Water-Cooled MIG Guns For High-Amperage Applications
Three Tweco-brand welding guns from ESAB offer comfortable high-performance operation when working with large-diameter cored, solid, and aluminum wire and long-reach applications.
Posted: December 30, 2020
Water-cooled guns weigh an average of 38% less than comparably rated air-cooled guns, but cost more. However, their cooling capabilities double consumables life, which halves the amount of downtime spent on refills. A cooler-running gun also reduces or eliminates the ‘stick-slip’ phenomena that occurs when components overheat and seize the wire. A more stable arc also lowers spatter, which doesn’t adhere as readily, so there’s less need to clean the nozzle and less risk of shielding gas turbulence.
The Fusion Pro (7W and 9W) and MXH 420W PP water-cooled guns from Tweco, an ESAB (Annapolis Junction, MD) brand, promote all-day operator comfort in high-heat applications like pulsed MIG welding and welding with large-diameter cored, solid, and aluminum wires.
The Fusion Pro 7W is rated at 450A at 100% duty cycle with mixed gas and 500A at 100% duty cycle with CO2. The 9W is rated at 500A at 100% duty cycle with mixed gas and 550A at 100% duty cycle with CO2. The 9W’s dual-circuit cooling system brings water all the way to the seat of the gas nozzle and the conductor tube. The guns are available with 10-, 12-, and 15-foot cables; and the back-end can be configured for Tweco-style, Euro-style, and competitive wire feeder connections.
The Fusion Pro’s ergonomic design with rubberized soft-grip areas promotes a sure grip while minimizing hand fatigue. Knuckle joints and spring supports at the gun/cable transition point reduce wrist strain by improving flexibility. Tweco’s M series threaded contact tips are available in pure copper (Ecu) or a premium CuCrZr alloy that resists wear so operators can weld longer on a single tip.
The MXH 420W PP (for push-pull), rated at 400A at 100% duty cycle with mixed gas, delivers consistent wire feeding over long distances and for challenging situations with soft and smaller-diameter wires at feed speeds up to 26.5 feet per second (FPS). The plug-and-play gun works with any ESAB 3004 feeder system (Aristo, Origo, or Warrior) by using the MXH adapter.
The MXH’s pistol grip enables the operator to adjust wire feed speed at the gun for even more control. Feed rolls are easily replaced, and the strong feeding mechanism provides positive performance with 20- and 33-foot cables. PSF wear parts include long-lasting contact tips made from a CuCrZr alloy.
