On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 21:15:24 GMT, Carla Fong
wrote:

Ignoramus5533 wrote:

I am thinking of making a homemade TIG water cooler. If I buy a
carbonator pump with motor, and I already have a nice condenser heat
exchanger (actually about 20 of little cute 12" ones), then all I need
in addition is a water reservoir (like a 5 gallon bucket), a 24 v
relay to turn on when my welding machine says so, and a little fan to
cool the heat exchanger. I have a lot of such fans. Am I missing
something?

thanks

Nobody has yet commented on the appropriateness of a carbonator pump for
this application -

I think it's a bad idea - carbonator pumps are high speed vane pumps,
(they're not positive displacement but they get unhappy (and hot enough
to boil the water in them) when throttled down...) And generally use a
1/4 or 1/3 HP motor - noisy and consume a lot of power.

For as little flow and pressure as you'll need, a pump from a garden
fountain should be fine - probably cheaper, too if you're buying one new.

Carla

Carbonator pumps ARE what are used for Tig coolers by many
manufactures.

Bernard for example uses Procon carbonator pumps in all their
chillers. They have a bybass valve for pressure relief

Lincolns Magnum line uses a Sureflo diaphram pump, but it too has a
bypass valve for pressure relief.

Garden pumps are "high" volume, low pressure. When you pump water
through a tiny 1/8" hose..you need pressure to be sure that a simple
kink doesnt cause your torch to melt down. 60lPSI is about the normal
pressure for bypass..so Bernards, for example...run up to that range
in normal usage.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner