Questions about rate of return water flow to expect from my water cooled WP18 torch

[IronSpadeCycles Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IronSpadeCycles]

So a few years ago I bought a used Miller Dialarc HF 300 from a gentleman on Craigslist for about $600. It came with a ton of tungsten in various sizes, the different tips and a home made stainless steel 50 gallon water cooled tank permanently mounted into a huge 3x3x3/8 angle iron cart. The torch body is a WP-18.

When I bought it the guy had an industrial oil filled water pump inside the tank that ran constantly forcing water through the torch body. When I first set up the unit in my shop, I just did as he suggested and filled the 50 gallon tank about 2/3 full with fresh tap water, turned on the unit and watched the return line for flow and away I went. I used the machine for maybe a week and then didn't turn it on again for several months.

Well the tank is open at the top and water evaporates and before I knew it the level was significantly low but when I looked inside the tank to fill it up again, the water was brown and slick. Turned out the industrial oil filled pump had cracked and the oil escaped contaminating the cooler tank. I then proceeded to take everything apart and clean it. Before I put it all back together I researched how the cooler should be attached and it turned out that he had the flow reversed from what Miller suggests. So now I have everything hooked up correctly, I bought a 300g per hour pond pump and used the necessary reducers to get it down in size to the hose fittings on the machine.

But now all I get out of the water return is a slow drip... drip... drip. How much water should I be getting out of this return? Sometimes when I'm welding with 200+ amps the torch body will still get quite warm but be cool after 5-10 minutes sitting in the holder. I'm a self taught welder and this is my first TIG machine, so I have no baseline info to go off of. If I should be getting a steady flow, I'm not. The torch has 12ft of supply lines that are covered with a leather sleeve.

When I disconnect the pump from the torch lines, it flows like mad. The only thing I can think is the torch body and water supply lines are so restricted (IE small diameter) that water is not moving fast enough.

Thanks in advance for anyone to help answer this question.

Talk soon Travis.

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

PROCON vane pump...

You need pressure and flow that a pond pump simply cannot deliver...

Your best bet is a vane pump like a PROCON carbonator pump..that makes 50-60 PSI & flows 3-4 Quarts per minute...

Here is a build thread you might find helpful..

http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/...ad.php?t=39374

This is the manual for the "Coolmate 3" cooler which is a factory built item that would fit your needs.. and give you an idea of baseline specs...

http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o628n_mil.pdf

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

BTW... you could get by with a much smaller water tank... 3-5 gal would do it... since you are working on bikes... 50 gal is way overkill...

Also bet you would be happier trading that WP-18 for a WP-20 for cycle work....
it will be like switching from a machete to a scalpel.... more precise and fun...
(with the possible exception of case casting repair..)


saw one of your scoots... sort of a cafe-bobber meld like the aussies are getting into... VERY COOL...

http://motorcyclephotooftheday.com/2...-cycles-in-tx/

[WillieB Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close WillieB]

My WP 20? (it said Genuine Heliarc 20 on it) was mostly plugged when I got it. It kept blowing the supply hose off, yet very slow flow in the return line. I took it apart and worked on it with wire and compressed air until it was opened considerably. Using the proper coolant would help.

[snowbird Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close snowbird]

Can the hose be flushed clean ?

Question to the venerable and experimented guys here, from WillieB post i wonder if there is a product or a home-made mixture that can be used to clean all the internal parts of these cooling systems, like it can be done in radiator shops for cars. You know, like a good shot of 94% moonshine...

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

Question to the venerable and experimented guys here, from WillieB post i wonder if there is a product or a home-made mixture that can be used to clean all the internal parts of these cooling systems, like it can be done in radiator shops for cars. You know, like a good shot of 94% moonshine...

I would backflush the torch with clear water... and clean the (Procon) pump strainer...

If there are calcium deposits in the torch head... from running hard water...I would replace it

But I think in this case the OP simply has the WRONG type of pump...

my experience with "Pond Pumps" is that they are high volume low pressure centrifugal pumps....

The tiny hoses and torch passages of a TIG torch needs higher pressure at much lower volume...

just my 2cents worth..

[WillieB Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close WillieB]

Question to the venerable and experimented guys here, from WillieB post i wonder if there is a product or a home-made mixture that can be used to clean all the internal parts of these cooling systems, like it can be done in radiator shops for cars. You know, like a good shot of 94% moonshine...

I think I might chance using radiator flush. 188 proof moonshine would make the project more fun, don't waste it in the cooler.