Anyone ever use.......

A heater core for a tig welder cooler heat exchanger? Hope this is okay in the race section as this is where I lurk and it seems like similar topics come up here once in a while.
Wondering if it will be enough. I think it will except for maybe thick aluminum. I scored an older Esab 300 amp welder minus cooler a couple of weeks ago. Has a new water cooled torch with it.

The nice thing about it is the torch head is so much smaller than my air cooled unit on my Lincoln percision tig 185.

I know someone on here has built their own cooler. Just wondering what you may have used for a heat exchanger. A/C evaporator maybe if a heater core isn't enough. I already got a brass pump off ebag dirt cheap and a motor. Any help would be appreciated. Beep

take this fwiw. i have a syncrowave 250 that i built a cooler into. i used a stainless food tray, B&M plate type trans cooler and a carpet cleaner pump. imho you need a pump capable of decent pressure i'm guessing at least 20# because the fittings and hose for the water torch are small. iirc the pump i used makes around 30#. i mounted the cooler under the machine so the internal fan draws air through it. i also installed a hobbs type pressure switch inline so if for any reason the machine looses pressure it shuts down the output to keep from damaging the leads or torch.

i see no reason why a heater core won't work, i don't think it really needs to shed a lot of heat. i use a HW-20 torch with water and a CK-9 with a superflex cable for gas cooled.

Thanks Jim,
I just bought a procon pump that is normally used on a carbonator for a soda fountain that is capable of 100gph at 170 psi. It has a adjustable regulator on it so I can tame it down.
I was looking at youtube videos and seen one made with a stainless food tray, a heater core, and this type pump and just wanted a first hand user to tell me how theirs worked. Sounds like yours should be really similar with the trans cooler.
I like the idea of the Hobbs switch.
I also have a 20 series torch on this machine and it looks to be practically new. Thanks for your input. Beep

About 2 years ago my cooler went out and I burnt up my leads, I bought new leads and hooked it up to my city water with a valve I can adjust. It has never been better. I don't think I will buy another cooler.

My 300 amp Airco had a 30 gal tank on it... the whole
bottom of the machine was a cooling tank... never had
to look into putting a cooler on it

I have used well water for 15 years never any problem, very little water used. My new to me Miller Gold Star has a 15 gallon tank and is better for moving around the shop.You do need enough line pressure like the other guy said.

I bought a miller off the bag for 80.00, not worth building. TIm

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Thanks Jim,
I just bought a procon pump that is normally used on a carbonator for a soda fountain that is capable of 100gph at 170 psi. It has a adjustable regulator on it so I can tame it down.
I was looking at youtube videos and seen one made with a stainless food tray, a heater core, and this type pump and just wanted a first hand user to tell me how theirs worked. Sounds like yours should be really similar with the trans cooler.
I like the idea of the Hobbs switch.
I also have a 20 series torch on this machine and it looks to be practically new. Thanks for your input. Beep

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Be real careful with a Procon pump, if its brass its 250 psi not 170. That regulator you talk about is nothing more than a bypass. (same as an oil pump) A Procon pump is whats called a positive displacement pump, what goes in must come out. If you restrict it to much bad things happen, the carbon vanes will blow apart and go into your torch, then you got major problems. Ive got 32 years experience installing soda systems, and would not recomend using it.