whensparksfly
Member
- Messages
- 661
- Location
- ireland
will a washing machine pump for a tig torch water cooler ive read threads never seen it use have old one going to try it tomorrow .what do you all think
- Thread starter whensparksfly
- Start date
madkayaker
Pro sparkey Pro Welder
- Messages
- 13,678
Can't see why not
super noob
Member
- Messages
- 889
You could buy my TIG it comes with a new ish Parawled cooler 
Wallace
Member
- Messages
- 7,769
- Location
- Staines, Middlesex, England.
The lines to the torch/in the torch are quite small and generate too much pressure drop for some pumps. I used a central heating pump (cheapest one from screwfix) - and it does about 7m head maximum, I get a relatively low flow but it's quite sufficient to keep the WP20 torch I have cool to over 100A (haven't tried it a lot further).
A washing machine pump has something like 1 to 1.5m head - I don't think that'd work.
As for feed into the pump, I sat my reservoir about 10 inches above the inlet to the pump, no problem at all. The return from the torch comes back into that reservoir.
A washing machine pump has something like 1 to 1.5m head - I don't think that'd work.
As for feed into the pump, I sat my reservoir about 10 inches above the inlet to the pump, no problem at all. The return from the torch comes back into that reservoir.
whensparksfly
Member
- Messages
- 661
- Location
- ireland
well what pump to use then
normspanners
Member
- Messages
- 8,853
you could pick up an electric pump from a car they are fitted to some as auxiliary cooling or used for egr cooling systems, they have 16mm ish hose tails and create a fair pressure you would just need a power supply an old computer ps would do. or maybe one of these will do water as well up to 11psi
the repair man
Member
- Messages
- 340
I have several 240v high pressure water pumps, give me an idea of l.p.m required, budget ( they are all pretty cheap ) any other info.
I'd guess the average power of the ones I have will be 10-20 times that of a washing machine pump.
I'd guess the average power of the ones I have will be 10-20 times that of a washing machine pump.
from http://www.weldcraft.com/pdfs/WP20ENG.pdf which is fairly typical of other brands for example Binzel say
whensparksfly
Member
- Messages
- 661
- Location
- ireland
the washing machine pump dose not work not enough pressure worth a try
After similar research, I've just bought a 12v 3bar diaphragm pump thats spec'd to 3bar and 1.8L min flow rate for 25 quid off ebay france from a boating supply place, although I think the same setup is available as a whale type pump for a caravan/motorhome.
I'm using this, a car heater matrix and a small fan along with a plastic tank to build mine.
I'm using this, a car heater matrix and a small fan along with a plastic tank to build mine.
whensparksfly
Member
- Messages
- 661
- Location
- ireland
got a pump today of my neighbor believe it or not. puts out 35psi ill put pics when it get it together
Cut and pasted Water cooled torches require cooling water flow of 1 quart (.94 liter)
to 1 1/2quarts (1.4 liters) per minute at a maximum of 50 PSI pressure.
The pressure required is determined by the length of hose
the flow by the heat output
the 50 psi is the pressure limit of the hose.
That flow is for sustained maximum amps of the biggest torch.
8m to 10m(15psi) head gives about 0.9l /min with a 4m hose length.
with 12m hose lengths your will be close to the limits of the hose as you will 45psi.
lower duty cycle (over a few minutes) or shorter hoses mean you can use smaller pumps.
I have no problems with my WP20 weld 2metre seams of 1.5mm ally in a single go. I have a plastic pump off ebay developing 7m head with 4m hoses. There is only an ally tank with 7 to 10L of fluid no dedicated cooler. This was tested with a bare finger on the neck of the WP20 after the weld it felt barely warm
to 1 1/2quarts (1.4 liters) per minute at a maximum of 50 PSI pressure.
The pressure required is determined by the length of hose
the flow by the heat output
the 50 psi is the pressure limit of the hose.
That flow is for sustained maximum amps of the biggest torch.
8m to 10m(15psi) head gives about 0.9l /min with a 4m hose length.
with 12m hose lengths your will be close to the limits of the hose as you will 45psi.
lower duty cycle (over a few minutes) or shorter hoses mean you can use smaller pumps.
I have no problems with my WP20 weld 2metre seams of 1.5mm ally in a single go. I have a plastic pump off ebay developing 7m head with 4m hoses. There is only an ally tank with 7 to 10L of fluid no dedicated cooler. This was tested with a bare finger on the neck of the WP20 after the weld it felt barely warm
I thought about a ally tank but wondered if the antifreeze in the tig coolant would react with it as methanol and alloy dont mix and produce a white deposit which flakes and blocks things over time. You can buy dedicated alloy safe antifreeze for car engines (rover v8) so I guess you can buy a tig fluid with the same properties. Haven't looked into that side of it yet.
you can use the antifreeze for solar heating - propylene glycol
