Liquid cooled TIG torch, changing the coolant in the pump cooling unit, here CoolMate from Miller
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- Опубликовано: 30 авг 2017
- If you use a TIG torch that is liquid cooled, ADVISE NOT TO USE WATER, you need to regularly change the liquid coolant in order to avoid degradation that will eventually result in oxidation or scaling in the cooling unit, this will cause irreparable damages. There are two types of coolant, one that is formulated to resist high frequency usage in lots of welders that has high frequency start or high frequency in order to keep the arc when welding aluminium in the AC mode, second mode is where aluminium is in the path of the coolant, like liquid cooled Push-Pull guns in MIG machines.
The change needs to be made about every year or so in lighter conditions it’s possible but not recommended to stretch a little…
Every machine and model is different but the principle stays the same, with an inlet for coolant, a pump, a filter, a retention tank, etc… The procedure demonstrated here is applicable to many other products…
My Friend Philippe RUclips Channel:
Phil’s Projects
Here the machine is a Miller Dynasty 350, this machine I’ve had for at least more than 12 years, never had any issues with it… 😉
The cooling unit is a CoolMate 3.5 also from MillerWelds
Thanks for viewing…
Hope you enjoyed and please think of leaving a comment, like and also subscribe, this is a great way to show your appreciation to the work involved in producing all those videos…
Pierre Beaudry
Email:
wledpierre@gmail.com 
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Great video, I'm new to tig welding so all of this is good information.
I'm from Ontario so I'll look up the same fluid you used.
You'll enjoy the precision of TIG welding, not easy to master, though...
I got my antifreeze from a local supplier named Maxigaz in Saint Constant, if you can't get the exact same thing just make sure you use some stuff made for the purpose, avoid at all cost the brands made for automotive as they will cake in the whole system and ruin your cooler...
Thanks for your comment.... 🙂🙂
Appreciate all the tips! Thanks very much :) Yes it's going to be a long road ahead, and many refills of 100% argon, until I get it right, lol. Thanks again. @@pierresgarage2687
Perfect, thanks for the video. Doing annual on my Dynasty 350 now :)
Tools, cars, etc always last longer and better with proper care and maintenance, mostly something as good as a Dynasty 350.... ;)
Thanks for comment, Pierre
That was a cool video. Thanks Pierre.
Hi Harold, always nise to have you come by, Pierre
Been 16 years on my syncrowave 250 coolant (and welder)....time to change it out I guess LOL. I only go through about 2 commercial size bottles of gas per year on that welder and it still works great, even with most of what I weld is aluminum cylinder heads. I guess it's like all good machines, they take a beating!
16 years, You beat me, a little.....
Being retired, the machine is also retired and only works when it feels like it... 😂😉
Those machines are eternal, they just last and last, really reliable.
Thanks for viewing and for your comment
I think I bought my syncrowave 250 dx in early 2000's, probably close to 20 years ago, and I have yet to change the coolant. To be fair, I haven't even touched the welder in close to 5 years.
I'm in the process of lifting the welder off of the coolmate 3x, to try to figure out how I'm supposed to drain it. I haven't been very successful at finding any information about that online or in any books, so I have to do it the hard way, which is part of the reason its been so long.
Do you happen to have the "tig runner" with the coolmate 3x, and if so, do you know where I can find the recommend procedure for draining and flushing? Or do you know what it is?
It occurred to me yesterday to give Miller a call, but I haven't tried that yet.
Been 30+ years on my Hobart cooler on a TR-300-HF without a change in Prestone, cooler temps (-20 +F) and warmer (100+ F) - no problems. I'm upgrading to a Dynasty 280DX so I guess I need to start changing the special fluid every 12 months :) And the pump every ? years? I love progress.
So the jug is "coolant" but does it also protect from freezing temps in an unheated shop?
Looking good Pierre and hello phil
Hi Scott,
Lots of stuff to deal with around here, hard to rest and relax... Sigh...!!!
