How to convert to water cooled TIG torch?

Date 12-29-2006 06:18

Hoping you all can help a newbie out. I'm picking up my "new to me" Lincoln PT185 tomorrow. It has the type 17 aircooled torch but at some point in the future I'd like to convert it to a water cooled torch. I have no plans to purchase a water cooler and will probably just build one myself. What I don't know is what type of torch to buy. eBay has tons of water cooled torches but I have questions. How do they connect to the welder itself? Will there be standard Dinse type connectors already on the torch? etc, etc. etc.

Thanks for any pointers!

By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 12-29-2006 14:14

Why do you think it even needs a water cooled torch?? Water cooled torches are great, when they are needed. If this is for your garage and you will be welding things here and there, not 3 or 5 hours straight every day, you really don't even need the water cooled option. I used to run a 175 lincoln, with a 200 amp air cooled torch, wide open AC welding aluminium. I could weld many feet of weld joint before the torch would get too hot. Then you let it sit for a little while, or you can go as far as putting an air line (at low pressure) into the gas fitting and let it flow air through it as you take a break. If you do use that option, be sure to purge before welding again. Long story short, I used it for over 2 years and never had a problem with the torch

By CarmenElectrode Date 01-03-2007 00:12

It's actually fairly easy to upgrade to a water cooled TIG torch.
You'll need a Water cooler, and of course a torch-- the 20 series torch is the most popular.
Check out this article:
http://www.thefabricator.com/ArcWelding/ArcWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1275

Hope that helps!

By flatwins (*)

Date 01-03-2007 18:59

Great article! Since I just got the machine and don't plan to do huge amounts of welding I'll run with the air torch for awhile. But at some point in the future I'd like to try assemble a water cooled rig.

thanks again,
Steve

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-03-2007 19:34

If you are in a garage or even a shop with a floor drain there is absolutly nothing stopping you from hooking a water cooled torch into a garden hose or something similar and just letting the water flow down a drain or into the yard. As long as the project is not too large your just fine. Since you say your not doing a huge amount of welding this is a definate option and way cheaper than a closed cooling system.

Plenty of fabricators use this option. The drawbacks are

Waste of water on large projects

Hard water clogging the torch head over time

HW/WP 20 style water cooled torches are rated to run over 250 amps now a days so thats a good choice.