Dehumidifiers have what you need for fan and radiators already in a cabinet. Just add reservoir and pump.

 

With 8 gallons of water you DO NOT need a radiator.

I know the temptation is there to go overkill.... But you don't need it.

Get a PROCON pump and go IN and OUT

thats it.

Done.


I run mine through a 5 gallon bucket.... with digital temp sensors IN/OUT I see very little change in temp.

8 Gallons???? forget about it.

 

I think about how every torch leak I've ever seen is a slow dribble of coolant so 100 psi of water pressure sounds like an insane amount of pressure. The little copper fittings inside the torch head strike me as pretty limited in their pressure bearing capacity as well.

I agree with John T about the radiator. Normal water coolers only take like 1-1.5 gallons, having 8x that amount you'd have to weld continuously for a long time to heat it all up.

 

100 psi of water pressure sounds like an insane amount of pressure.

I agree.

I think I'm set at around 40 psi. not sure what the GPH are..... 100 psi might just blow the hoses off the torch... :laugh:

Thats why you need the correct model Procon pump. OR swap out the internal spring for the proper pressure.
(carbonator pumps are very high)


https://arc-zone.com/coolant-pump-5515

 

I'll forgo the radiator and just look for a low pressure pump to install. Thanks for the info!

 

You could put a simple bypass valve on the pumps output and regulate the pressure pretty easily too...

 

I have been thinking of heading down the "cool torch" path. Was considering this for a pump:

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Water...-Auto-Demand-Diaphragm-Pumps/Delavan-12-Volt-DC-1-GPM-Diaphragm-Pump-2-1455.axd

 

This is a cooler that I built for one of my Dynasty 350s without a fan. It barely keeps up after an hour. Even with the shock plate on top to maximize the delta temp between coolant and atmosphere, and 20 gallons of coolant I have to put a fan under the carriage to cool it down during the summer.

View attachment 100_3610.jpg

 

This is the one for my 700 with 16 gallons of coolant and a procon radiator pump. On occasion even that combo does not keep up on a hot day.

View attachment 21f32444-a0b8-44cc-888a-2024d4c9a854_zps0c3d2a09.jpg

 

This is the one for my 700 with 16 gallons of coolant and a procon radiator pump. On occasion even that combo does not keep up on a hot day.

View attachment 1782727

So it sounds like with an 8 gallon tank, I'll still need to integrate a radiator into the system. I figure it will cost about a $100 for a computer radiator and two 120mm. fans. Maybe I'll look for a smaller reservoir as well.

 

Yeah , I played around with a few pumps in the leftovers pile in the Maintenance Depot(my storeroom full of parts for machines we no longer own).
I used something similar to the one the OP is looking at from the surplus center. I wound up melting a few torch hoses because either flow was off, or pump wasn't designed for continuous use(they will often go into thermal overload and stop with no warning or notice). Yes you can get away without a radiator, but I would definitely buy the procon pump like John has listed. Torches cost as much as a new procon pump, and nothing is worse than being in the middle of a weld when the hose starts leaking all over the shop (I have coolant in mine), if it doesn't spray on your leg, you may not notice until torch starts to melt the ceramic cup, nozzle and collet. After the second torch meltdown, I bought the procon pump, and hooked it up to a Homemade tank, small fan, and transmission cooler.

I think my pump runs at 40psi @ .25gpm haven't had any problems after going to the procon pump. Here's a pic when it was still under construction . HTH







View attachment iPhone5 234.jpg

 

i made one out of an old milk can. i welded a cover to the opening, but it was a nightmare to weld. a very low grade grey stainless and the top was a thin rolled edge. i ended up with some pinhole leaks that i sealed with epoxy. the little radiator was not needed, but i had it, so why not. ive used it almost 2 years. the main thing i worried about was could the pump maintain flow with the torch held over my head. the answer is yes, quite easily. its runs cool as a cucumber, great for aluminum.

 

Actually I have to revise my earlier comments... Turns out I AM using a radiator/fan (sucks getting old... cant remember sh*t)

I had problems with the stock HTP cooler so I rebuilt/bastardized it.

Its a procon pump/motor /stock HTP radiator / 12v big computer fan (with 12v power supply)

pressure gauge... sticking out of the top .. :laugh:

in & out water temp digital temp readout on the front. and a whirly-gig to show actual flow.

reservoir tank is a 5 gallon bucket.

I took it apart tonight to replace the pressure gauge... which seems to be DOA

gonna swap out the distilled water also.... gotta order a couple bottles of HTP algae treatment.

View attachment IMG_6687.jpg
View attachment IMG_6686.jpg

 

currently looking for some kind of filter to put on the end of the feed line... (3/8" hose)

similar to a clear fuel filter? but will put up with water and/or coolant

thinking it would be a good idea...
I'm just dumping my reservoir and notice some slight .... sediment. very very fine...

not sure what it is.. maybe a result of whatever is in the HTP algae/pump lubrication stuff.....

maybe I'll follow Louies lead and just run distilled water....

 

From the "old days", I had a couple of VW Beetle fuel filters (sm in/out clear plastic) works great!

 

I found one of these in filter town ...

it's only a screen but better than nut'n

View attachment 511SJ4Ryw7L._AC_SL1000_.jpg

 

I put the John T pictured filter on the inlet of the washing machine at my daughters house,,
The washing machine inlet screen used to just clog, sometimes in as little as a month.

Now, the machine has run for years,, no blockages.

 

yeah they work good.... however I wish they made one with a 50 micron or so... white wound fiber filter insert.

like a house water filter.

 

I suppose you could just use a regular house water filter and neck down the fittings to a 3/8" barb.

50 micron should flow just fine.

View attachment 71WDUE2bptL._SL1500_.jpg

 

I'm tellin' ya, you're overthinking this....

 

Yeah, That paper fuel filter will turn to mulch in less that a week..... running it in water.

You don't think enough.... :laugh:

 

If you go with a cooler without a radiator, I bet it helps a LOT to use aluminum versus steel for the coolant reservoir, being that aluminum is many times more thermally conductive than steel....

 

I've found two kinds of coolant: One that is OK in a system with aluminum components, but the conductivity is too high for a hi-freq start and the other type of coolant is one that's low conductivity for hi-freq machines, but isn't compatible with aluminum. I don't quite understand why ethylene glycol isn't compatible with aluminum, but that's what's written on the jug of Miller (and other) low-cond coolant.

My reservoir is stainless, holds a little more than a quart. Welded it from sheetmetal. Additionally, I have 25 feet of 3/8" copper tubing in my system. No radiator. My temperature meter shows that I can weld for several hours without the temperature climbing very much at all. There's enough thermal mass in the coolant to keep things quite cool.

I have another bucket with 25 more feet of copper in it with quick connects. If I'm doing hours & hours of aluminum, I put this 2nd bucket in-line, and fill it with tapwater. The temperature meter never goes above ambient; the tapwater in the bucket offers enough heat exchanging to keep the coolant in the tubing cold.

Super-simple setup, using only a 12VDC heavy-duty RV pump. The whole thing is built into a small toolbox. It works like a charm, and I think I spent about $150 on everything. As long as you have decent flow and the torch is staying cool, there's no need to over-build or over-think any of this.

 

Again,,, I've run that filter for YEARS now (I think I changed it once maybe 5yrs ago after running for 5yrs, just because)