Trying to clean up in the shop among other projects and making videos...
Thanks to you and Tera, and both of you take good care, Pierre
I have just used RO water for the last change, and I also herd if you are in a cold climate the RV antifreeze would be a good alternative. BUT heck I do not know what I am doing. Mine is a real old and big Miller Tig
The RV or plumbing antifreeze is much less costly than the stuff sold expressly for the purpose, my concerns would be that the coolant for welders have to take into account many factors like, safe for hoses, lubricating the pump, safe for aluminum, low conductivity mostly in systems using high frequency, higher boiling point, protect from freezing in cold areas, anti fungal and not sure if anything more...
If someone is capable of making a technically advanced study in order to find out if all those points are met in a certain type of of the shelf lower cost product, I would welcome the result cause I'm sure we'd all save lots of $$$ in the long run... ;)
The problem with people trying some other solutions is that it may take some time to find out the results either good or bad, and also did the comapny changed the receipe along the years... So many questions...!!!
And, since those coolers are in the range of $1500 or more and parts are times 10 the $$$, I'll play it safe...
Best advice is to stay with what the manufacturer says... Sigh...!!!
Thanks for your input, Pierre
I wish my TIG was cooled but hey - it's about adequate for my needs.. Just a basic #17 torch. You have a very desirable machine there.
Hi Chris, the most important thing about a tool is that it does all you ask from it no regard to the brand or the price... With your setup you should be able to get to about 150 amps, if you need more it's possible for short time emergencies...
I couldn't afford that setup anymore by now, it was bought when I was still at active duty before retirement... Can't get it all at once, the teeth to chew or the money to buy food... lol
Currently working in a shop. Ive been here 3.5 years took over operations by myself in may of last year. In my time here, the coolant has never been changed from what ive seen. My torch is getting rather hot after only welding for a few minutes. Ive never had to do something like this and ive been welding since 2014. Thank you for the video, i currently have 2 of the recommended 3.5L miller high frequency coolant on hand but the remainder is on back order. Im just wondering if it would be alright if i could top up what i have as we have changed many torches over the years resulting in coolant leaking during the change so id say its on the lower end of things or should i just wait for the remainder of my coolant to arrive? Probably a dumb question but i thought id ask. The work i do isnt welding all day every day, its a lot of fabricating and grinding so i might only be welding for an hour a day sometimes more depending on what im doing. Some days i wont even turn the welder on. We are running identical machines.
I would suggest you change the whole quantity at once in order to restore the liquid to original properties, this formula contains some combination of anti corosion, anti fungus and a few other additives that degrade with time. There is the reason we should keep the maintenance schedule, here, the change isn't done every year, since just like you the machine isn't used very often as like in a welding dedicated workstation.
Remember that like with all vehicule, tool, building, good maintenance help stretch the useful life of those items...
Thanks Pierre (and Phil).... My new TIG welder says I can use RV antifreeze, you have an opinion on that? Cheers, Daniel.
Guess that if says that you can use that product, it should be safe....
But here is something I said to another viewer about the considerations to be taken into account about those cooling systems... You can read if you have trouble going to sleep at night... lol
The RV or plumbing antifreeze is much less costly than the stuff sold expressly for the purpose, my concerns would be that the coolant for welders have to take into account many factors like, safe for hoses, lubricating the pump, safe for aluminum, low conductivity mostly in systems using high frequency, higher boiling point, protect from freezing in cold areas, anti fungal and not sure if anything more...
If someone is capable of making a technically advanced study in order to find out if all those points are met in a certain type of of the shelf lower cost product, I would welcome the result cause I'm sure we'd all save lots of $$$ in the long run... ;)
The problem with people trying some other solutions is that it may take some time to find out the results either good or bad, and also did the comapny changed the receipe along the years... So many questions...!!!
And, since those coolers are in the range of $1500 or more and parts are times 10 the $$$, I'll play it safe...
Best advice is to stay with what the manufacturer says... Sigh...!!!
