What water cooled torch setup for syncrowave 180SD?

[[486]]

get a #20, it's a li'l tiny #9 with water going through it
you will not overheat it at 300a, even though it is "rated" for 200a

 

[CarterKraft]

get a #20, it's a li'l tiny #9 with water going through it
you will not overheat it at 300a, even though it is "rated" for 200a

I'll check it out for sure.

 

[tracyb]

cliffs
You: didn't go to school for welding, learned from internet friends

i didn't, and yes

Me: certified in the trade since 94

this flex is as weak as your 30yrs doing it wrong. me since '07. fucking certs are a joke you might have had to earn it uphill both ways 30yrs ago. now any kid off the street can pass structural within a week. certs dont take schooling

when do certs matter? they dont. i quit with certs as soon as i went on my own. have done water and gas xray, local .gov and .mil never been asked to show a cert.

but go ahead and call the bs

some bs, mostly that you are ignorant of the reason why -your redneck engineering- 'works'
what was your point?


keeping on track with the thread...

dont do what this guy does. but as he has made clear as long as there is water in the system you'll be fine.

 

[SomeGuyFromOlympia]

i didn't, and yes

this flex is as weak as your 30yrs doing it wrong. me since '07. fucking certs are a joke you might have had to earn it uphill both ways 30yrs ago. now any kid off the street can pass structural within a week. certs dont take schooling

when do certs matter? they dont. i quit with certs as soon as i went on my own. have done water and gas xray, local .gov and .mil never been asked to show a cert.


some bs, mostly that you are ignorant of the reason why -your redneck engineering- 'works'
what was your point?


keeping on track with the thread...

dont do what this guy does. but as he has made clear as long as there is water in the system you'll be fine.

Hey, you can win whatever argument you are trying to have
again missed my point

 

[Isdtbower]

Some of us are main panel poor. With the Dynasty 300, I have rarely, but have, broken the 50 amp/220 breaker. The cost to run copper from the main to the welder position was crucial in the decision between a new inverter and transformer machine. A friend got a BIG Miller transformer machine in a trade but we couldn't even weld up a cracked 15" alum wheel wheel. He has to pull about 200' of new line...underground. We are encouraging listing the transformer machine, and staying under 250 inverter amps. His buddy has a Big machine with huge panel amps for that other rare occasion. Coolers seem to add 4-5 amps. If you have the power, Coolers and transformer machines may fit a budget easier. Transformer machines seem to take a person with a PHD to figure out all the knobs and settings. The newer inverters are way easier to understand and adjust. Just things to consider if making more choices above consumables. I mention this only because the bandwidth here seems to be growing.

 

[tracyb]

Hey, you can win whatever argument you are trying to have
again missed my point

there is no argument that the way your coolling your torch is retarded.
literally nobody knows your point and i have asked twice now. your being obtuse and have added nothing of value to this thread.


the only one with nothing helpful to add in this thread yet here you are. fuck off back to chit chat.

 

[arse_sidewards]

there is no argument that the way your coolling your torch is retarded.
literally nobody knows your point and i have asked twice now. your being obtuse and have added nothing of value to this thread.


the only one with nothing helpful to add in this thread yet here you are. fuck off back to chit chat.

Good at welding

Smart and articulate

Pick one.

 

[bdkw1]

Good at welding

Smart and articulate

Pick one.

No!

 

[Isdtbower]

Seems like if you are a everyday welder or one that rolls a cart some distance, then the $300-1000 cooler makes sense.

If you are the occasional TIG welder, and can remember to turn on the water, a faucet is fine.

IN my case, I use the Dynasty almost as much for ARC welding. There are so many good rods for stainless, hardening, tool steels, and etc... They are so easy to control from a metallurgical stand-point.... if you don't need the visual TIG perfection. Fast set-up, and pretty straight forward. One sentence on the holder and two settings is all you need. DC+- and amps. Maybe some preheat and cooling.

A great auto helmet makes a huge difference in seeing where you start and where you are going. I was surprised at the difference in color and visibility from the top helmets. I finally got one that is awesome for aluminum. It was comparable to the $30 asian but $300 to be cool. Other $300+ that others swear by were not the same for me. Only in gas welding have I been able to see well with steels. I think that old school experience made it easier to transition to TIG.

