Simple Tig Cooler

[Richard.]

That flow coming from the procon is plenty trust me.

 

[dazza]

That flow coming from the procon is plenty trust me.

The procon could not get rid of all the air in the system the other pump cleared it straight away. Not sure if i should take the pump apart or not.

 

[Richard.]

The procon could not get rid of all the air in the system the other pump cleared it straight away. Not sure if i should take the pump apart or not.

Well you have the option of using both. It's a very unknown fact that a trickle of water coming out of a tig torch of 1-2 Lmp is far better than a jet of water . Too much pressure and flow isn't good. The procon had bled itself through looking at that vid so it's up to the job. You could strip it but unless you can rebuild it with new parts I don't see any point. I didn't think it was gonna get water round the torch on the first vid so it's up to the job. Sit your tank above it like a gravity feed. This way it's not having to draw water just push it.

 

[dazza]

Been messing a little with the arduino this evening. Added a photocell to see if i could start the pump automatically or sound an alarm if the unit was in the off position.

I've set it to take a reading when switched on, if there is a 12% increase in light it will switch on the LED, led should run for 30 seconds after you stop welding. I suppose if i do add temp sensors i could set it to run until the inlet and outlet temps are the same?

Sorry guys the video is a bit rubbish you can see the led light up if you go full screen.

 

[dazza]

I felt like selling all my kit yesterday and taking up knitting, but i'm persistent so will keep at it .

Put a cheeky bid on a procon pump on eBay. Hopefully none of you guys are bidding on it would hate to bump up the price.

Whats the cheapest you can get a new pump for?

found this

http://www.brandels.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=130_82_126

 

[Richard.]

But why are you fussing about another pump?
Yours pushes water round a Tig torch. What more do you need from it.

 

[dazza]

But why are you fussing about another pump?
Yours pushes water round a Tig torch. What more do you need from it.

It just about gets the water through but also needs to go through a rad and back up to the tank, thought a pump with a little more oomph would be better. Will rig it back up and seem how many litres it pushes.

 

[Richard.]

It just about gets the water through but also needs to go through a rad and back up to the tank, thought a pump with a little more oomph would be better. Will rig it back up and seem how many litres it pushes.

the battle is getting it through the torch head. That passage is tiny and doubles back round in a 180° curve so it's doing a decent enough pressure.
The flow will get round an exchanger easy enough now with no drops. If it's over 1lpm your set up is bang on.

 

[dazza]

the battle is getting it through the torch head. That passage is tiny and doubles back round in a 180° curve so it's doing a decent enough pressure.
The flow will get round an exchanger easy enough now with no drops. If it's over 1lpm your set up is bang on.

Ok i will push on with the other bits, sent out a few emails about replacement vanes and if i win the pump on ebay (cheap) i will have a spare.

There is no way i will be able to weld a tank, so i have a couple of stainless cooking tins to test on. To mount a inlet/outlet to you drill the hole the same size and feed the pipe through?

 

[Richard.]

Ok i will push on with the other bits, sent out a few emails about replacement vanes and if i win the pump on ebay (cheap) i will have a spare.

There is no way i will be able to weld a tank, so i have a couple of stainless cooking tins to test on. To mount a inlet/outlet to you drill the hole the same size and feed the pipe through?

Make the tank from those fittings you bought.

 

[dazza]

Make the tank from those fittings you bought.

I will try .

To mount the fittings do you drill a hole the same size so it pushes into the tank?

 

[Richard.]

Drill it out both the out take at the bottom and the cap. Purge the tank using the lower hole as your purge feed and tape up the tank cap leaving a small hole to vent the air. You can weld it up how you like. I would sit it on top of a smaller hole personally and run round it keeping pen into the tank itself to a minimum. Make sure your purge has filled the volume of that tank at least 4-5 times before reducing the flow rate to a trickle and starting to weld. I'd look at doing all welds on that purge so make sure everything is ready and in place prepped before starting. You could do the fittings with the tank open and use another method for protecting the under side as I believe there are products available for this
I'm not the man to tell you about them though as I nearly always use an argon feed probably wastefully sometimes but it is the way I know. @Paul. can tell you more about other methods of coking prevention than I can.

 

[dazza]

Drill it out both the out take at the bottom and the cap. Purge the tank using the lower hole as your purge feed and tape up the tank cap leaving a small hole to vent the air. You can weld it up how you like. I would sit it on top of a smaller hole personally and run round it keeping pen into the tank itself to a minimum. Make sure your purge has filled the volume of that tank at least 4-5 times before reducing the flow rate to a trickle and starting to weld. I'd look at doing all welds on that purge so make sure everything is ready and in place prepped before starting. You could do the fittings with the tank open and use another method for protecting the under side as I believe there are products available for this
I'm not the man to tell you about them though as I nearly always use an argon feed probably wastefully sometimes but it is the way I know. @Paul. can tell you more about other methods of coking prevention than I can.

Thanks Richard, i was thinking about adding the inlet/outlet and cap before sticking both halves together.
Could i feed a threaded bar through the fitting with a backing plate that when tightened seals the back?

 

[Richard.]

Thanks Richard, i was thinking about adding the inlet/outlet and cap before sticking both halves together.
Could i feed a threaded bar through the fitting with a backing plate that when tightened seals the back?

How ever you wish to sit them on and weld them for what it does won't make much difference but remember 2 things. If you weld the fittings on with the tank open you are likely going to distort 1 or both halfs and they may not fit together too well. So look into possible distortion reduction methods - clamping tight and reducing weld heat input.
2 you WILL need to avoid coking. You will need something to protect the back side of the joint. As the tank it subject to holding water.
Welding it open will allow you to pickle the joints after on the inside which is important too for corrosion resistance. You've got a few challenges to look into so good luck.

 

[dazza]

Did a bit of testing with the pump this morning.

Without the torch connected it pushes 2L per minute.
With the torch its only manages 700ml.

 

[Richard.]

Did a bit of testing with the pump this morning.

Without the torch connected it pushes 2L per minute.
With the torch its only manages 700ml.

It's a bit light duty then really.
Did you buy that other pump head on eBay ?

 

[dazza]

It's a bit light duty then really.
Did you buy that other pump head on eBay ?

Yep but that is probably also not working. Ive also contacted standex to see if i can get some vanes.

 

[Richard.]

Is the 12v pump not suitable then.

 

[dazza]

Is the 12v pump not suitable then.

It seems to have enough flow and it would be easy to control the voltage with the arduino, noisy though . I think a procon pump will be better.

 

[Richard.]

It seems to have enough flow and it would be easy to control the voltage with the arduino, noisy though . I think a procon pump will be better.

Procon would be a better quality for sure. For the cost of a basic brass head I'd just buy a new head if the eBay one is also shot.