Converting WP9 torch cable to use with WP20 torch and DIY cooler.

[optima21]

Ive been using a WP9 air cooled torch, but find that it can get a bit warm when using over 100 amps, and has a limit of 125 amps, so was looking at using a WP17 air cooled torch instead as that can go up to 150 amps, but then I'd need to get some new torch consumables too, so then decided to get a WP20 instead, as they use the same consumables as the WP9 torch.

I also decided that I'll need to make a cheap cooler to go with it, so that'll be a tupperware type container, 12v water pump and computer radiator and 12v fan and a few other bits and pieces. I'm not sure how well this will work once done, and it will probably take me a few weeks to get done, but I've made a start on things so I'll update it as I go along.

as I already have a spare air cooled torch (with a WP17 head) and lead I thought I'd convert it to water cooled.

so here is the air cooled torch and lead and the water cooled torch

so the first problem was that the original power cable doesn't fit the water cooled torch, so I ended up making a new connector

so here's the parts the connector is made from, and luckily I had a 1/4" unf tap which is the same thread as the power connection on the water cooled torch. so I was able to make a new nut. the small tube with the conical end was made from phosphor bronze. the bent tube and the main body are made from copper. the bore of the smaller tubes is 2.5mm, so hopefully it won't be too restrictive to coolant as I intend to use 4mm bore tubes to connect to the cooler once its made. the power cable will be held in place with a couple of M5 grub screws.

I think the power lead connector on the original cable was soft soldered together, but I ended up silver soldering the new one together. and here it is in the torch handle, so as it fits, so I can get on with the next part in the near future.

 

[Parm]

Will be following this to see how it turns out, good luck with this

 

[Liquid Metal]

I was always under the impression that the watercooled torches ie wp 18 and 20, had the hot water return from the torch run down inside the power cable, therefore cooling it too, allowing less copper to be used, making it a lot lighter an more flexible. But with the downside that if you use them without the water coolant circulating, they are very easy to fry.
Well. I stand corrected

 

[eSCHEn]

Usually the flow and return water lines are separate as they only need to carry fluid and can be made smaller. The gas usually goes up the power line still, as per an air cooled torch. All (lol) they do is add a veined head (20 etc) and add on the two new hoses for fluid.

 

[hotrodder]

The power cable is used for the water return as Liquid Metal described... http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/water-pipe-to-make-own-torch.51835/#post-596063

The power cable accounts for a chunk of the extra premium water cooled torches command. Obviously can't run water through a wp17 cable as a water cooled torch head has 3 connections (gas in, water in & a combined power in/water out) so need to get creative

 

[WorkshopChris]

At 2.5mm & 4mm you might struggle to get a good flow rate, will depend on you pump pressure.

 

[Chris Stevens]

2.5 and 4mm water hoses will mean a burnt out torch pretty quickly. Why not look on Ebay for a used watercooled torch if money is tight? I bought a £300 Speedway torch for £30 from there a while back.

 

[optima21]

I was always under the impression that the watercooled torches ie wp 18 and 20, had the hot water return from the torch run down inside the power cable, therefore cooling it too, allowing less copper to be used, making it a lot lighter an more flexible. But with the downside that if you use them without the water coolant circulating, they are very easy to fry.
Well. I stand corrected

yup that's what I understand too, my welder has a max current of 170A DC, and the cable I have should be a 150A cable, so at the speed I work, I don't think frying the cable should be an issue. This link from CK shows the connections

http://www.ckworldwide.com/CK20F.pdf

if my cable doesn't work I can always get another cable and adaptor for about £35

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171994606225

At 2.5mm & 4mm you might struggle to get a good flow rate, will depend on you pump pressure.

from what I've read you need 2 to 3 litres a minute at 60psi for a pump, so I've got one on order, just waiting for it to turn up off ebay.

2.5 and 4mm water hoses will mean a burnt out torch pretty quickly. Why not look on Ebay for a used watercooled torch if money is tight? I bought a £300 Speedway torch for £30 from there a while back.

