Anyone use an aircooled torch rated for over 200 amps?

Does anyone have experience using an air-cooled torch that is capable of more than 200 amps with, say for example, a 250 amp AC/DC welder? I haven't seen too many of them and I'm not totally sold on the idea, but I'd like to purchase a 225LX or 250EX from Everlast, and I really don't want to go water-cooled right off the bat. First off, the expense of a water cooler and accessories is a huge problem for me, secondly, I'm outta space on my welding cart for a cooler, and third, I don't see too much of need for more than 200 amps with my current projects. I like the idea of keeping the less complex air-cooled setup too.

I do have some aluminum projects that I'd like to do in the future using 3/8" thick material, plus the occasional aluminum cylinder head or magnesium engine/trans case, but most of those projects are small and/or few and far between. I would consider building my own water cooler later on, but right now I think my main torch will be a small 150-200amp air-cooled unit from CK for light duty projects.

Here is just an example of what I'm thinking of purchasing later on:
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/pl....campaignId=WZ

Thanks for the help.

Some folks have plumbed their water cooled torch to the faucet and discharge out to their garden.

A CK 210 will do it... it's rated for 200 amps @ 100% duty cycle A/C and D/C so Short runs at higher amps will be OK.
The torch gets pretty warm over 200 amps in A/C but welding for a few minutes and letting it cool works fine. I have a 250ex, a CK 210 and a CK 130. I use the 130 up to 150 amps.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

A CK 210 will do it... it's rated for 200 amps @ 100% duty cycle A/C and D/C so Short runs at higher amps will be OK.
The torch gets pretty warm over 200 amps in A/C but welding for a few minutes and letting it cool works fine. I have a 250ex, a CK 210 and a CK 130. I use the 130 up to 150 amps.

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Is the CK 210 handle very bulky, Zoama?

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Originally Posted by Mr120

Some folks have plumbed their water cooled torch to the faucet and discharge out to their garden.

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That would be me, except I use the floor drain. I like a cool torch myself. Costs next to nothing to rig it up that way, just need to remember to turn on the water.

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Originally Posted by Mr120

Is the CK 210 handle very bulky, Zoama?

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It's not bad but the cable is kinda heavy when it's hanging straight down.
Here are some comparison pics of my torches. I took them to show the difference in cable flexibility .
Attachment 10179Attachment 10180Attachment 10181Attachment 10182Attachment 10183 The last three on the toolbox have a gas lens on them.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

It's not bad but the cable is kinda heavy when it's hanging straight down.
Here are some comparison pics of my torches. I took them to show the difference in cable flexibility .
Attachment 10179Attachment 10180Attachment 10181Attachment 10182Attachment 10183 The last three on the toolbox have a gas lens on them.

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Wow...that superflex cable is well... super flexible.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

A CK 210 will do it... it's rated for 200 amps @ 100% duty cycle A/C and D/C so Short runs at higher amps will be OK.
The torch gets pretty warm over 200 amps in A/C but welding for a few minutes and letting it cool works fine. I have a 250ex, a CK 210 and a CK 130. I use the 130 up to 150 amps.

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That's perfect! Thank you for the info zoama. The superflex cable is really a slick setup! I was planning to use it for my main torch when I can afford it.

Trimline 210 (with superflex cable and flex-neck head, and usually a stubby gas lens front-end setup) is my usually-preferred weapon of choice for my 200 amp @ 60% duty cycle Super200P. I am honesty a little skeptical that it's actually up to doing 200 amps AC @ 100% duty cycle like it's rated. In DC mode, yes I think it could have a chance at doing 200 amps @ 100% duty cycle.

If you get the head too hot, the collet can deform (and basically become ruined). The full-length (non-stubby) front end components can handle a little more power than the stubby stuff. Keeping the EP% low on the A/C balance setting is very important when pushing the limits doing aircooled AC welding. (20% EP is my go-to setting for high-amp AC.)

I have a Weldcraft CS300 Amp Air cooled torch and cable it weighs over 12LBS it is the 25 foot I used it but it was just to heavy had to go back to water cooled torch. The site you gave (http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/pl....campaignId=WZ) is just the torch head the cable is extra and the quick disconnects.

Here is a comparison of a few different torches.
The top is a Lincoln Magnum 26 rated at over 200 amps. It is a club, but it stays cool and works well.
Next is an unknown brand 17 with standard hardware. This is not silicone covered, and it can get toasty even with the long thin neck.
Next is the Everlast WP-17 with stubby hardware. I don't have a lot of hours on it, but so far it works fine and doesn't get too warm.
Last is a WP-20 water cooled. By far the smallest and never gets hot. I like real thin gloves so that is important to me.

Attachment 10196

And here are the lead flex tests.
The Lincoln has a huge one piece cable but it is pretty soft and flexible. The next one is a two piece set (separate power and gas) basically just like a ground cable and aquarium tubing inside a fiberglass sheathing. Next is the Everlast one piece but with a small control wire added, also in fiberglass sheathing. And last is Weldcraft 3 piece water cooled set in a cable cover. I don't remember if this is the standard or deluxe version, but it looks like the vinyl set.

Attachment 10197 Attachment 10198 Attachment 10199 Attachment 10200

None of these are what I would consider light weight cables, but they are all pretty soft.

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Originally Posted by Rambozo

Here is a comparison of a few different torches.
The top is a Lincoln Magnum 26 rated at over 200 amps. It is a club, but it stays cool and works well.
Next is an unknown brand 17 with standard hardware. This is not silicone covered, and it can get toasty even with the long thin neck.
Next is the Everlast WP-17 with stubby hardware. I don't have a lot of hours on it, but so far it works fine and doesn't get too warm.
Last is a WP-20 water cooled. By far the smallest and never gets hot. I like real thin gloves so that is important to me.

And here are the lead flex tests.
The Lincoln has a huge one piece cable but it is pretty soft and flexible. The next one is a two piece set (separate power and gas) basically just like a ground cable and aquarium tubing inside a fiberglass sheathing. Next is the Everlast one piece but with a small control wire added, also in fiberglass sheathing. And last is Weldcraft 3 piece water cooled set in a cable cover. I don't remember if this is the standard or deluxe version, but it looks like the vinyl set.

None of these are what I would consider light weight cables, but they are all pretty soft.

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Thanks for your input Rambozo. I like welding with thin gloves as well, but I have found that a larger torch is easier to hold, even with slightly thicker gloves. I like the idea of the flexible cables, so I'll check my options when it comes time to make a purchase.

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Originally Posted by Kempy

I have a Weldcraft CS300 Amp Air cooled torch and cable it weighs over 12LBS it is the 25 foot I used it but it was just to heavy had to go back to water cooled torch. The site you gave (http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/pl....campaignId=WZ) is just the torch head the cable is extra and the quick disconnects.

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The weight of the larger torch was a big concern for me and most of the reason I posted this topic. My hands won't take too much stress and a 12lb. torch with cables can't be easy on your hands! I know I'll have to bite the bullet later and move to water-cooled, but it'd be nice to sneak around that for a while so I could still do small jobs and projects that require more amps.

I've only welded on 250-300 amp water-cooled machines (the blue ones), or the little red Lincoln 185 Tig at work that was air-cooled. I remember that torch getting only a little warm on long sheet metal (10ga) welds (several feet in stretchout, with cooling breaks every few minutes), but it got REALLY hot just simply doing a few small welds on some aluminum heads I modified years back. I had to preheat the living heck out of them first by leaving them in front of the soldering furnace, then I had a coworker run the rosebud over them as I welded at full throttle. In reality, EVERYTHING on or near the tabletop was hot when I welded that job, not just the torch! It gave me a little bit of a clue as to what I could expect on heavy aluminum projects with the small air-cooled torch though.;)

I would certainly run the longer (standard) length collets and front end parts as Jake mentioned. Anything to increase the odds in my favor! Plus they seem to be easier to get (after checking out the inventory of my local Matheson store).