Thanks for your input, Pierre
Have a question? have the same TIG welder wondering why my coolant line keeps blowing up and dont wont to stay cooled ?
Nothing obvious to me, I got this welder since over 15 years and it's doing fine, I'm not using it very often now since i'm retired. There is one VERY important thing to consider when you get your coolant, get the proper type for this welder, either the Miller genuine or one with the same formluation, since in the system there are different materials like aluminium, brass, copper, possiblt some welds from silver solder supplies, the problem is to avoid dieletric conductivity at all cost, this is where the right coolant formula is so important. This product is quite costly, but at least it's safe for you system, if despite using the specified product, you still get issues, I suggest you contatc Miller or your supplier to investigate further. Be sure to never use automotive products in this application.
Hope this helps you solve your issues, Pierre
My Miller dinosaur is valved to hook to tap water and run it pass thru for cooling. i have never had a water cooled torch on it though so never used it.
Before this welder I had a Lincoln Idealarc 300 and used the same principle with the valve and tap water just like you, it causes a little bit of scaling and needs to be addressed once in a while, must depend on how much minerals are in the water, inexpensive, though...
Some problem caused with tap water is theat in the winter here it's real cold and causes some amount of condensation on the electrode and collet system, not recommanded for critical welds since it transforms in vapor when you get back to weld...
@@pierresgarage2687 hey you say you had a Lincoln idealarc Tig 300 I just pick one of those up a couple of weeks ago when you still had it how did you like it
@@tigwelding123 It was a great basic machine, really a smooth ard stable arc with an airplane grade ventilator fan blade, (NOISY....!) In short a machine made to last 100 years+...
Cheers,
Pierre
@@pierresgarage2687 why did you get rid of your Lincoln electric idealarc Tig 300
@@tigwelding123 Got a Dynasty 350 kit, it's kinda much better...
Until it ever needs repair, hopefully not... 😉
My water cooler is pumping very slow can you make a video on troubleshooting issues?
Thanks for viewing and comment, as making a video in a near future, I'm presently kinda recharging my batteries and dealing with more family and day to day issues...
Here are a few things you may check, first, you need to determine if the problem is the pump or the torch, in some cases you may have restrictions around the TIG torch head, it could be mineral deposits or just damages around there or the hose itself, if this is ok, you want to check if there is a filter in your system, is it clean or in proper condition, try circulating without it, look for a worn or squeezed hose or conduct, you may also have limestone deposit if the coolant is not the proper type or overly expired, I've seen some people using car antifreeze in certain systems that would cause clogging, you could have a defective, worn, partially blocked pump...
If you process by elimination of the different parts in the system you'll surely arrive to the one or possibly more causes of the problem.
Hope that even if for now it's impossible to make a video, this will lead you in the right direction in order to diagnose your system...
ATB, Pierre
Hi Pierre First this time, thumbs up
Kinda funny... And, thanks for the thums up... ;)
I have a lots of thumbs upers laying just waiting for you to make some more videos, getter done
If it wasn't for the editing you culd spend your thumbs up much faster... lol
Thanks for the encouragement... Pierre
Thank you Pierre
Nice video Pierre. ...I use distilled water for my tig machine.......reason why is when Phil sends over the hooter girls....they want there thirty sprayed with distilled water and not any chemical coolant....😂
Hummm... Uhmmm....!!! Philippe must be doing things that I'm not aware of, or, he has a secret life that Kristin and I don't know about... lol
Are you sure this needs changing? I mean the coolant in the car is in there for decades and works just fine...
I'm not officially go against the manufacturer's notice, but, this coolant was there for quite some time, it's safe as long as the anticorosion and antifungal properties are still able to keep the coolant safe for the materials of the cooler... This is between you and me... ;)
So you are saying, maple syrup cannot do everything?
Ran out of syrup, went all down my belly... lol
The yrup from here is the BEST IN THE WORLD... ;)
REFRESHING..LOL
Cool...!!! lol
Damn. Not working 😂