder, I made my own tank from aluminum. It only holds about 0.65-0.7 gallons, but the transmission cooler and high flow fan help keep everything cool. Also my welder only puts out 200A, so I think it is more than enough for my applcation. I also made a steel frame out of 1" .090 wall square tube so everything is protected and somewhat portable. I painted it yellow to match my welder.

List of parts:
-Carbonator assembly - Craigslist
-Brass fittings - Home Depot/Harbor Freight
-Trans cooler - Oreilly Auto Parts
-Muffin Fan - Scrap from work
-4" wide 1/8" aluminum flat bar - metal supply
-1" .090 wall square tube - metal supply
-toggle switches - ACE Hardware

Link to more pics: http://imgur.com/a/qXEDE

[jim8014]

Have you plumbed a lot of hydraulic lines in your day? Stauff clamps? Very nice job. Thanks for sharing with us.