 

[PAToyota]

Some of us are main panel poor. With the Dynasty 300, I have rarely, but have, broken the 50 amp/220 breaker.

This is what always makes me laugh when people are asking about running power to a garage/workshop and people start saying "there's no need for more than 50/60A service for a single person in a home garage...

With what people are doing in "home garages" these days that just won't cut it anymore.

 

[CarterKraft]

I was fixing to buy a 17 air cooled torch but remembered this thread and the 20 was superior as it is smaller and more amperage

So the question is... Does the water lines hinder the small size of the torch?
As an example all the fabrication type dudes I see on youtube doing chassis work appear to be using 9 or 17s

If you are just doing 1.5" or 1.75" chassis tubing the water cooling isn't helping a bunch?

 

[mjlogan88]

If you are just doing 1.5" or 1.75" chassis tubing the water cooling isn't helping a bunch?

I think that depends on how proficient you are, especially tube work.

Me (not very proficient), doesn't matter. I've got enough "off" time where I'm dicking around trying to get into position that the torch doesn't heat soak. Guys that are quicker might heat soak the torch more, but no matter how good you are at chassis work it is relatively low duty cycle and amperage.

 

[CarterKraft]

I think that depends on how proficient you are, especially tube work.

Me (not very proficient), doesn't matter. I've got enough "off" time where I'm dicking around trying to get into position that the torch doesn't heat soak. Guys that are quicker might heat soak the torch more, but no matter how good you are at chassis work it is relatively low duty cycle and amperage.

Maybe I get a #9 and a #20 later on to replace my #18.
The #18 just sucks regardless, the 20 looks like it would replace my 18 no problem on all but the thickest aluminum jobs.

 

[tac1]

Maybe I get a #9 and a #20 later on to replace my #18.
The #18 just sucks regardless, the 20 looks like it would replace my 18 no problem on all but the thickest aluminum jobs.

Just to clarify, hopefully I don't screw this up

-#9 and 17 are air cooled

-#18 and #20 are water cooled

-#9 and 20 are roughly the same size and smaller than 17/18

-#17 and 18 are roughly the same size

If you think the #18 sucks the 17 is basically the same size just air cooled

#9 is only rated ~120amps

For most home or motorsports fab guys the #20 torch is perfect. Small size, easily handles 250amps I take mine over 300amps daily but only starting on thicker aluminum. If you already have a good cooler and aren't doing 1/2" aluminum, the #20 is the way to go. Unless you are doing field work or something where dragging the cooler around is a pain

 

[Bebop]

#20 gang

Love my CK flex head.

 

[CarterKraft]

#20 gang

Love my CK flex head.

Flex better than swivel? Never had a swivel but my current #18 handle is a flex and I like it.

 

[mjlogan88]

Yeah I'd go with the smaller torch too. I put a CK 17 on mine to replace the stock lincoln torch and wish I went with a 9

 

[CarterKraft]

Just to clarify, hopefully I don't screw this up

-#9 and 17 are air cooled

-#18 and #20 are water cooled

-#9 and 20 are roughly the same size and smaller than 17/18

-#17 and 18 are roughly the same size

If you think the #18 sucks the 17 is basically the same size just air cooled

#9 is only rated ~120amps

For most home or motorsports fab guys the #20 torch is perfect. Small size, easily handles 250amps I take mine over 300amps daily but only starting on thicker aluminum. If you already have a good cooler and aren't doing 1/2" aluminum, the #20 is the way to go. Unless you are doing field work or something where dragging the cooler around is a pain

#20 gang

Love my CK flex head.

You guys got me wondering is it my cables/hoses/sheath what is bumming me out?
The weight of the "cord" is whats aggregating.

I assume that is smaller/lighter on the #20?

 

[Bebop]

I have the CK "superflex" hoses with the torch. Braided the hoses and put a nice cover over them, I find it super flexible and not too heavy.

 

[tac1]

You guys got me wondering is it my cables/hoses/sheath what is bumming me out?
The weight of the "cord" is whats aggregating.

I assume that is smaller/lighter on the #20?

