Welding Tips and Tricks

Has anyone had any issues with the super flex power cable deteriorating from "heat generated" during the tig process. Seems that the problem arises at any "kinks" or pressure areas while developing any higher amps while welding. The problem causes pin hole leaks and cracking of the inner vinyl water hose.
Is one manufacturer/supplier better than the other?

True superflex hoses are not vinyl, but rather a very soft silicone rubber compound. Sounds like you dont have the real thing. CK Worldwide is the standard to beat.

BillE.Dee wrote:Has anyone had any issues with the super flex power cable deteriorating from "heat generated" during the tig process. Seems that the problem arises at any "kinks" or pressure areas while developing any higher amps while welding. The problem causes pin hole leaks and cracking of the inner vinyl water hose.
Is one manufacturer/supplier better than the other?

BillE,

You can get a cover from HTP at a reasonable price. They have 3" and 4". Those sound big, but that is when they are laid flat. They zipper up around the cable/hose. There are some leather ones available, but this is very pliable. I like it. I use the 3" on a ck 17 gas torch with a single hose.

https://www.usaweld.com/Nylon-Zippered- ... ecover.htm

If you have leaks or any small holes in your current hose, you can get just the hose from ck and/or on Amazon.

I would be curious if this is the flex hose on your Everlast? Hard to compare the one I have on my 26 torch that came with my machine, it is a super flex clone from China. I don't use it too much, mostly only for tacking as I leave the finger switch on it. Although the Everlast flex hose looks similar, my CK hose is much more flexible, but it is a 17. I did replace the 26 head with a flex head I got on Amazon, but the hose on my 26 is original.

Oscar wrote:True superflex hoses are not vinyl, but rather a very soft silicone rubber compound. Sounds like you dont have the real thing. CK Worldwide is the standard to beat.

My bad, it is supposedly silicone. I hear silicone, i think of implants.. .
Alan, it is the hose on my everlast and they told me it is a problem caused by the inner copper wire being pressed against the silicone water hose at a kink or if something is laying on the hose.
I suppose that I"m going to have to get a cable from ck and engineer it to fit.

BillE.Dee wrote:I suppose that I"m going to have to get a cable from ck and engineer it to fit.

You might be surprised and it might just fit. The connectors on the Everlast machines are pretty much industry standard.

Me and Everlast certainly have out differences, mine are mostly with their service and support, but their machines are not too bad, providing one gets a good one...the folks that need to return them for service don't seem to be happy campers in at least some cases.

I only have a gas hose on my 26 torch, so different beast all together. But I bet you can just replace it and be done with your problem.

On all my ck superflex cables rather than dishing out for lead covers I use tubular webbing (the stuff rock climbers use for padding rope). It keeps my leads clean and protects them against abrasion which is what tubular webbing is designed for. I used 1 inch but if I were to do it again id use something a little bigger maybe 1.25 or 1.5 inch. Lets just say it was a challenge to get it on my 25 foot lead.

bap_ wrote:On all my ck superflex cables rather than dishing out for lead covers I use tubular webbing (the stuff rock climbers use for padding rope). It keeps my leads clean and protects them against abrasion which is what tubular webbing is designed for. I used 1 inch but if I were to do it again id use something a little bigger maybe 1.25 or 1.5 inch. Lets just say it was a challenge to get it on my 25 foot lead.

I need to try that stuff for my air hoses that get dragged around a lot. Do you have links for the best bang-for-the-buck for tubular webbing? Ebay sellers?

Oscar take a look at this, they have different colors, browse their site

I didn't see any tubular webbing in the categories. Did I miss something? I don't like their pricing anyways. Rather get it straight from the source than the middle main if I can avoid it. It's how I save up money for my toys.

Just browsed around and looks like REI is probably the cheapest at the moment.

https://www.rei.com/search?q=tubular+we ... agesize=90

Anything 40-60 cents per foot of 1 inch is pretty good though. ($1.6 per meter (.48/ft) Looks like 1.5 inch is a bit more expensive, but there is probably some out there that is cheap.

Balance community is also a good place. They're a slackline outfitter.

1 inch: https://www.balancecommunity.com/collec ... 1885004858
1.5 inch: https://www.balancecommunity.com/collec ... 1173525573

I got the one inch on my 25 foot lead like I said. It probably wouldn't happen on a water cooled right though, I'd probably go for the inch and a half. At the cost of 1.5 inch I'd probably just go for a proper tig lead sleeve if the price is similar.

This stuff looks interestesting as well: https://www.balancecommunity.com/produc ... 9149079621

But ya hard to beat 1 inch tubular. Dirtbag cheap lead sleeve. For a 12 ft its like 6 bucks and 25 ft 12 bucks.

LtBadd wrote:Oscar take a look at this, they have different colors, browse their site

How do you tie the ends?

bap_ wrote:Lets just say it was a challenge to get it on my 25 foot lead.

On the cover from HTP it has a zipper along the entire length, the ends are sewn over to allow for a wire tie to be inserted and tightened on the end. That 1" webbing is about 1/2 the cost though. For $25 for a 25' cable, I thought it was worth it. It's really flexible.

