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Straight answers to the questions people ask when choosing options such as coolers, feeders, cables and trolleys for a high-current MIG power source.
Use the coolant the cooler and torch makers recommend. Plain tap water conducts electricity, encourages corrosion and scale, and can block the torch. Car antifreeze should not be used because it can clog the lines.Do not mix water into a pre-mixed coolant. Check the level regularly, change the coolant on the maker's schedule and read the label, as some coolants suit some processes only. Your cooler handbook gives the approved type.
Coolers normally include a flow switch or sensor. If the flow drops, for example from a kinked hose, a blocked line or low level, it signals the power source to stop welding so the torch does not overheat.Before striking an arc, run the coolant and check hoses and fittings for leaks while it is flowing. Look for cracks, bulging or soft spots. Leaking coolant near the torch is also an electric shock risk, so stop and fix leaks straight away. Keep the cooler's fins and fan clean and check the level every day.
A cable between the power source and a separate wire feeder usually carries the welding current, a control signal and the shielding gas, and on water-cooled versions the coolant hoses as well. A loose welding connection can overheat, so tighten each connector fully as the handbook says.Maximum length depends on the maker, the process and the cable size, because long runs cause voltage loss. Do not join cables together unless the handbook allows it. Use the length the maker specifies for your machine.
The water-cooled version includes coolant hoses so that the cooler can supply the torch through the feeder, while the air-cooled one does not. The two are not normally interchangeable, because the connections and the cable construction are different.Choose the version that matches how your torch is cooled. Check that it also suits your power source and feeder, because connectors and control wiring differ between machines. The handbook for your power source lists the matching cable types.