Here is a picture of a #9 versus a #20, obviously the 20 has more lines but the sheath cover is similar overall od. The weight isn't really that noticeable between the two.

If you want the #20 in the picture I'd send it to you it is a nova brand that came with my 325ext it doesn't have the correct connectors for my cooler and doesn't have the same threads as my #20 ck stuff. I'll likely never use it, I prefer the ck torches

 

[tracyb]

Flex better than swivel? Never had a swivel but my current #18 handle is a flex and I like it.

I much prefer the flex head (bendy) over the flex lock (hard joint that swivels).

keeping the flex lock joint tight means more fucking around with it when trying to get the angle right. the flex lock is also shorter brings heat closer to your hand.

the bendy head will fail after so much use, so I always keep a spare on hand.

 

[CarterKraft]

Here is a picture of a #9 versus a #20, obviously the 20 has more lines but the sheath cover is similar overall od. The weight isn't really that noticeable between the two.

If you want the #20 in the picture I'd send it to you it is a nova brand that came with my 325ext it doesn't have the correct connectors for my cooler and doesn't have the same threads as my #20 ck stuff. I'll likely never use it, I prefer the ck torches

IN! PM sent

 

[CarterKraft]

Update...

I got the #20 torch from tac1 installed.

It feels orders of magnitude lighter than my 18...

I didn't think hard enough how to measure that but when I was putting the 18 in the box the 20 came in it hit me. Id just weight the whole box and compare to the USPS shipping weight.
Both of these are empty of water and the 20 did not have cup, backcap, gas lense or collet but I weighed those items at 1.4 oz.

So the 20 torch weighs 4lb-14.6 oz
The 18 weighs 9 lb even.

In the box that 4 lbs feels like a big deal.

The 18 has a nylon ck style torch cover and doesn't have the ultra flex hoses. After messing with 20 that does have ultra flex hoses I suspect the hoses make as much of a improvement as the overall weight.

So I haven't welded with it yet but the feel of the 20 ultra flex is bad ass, if you are buying a water cooled setup get the 20 with ultra flex hoses.

Thanks tac1

 

[Brad]

The ultra flex hoses are nicer because they are softer and don’t have the rigidness. You are also never holding the whole weight of the entire hoses

 

[Isdtbower]

I do a lot of standing TIG work. The soft hoses can be thrown over the shoulder to carry most of the weight. Kind of a game changer when you can't prop easily.

 

[[486]]

I do a lot of standing TIG work. The soft hoses can be thrown over the shoulder to carry most of the weight. Kind of a game changer when you can't prop easily.

I usually wrap it round my wrist

up on a ladder though flopping a loop over the shoulder does help

 

[CarterKraft]

Plot twist, I attempted to weld with the new torch tonight but the pump would.not run. Got lucky that I sort of realized I didn't hear it and stopped.

Trying to manually purge the pump via holding the "process" button but the pump won't run. I see some references on goog that there is a torch sense circuit, so my low level couch troubleshooting says maybe the new torch fails the "sense" circuit.
Any idea what that's about?
I'm gonna jumper the in/out fittings to see if it just needs continuity or what.

Picture from the web.

 

[Isdtbower]

The ultra flex hoses are nicer because they are softer and don’t have the rigidness. You are also never holding the whole weight of the entire hoses

I have a complete extra 25ft set in the box next to the Dynasty. Cause I forget to turn on the water....... and 25 ft away. I did splice in a water wheel so I can verify that water is, infact, going up the hose. When that stuff gets wet it does tingle......I don't remember that happening with rubber/plastic. (AC Tig)

 

[CarterKraft]

Booby trap was found. The replacement fittings I got to adapt the Nova torch to the Syncrowave cooler are not shaped correctly to depress the check valves in the bulkhead fittings. Maybe one was and one wasn't because I did visually see the torch prime before connecting the red hose.

At any rate I put the fittings in the lathe and tuned up the taper to allow them to seat deeper in the bore.

Here's the check valves and a pic of the wires that connect to the sensor, still no clue how that works but as you install the blue fitting to the cooler you can hear a relay click on off as the connection is made.

 

[[486]]

oops did you burn up the power lead from no cooling flow?

they only got like a 10ga strand of copper inside the water cooled lead