I don't really need a water cooled torch, I just decided it would be fun to make one and see how it goes, I can always get consumable for the WP17 torch Ive got if I fail

 

[eSCHEn]

Well well, learn every day Thanks HR

 

[norlander]

Watercoolin-pah! gerra thicker pair o'gloves n grit yer teeth

 

[hotrodder]

FWIW Rectus 21 Q/R fittings are pretty common for watercooled welding stuff, just measured a spare torch and the fitting came up with an ID of 3.46mm

 

[Richard.]

Cold water up a hose of its own to the torch head warm water returns to the tank via the power cable hose. Gas is a separate hose . Completely different set up to gas cooled torch Where the gas goes up the hose with the power cable.

 

[Richard.]

Why would you want to build the cooler with 12v pump and fan.

 

[optima21]

12v high pressure pumps are readily available for use with caravans etc, and I've got a decent 12v bench power supply. I wasn't going to use a radiator and fan for cooling, guessing that the speed of my work is so slow the coolant wouldn't warm up too much. then I found that small radiators and 12v fans for use in computers are readily available too. As I have limited space I'm not able to have a permanent set attached to my welder as that lives on a shelf when not in use too.

you can probably guess that I'm making this up as I go along, its not quite in the league of your cooler Richard

 

[Richard.]

12v high pressure pumps are readily available for use with caravans etc, and I've got a decent 12v bench power supply. I wasn't going to use a radiator and fan for cooling, guessing that the speed of my work is so slow the coolant wouldn't warm up too much. then I found that small radiators and 12v fans for use in computers are readily available too. As I have limited space I'm not able to have a permanent set attached to my welder as that lives on a shelf when not in use too.

you can probably guess that I'm making this up as I go along, its not quite in the league of your cooler Richard

I've built a good few and they were all built and changed slightly as I I went along. Simplicity is the key. If you've a good 12volt supply that's the way to go mate. Let me know if you need out mate. I owe you one.

 

[optima21]

Thanks for the offer Richard

I've now got other items in the post so I'm nearly ready to start playing.

for my reservoir, I've got a 4.6L Addis container for £5 from TK Maxx

http://www.addis.co.uk/kitchen-and-food-storage/rectangular-containers-4-6l-rectangular.html

and a 4 litre per minute 100psi 12v pump, I did originally order a 3.5 lpm 60psi, but I think that got lost in the post from china, so I got this one instead

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171324428554

and a 120mm radiator and cooling fan for a computer. originally I wasn't going to get one as I thought my productivity would be too slow, so the coolant wouldn't heat up too much. but at these prices and I was using a 12v supply for the pump it made sense to get one. with hindsight a radiator with 1/4" bsp fittings might have been better.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281903258532

I had already decided that I was going to use 1/8" bsp fittings, hopefully they will flow enough coolant but only time will tell. As the torch and cooler will need to be stored separately I will be using 1/8" bsp quick release couplings designed for airbrushes, so that when the torch is disconnected. I also got a couple of 1/8" bsp ball valves to reduce the coolant loss from the cooler when the torch is disconnected. ( not sure if these will be required or not.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351027176320
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131869294026

and for a filter on the coolant supply I'll be using a 1/8" bsp exhaust silencer/breather.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291644722432

as I wanted 1/8" bsp to 4mm barbed hose unions, I ended up making my own, I made them in 2 pieces so they can swivel and seal with an O ring so only need to be finger tight.the union nuts are made from 7/16" hex brass

I ended up getting some 4mm bore 6mm o/d polyurethane tubing for the coolant and gas lines. if you do use polyurethane tubing with water you need to make sure it is ether based rather than ester based, as water attacks the ester based tubing. so a 25m roll (part no. PUET06/040-25) was £10 from http://www.pneumaticsdirect.co.uk/

I went for this tubing as I dont know the pressure that it will have to withstand and it is rated to well over 100psi and more flexible than nylon tubing. if the pressure in the tubing is low enough I may replace it with slilcone tubing later.

clamping the hose on to the barbs of the unions was something that I wanted to look tidy and compact.

after watching this video of assembling the connections on a wp20 torch

he's used twisted wire for the hose connections, and I didn't have much success, so started having a look on the internet I found out about clamptite tools, and used the double wrap method later.