I'd say anything under $40 is probably worth a try. I just remember looking at the time, and seeing most commercial options were above my threshold. To each their own. I think a lot of it is preference after that. One plus of the tubular stuff is that it maintains the super flex characteristics. For myself, I'll continue down that route.

bap_ wrote:On all my ck superflex cables rather than dishing out for lead covers I use tubular webbing (the stuff rock climbers use for padding rope). It keeps my leads clean and protects them against abrasion which is what tubular webbing is designed for. I used 1 inch but if I were to do it again id use something a little bigger maybe 1.25 or 1.5 inch. Lets just say it was a challenge to get it on my 25 foot lead.

I dont have the problem with the cable being move across the floor,,they are covered. I was "told" that the inner copper cable is "floating" inside the silicone tubing and at any type of pinch point it is actually rubbing the silicone hose and the current causes it to "weaken" the silicone and it starts to crack..wish I knew how to work this thing, I'd attach a pic

bap, can you rig up something like those "chinese" handcuffs that kids play with to pull the cable thru the tube? I think that there is some type of "puller" used to pull cables. Can't "remember" what the heck they are called...maybe cable pullers from electrical supply outfit.

TraditionalToolworks wrote: How do you tie the ends?

I haven't tied the ends, I work mostly at my bench, since it's 25' it stays close to the torch anyway.

Oscar, the category of BRAIDED SLEEVING is tubular, I like this style because it's light and looks good, admittedly its not for a shop where it would see a lot of abuse

BillE.Dee wrote: bap, can you rig up something like those "chinese" handcuffs that kids play with to pull the cable thru the tube? I think that there is some type of "puller" used to pull cables. Can't "remember" what the heck they are called...maybe cable pullers from electrical supply outfit.

That would be awesome. I don't know of anything. I just gently "milked" the webbing on there for about 30 minutes

bap_ wrote:I'd say anything under $40 is probably worth a try. I just remember looking at the time, and seeing most commercial options were above my threshold. To each their own. I think a lot of it is preference after that. One plus of the tubular stuff is that it maintains the super flex characteristics. For myself, I'll continue down that route.

Yes, many of the commercial covers are like $40-$50, and I agree.

I was kind of surprised that the HTP covers were so reasonable. However it is made in China...like much of the world...let's see how long that lasts with this Wuhan virus...

The HTP cover for a 12 foot hose is only $15.

Anyway, it's all relative, either way will solve the problem.

Today is sure a nice day, I bet it's beautiful on your side of the mountains....

That would be awesome. I don't know of anything. I just gently "milked" the webbing on there for about 30 minutes [/quote]

Look up "wire puller" and maybe a fiberglass rod with extensions..chimney cleaner from yard sale? but then, just how many times do you need something like that?

Thanks for the warning on the 1" tubular webbing being a bit snug. I need to sleeve a new 25' air cooled torch that I just picked up from IOC and hadn't thought about it before this thread reminded me.

I just ordered 30' of 1-1/4" hose from an eBay vendor, should see it in a couple of days.

I've had good success with the cheap denim-type zipper covers. Drag them all over a rough concrete floor all day without any issues...at least not in the couple years I've had them so far. About $0.50 to $1.00 per foot depending on where you get them.

https://www.amazon.com/Welding-Cowboy-Z ... 235&sr=8-4

I had one of those garden hoses that 'shrinks/shrivels' up when you drain 'em, the internal actual rubber? hose inside got a hole in it. I removed the brass ends & removed the center hose. Cut it in half & each half was just long enough for the 12 or 15 ft
(I have 2), (I forget which length mine are, the shortest?)
This stuff is meltable, but I dont get molten slag/metal flying everywnere with TIG.
I secured the ends with the smallest (4 in.) zip ties.
-c-

I just developed a water leak in my power super flex cable right where it exits the connector cover. It's the black covered cable which is about 9 years old. When I contacted CK they informed me deterioration has been seen before. I was surprised when they told me this is natural rubber not silicone that I had thought. If you have old super flex cables you may consider replacing.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:You might be surprised and it might just fit. The connectors on the Everlast machines are pretty much industry standard.

I made this quote above and need to correct myself.

The torch end on my green weenie was standard, but the dinse connector is not. It is not possible to replace the dinse on the torch as it doesn't use a threaded hose end, it's a hose clamp on my Wuhan 26 Everlast torch.

invader28 wrote:I just developed a water leak in my power super flex cable right where it exits the connector cover. It's the black covered cable which is about 9 years old. When I contacted CK they informed me deterioration has been seen before. I was surprised when they told me this is natural rubber not silicone that I had thought. If you have old super flex cables you may consider replacing.

7UOkLwh4RG+Z6QC2%qOjgA.jpg

9 years divided by original cost. =. Worth it!

While all silicone rubber probably isn't the same, it's generally used specifically for it's amazing tolerance to heat, the stuff will withstand intermittent temperatures of like 550 degrees and is will tolerate anything under 400 pretty much indefinitely. I'm not sure how hot those cables get inside, but I still kind of doubt they're using small enough conductors to create THAT much resistance. Maybe I'm wrong and they are willing to allow the conductors to reach those kinds of temperatures in order to create as flexible of a hose as they possible can, but I doubt it.

I'd just replace the hose with a verified CK worldwide superflex hose, perhaps consider putting a zippered cover on to protect it from abrasion and UV and then be done with it, you'll likely not need to replace the hose for a long long time.