new TIG torch question

I assume one can run a water cooled torch on small amp projects without the water hookup?

Reply to
Pintlar
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Very risky. A 200 amp water cooled torch can only handle about 90 - 100 amps without water and even that might melt the insulation.

An actual air cooled torch has a much heavier conductor and insulation.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Absolutely positively not, unless by low amps you mean less than 10A. The power conductor on a water cooled torch is also water cooled and vastly smaller than a non water cooled equivalent. Without the cooling water flow that power conductor will overheat and at the very least melt through the hose it's in, destroying the torch cable.

Reply to
Pete C.

I have a weldcraft 350 amp water cooled torch, and was told by a very reputable repair facility here in atl, not to run it without water in it, well my cooler had stopped and I said wth, I did one very small 30 minute aluminum job at about 70-80 amps and literally melted the connection inside the torch going to the handle and lost connection, had to replace the inner cooled cable

Reply to
notat

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