http://clamptitetools.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=60

and the idea looks good to me,but the tool is far too complicated. but then saw the video for the Haywire klamper

and here is my version of this tool (the T handle is made from 6mm dia rod for scale)

and a completed clamp, the hose is 6mm o/d and I think its not looking too bad.

made from 0.6mm stainless wire, I found that stainless mig wire was too hard so used this instead

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151988581344

 

[Chris Stevens]

Your cooler should work, but poly hoses will very quickly harden and start leaking. Cheaper WC torches use vinyl hoses, and more costly ones rubber with fabric sheath, so would suggest getting some more suitable hoses.

 

[Richard.]

100psi might be a touch on the high side. Be sure your torch hoses are up to that. Remember warm water will be returning back to your exchanger which does soften the hoses.

 

[Parm]

Thanks for the offer Richard

I've now got other items in the post so I'm nearly ready to start playing.

View attachment 88509



for my reservoir, I've got a 4.6L Addis container for £5 from TK Maxx

http://www.addis.co.uk/kitchen-and-food-storage/rectangular-containers-4-6l-rectangular.html

and a 4 litre per minute 100psi 12v pump, I did originally order a 3.5 lpm 60psi, but I think that got lost in the post from china, so I got this one instead

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171324428554

and a 120mm radiator and cooling fan for a computer. originally I wasn't going to get one as I thought my productivity would be too slow, so the coolant wouldn't heat up too much. but at these prices and I was using a 12v supply for the pump it made sense to get one. with hindsight a radiator with 1/4" bsp fittings might have been better.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281903258532

I had already decided that I was going to use 1/8" bsp fittings, hopefully they will flow enough coolant but only time will tell. As the torch and cooler will need to be stored separately I will be using 1/8" bsp quick release couplings designed for airbrushes, so that when the torch is disconnected. I also got a couple of 1/8" bsp ball valves to reduce the coolant loss from the cooler when the torch is disconnected. ( not sure if these will be required or not.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351027176320
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131869294026

and for a filter on the coolant supply I'll be using a 1/8" bsp exhaust silencer/breather.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291644722432

as I wanted 1/8" bsp to 4mm barbed hose unions, I ended up making my own, I made them in 2 pieces so they can swivel and seal with an O ring so only need to be finger tight.the union nuts are made from 7/16" hex brass

View attachment 88510

I ended up getting some 4mm bore 6mm o/d polyurethane tubing for the coolant and gas lines. if you do use polyurethane tubing with water you need to make sure it is ether based rather than ester based, as water attacks the ester based tubing. so a 25m roll (part no. PUET06/040-25) was £10 from http://www.pneumaticsdirect.co.uk/

I went for this tubing as I dont know the pressure that it will have to withstand and it is rated to well over 100psi and more flexible than nylon tubing. if the pressure in the tubing is low enough I may replace it with slilcone tubing later.

clamping the hose on to the barbs of the unions was something that I wanted to look tidy and compact.

after watching this video of assembling the connections on a wp20 torch

he's used twisted wire for the hose connections, and I didn't have much success, so started having a look on the internet I found out about clamptite tools, and used the double wrap method later.

http://clamptitetools.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=60

and the idea looks good to me,but the tool is far too complicated. but then saw the video for the Haywire klamper

and here is my version of this tool (the T handle is made from 6mm dia rod for scale)

View attachment 88511

and a completed clamp, the hose is 6mm o/d and I think its not looking too bad.

View attachment 88512

made from 0.6mm stainless wire, I found that stainless mig wire was too hard so used this instead

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151988581344

Great suff this, ive come up with more or less exactly the same set up for a water cooler, just haven't got round to ordering the suff yet

 

[Chris Stevens]

If you keep a close look on Ebay you should end up with a Procon pump for the right sort of money, and if you use a stainless gastronorm catering container, and can do a bit of simple sheet metal work you will end up with something comparable to a Bernard or Tweco (which costs about £900) for not much more than £100. Bought a Procon and motor a while back for £25, and the containers are about the same.