Tig Water Cooler Project

[monkeh]

I managed win a procon pump and motor on ebay, it should be here tomorrow, fingers crossed it works.
Ive also got a 5L Tupperware im going to use as a Reservoir for now.
I still need hoses, connectors and something to put it all in. I wont be using it a lot so im not going to bother with a rad for now but will probably fit a fan to blow over the motor.

Im not to good with electrics, my welder has a 240AC socket on the back for a water cooler, can i just fit an iec male plug to the motor and plug it straight in or do i need to fit an inline fuse?

I'd also like to fit some panel mounted rectus 21 fittings on the case and torch, if any one knows where to get these for less than £24 each that would be great, ebay has some italian ones for £24 a pair or some chinese ones for £10 a pair but ive no idea if these are worth buying.
Cheers

 

[optima21]

I just got cheap rectus compatible fittings off ebay, (about £10 for a pair) and they have been fine so far. I guess it depends on if you're a hobby user or want something that will work 8 hours a day 5 days a week.

 

[addjunkie]

I went chinese for a tenner, seem to work ok, but took ages to come.

 

[monkeh]

Yeah i ordered some of the £10 ones, it says location Guernsey in the ad but the order confirmation lists the seller as:
408,HaoQuan Building, 1st Jichangdongmen Road Jingtai Street, 51
Guang zhou 510440
CN
Im in no rush really though so not a problem.

 

[Richard.]

With a 5ltr only tank and a procon pump I strongly suggest you use a rad.
Make one up and shove a fan in front of it to exchange the heat.
The ones I make up now do a really good job and take no time or effort to do.
Your motor will generate heat and transfer it through to the pump. Your water will get warm with or without the arc.

 

[monkeh]

I'll probably add something like that in the future or maybe a pc water cooler rad, i wont be using it long enough for the water to get to hot atm.
I did want to ask you about these 2nd hand pumps and motor. Do you strip them down and check them before trying them or just turn them over by hand and then plug it in?

And is it ok to just plug the motor straight into the socket at the back of the welder or should i fit a fuse box?
Cheers

 

[Richard.]

Turning them by hand doesn't tell you anything. It will still turn freely even if its shot.
Flood it and fire it up. There is no point stripping it till you know if it does or doesn't work.
Don't run it dry!!!
Yeah you can plug that into the welder and gain your 230 from that.
Should you fuse it?? Dunno thats for the leccys to decide just make sure it's earthed properly as it is a water carrier.

 

[monkeh]

Pump and motor turned up today, It all looks new just old and a bit dirty

Im not sure what the u shaped part would be used for, i think the big part is a bypass of some sort.

I assume i just get some 3 core cable and wire up the hot and neutral and the earth attaches to the case on that screw bottom left, then fit a IEC c14 male plug like this on the other end and plug it in the back of the welder

Should i bother fitting an inline filter, one of the fittings for the pump has mesh in it.

I thought i had some suitable hose but i cant find it so wont be able to test it yet.

 

[monkeh]

Got the pump working today, its flowing about 3 litres a minute which is way to much but the valve isnt changing it, i think it may be because there is no pressure in the system however it isnt a problem as i can use the bypass that came with it if needed. Also it seems to be pulsing, is that normal? There may have been an airlock somewhere that might have caused it? It seems a little noisy too, with a high pitched whistle, maybe this is normal?

With some pressure

 

[Richard.]

Doesn't look to be making much pressure. Could be due to the big bore hoses. 3lpm through those short hoses doesn't mean much. You need to see what it does though 8mtrs of tig torch.
Ref your adjuster, have you had a look behind the screw. There should be a spring and a plastic cone. Screwing it in should make more pressure and vica verca.
No it shouldn't pulse but it was only doing it when you applied pressure. This could be to do with the pumps internal bypass? The high pitch noise is normal. It's not loud though just a wrrrrrrrrrring whistle type

 

[Richard.]

If you would like you can send me the pump head to test properly on a torch and set it up for you to go. I have a couple of motors so it wouldn't cost much to send me the head and back.

 

[monkeh]

It still flows 3L a min even when i closed off most of the pipe so hopefully its going to be ok. I have a load of proper hose on the way and i should have a torch on order soon.
Cheers for the offer though mate.

 

[monkeh]

Any advice on making a rad like yours Richard?

 

[Richard.]

1/4 bore copper pipe around 4mtr of it.
I drill a hole in the end of some 40-50mm tube and push the end of the copper pipe in the hole and roll the pipe round the tube .
Pull it apart in the middle to form 2 lots of coils.
Fold up a small frame to sit it in and bolt a fan to it.
Be sure to leave small gaps between the coils for the air to get through and exchange heat.

 

[monkeh]

So you dont fill the pipe with salt or sand ect? Doesn't it kink?

 

[Richard.]

So you dont fill the pipe with salt or sand ect? Doesn't it kink?

No need. It's a big radius bend for a small soft copper pipe. It doesn't kink.

 

[monkeh]

Cool i'll give it a go then as the pipe is a lot cheaper than i can find a premade exchanger for, as i dont want to use alu.

Ive got a good CFM AC fan ordered too. Now all i need to do is work out how to wire it up to my welder.

Dont know what the best way to box it all up is either as i dont have a bender, i can get some 1-2mm sheet from the suppliers down the road and get them to cut it on the guillotine, not sure if they have a bender though.
Im thinking the case will be around 500L x 300W not sure on height yet.

 

[monkeh]

Made some progress today

Not as nice looking as yours Richard but it'll work hopefully.

The layout will be something like this

Still waiting on the rest of the parts but i should have a sw320 on the way soon

 

[Richard.]

Looks really good. It is certainly as nice as mine. Nicely done.
Sw320 eh. Spoiling yourself. You'll really love that torch when it arrives.

 

[dazza]

This is coming along nicely, the heat exchanger looks great.