Cooling Liquid in a K40 Laser / What i use

What Cooling Agent to use with a K40 Laser?
Its been over a year now since i last changed the cooling water for my K40 Laser. I will show you what components i use for keeping my laser cool and what additive i use.
In addition it was the right opportunity to fix an issue i had with the thermometer and clean up the fan. By the way i still use the original fan the laser came with. Even it is the most cheap piece of plastic you can probably find, it still works fine.
Below i added some links where i got the PC Water Cooling
Radiator and Fans such as The Flow indicator:
PC Radiator: ebay.to/2Vlp9Kf
Fan: ebay.to/2ZpWhjg (you will need 2)
Flow Indicator: ebay.to/2Dt8z0K
G1/4 Thread Tube Fitting: ebay.to/2DppmSE
G1/4 Inner Outer 90 Degree Rotary Adapter: ebay.to/2IAtnaO
Digital LCD Thermometer: ebay.to/2VY2wsx
Temperature sensor (the ones i had ordered seem to be gone, but these are even better): ebay.to/2vhWwiu
Boiler Antifreeze Glycol: amzn.to/2GyqxAR
You will find silicone tubing at your local aquarium store.
I hope you enjoyed this video!
There are more videos about the K40 Laser and other interesting Projects on my Channel!
/ kennnix
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[@beyonddeath123]

would have the hot liquid from your laser tube go directly to rad, as the larger the D-t the more effective that radiator will be at cooling, since the coolest it could possibly achieve is ambient. Effectively what you are doing is creating a large heat mass that must heat up before the rad starts doing much cooling. steady state it probably works out to the same, ,but for short jobs the flipped arrangement will result in lower temps.

[@DrFiero]

Great tips! I'm just setting my system up, and pre-planning everything still. One thing I see myself adding is a large clear plastic fuel filter to the system to collect debris!

[@Guyfromhe]

Thanks, just ordered the flow meter and temp sensor.. Going to be my first upgrade when it gets here.. Hopefully many more to come

[@istvanmaasz6771]

temps will drop more if you put your cooler before the tank, the larger the delta, the more the cooler can dissipate heat

[@prettycleaver]

Good thing your using silicone tubes but other things you have plastic parts in your system. Glycol has a chemical reaction to pvc and some plastic. Cool if you want a chemical reaction BAD if you want a working system.

[@MancaveEffects]

You are absolutely right, the box that houses the glycol mixture is therefore made of Polyethylene, the flow sensor is also resistant against glycol as it is also used in computer cooling systems. On the other hand is the solution pretty diluted, i never saw any part to become somehow sticky or show signs of any reaction but it could react with certain plastics and metals over time.

[@pgabrieli]

do you realize that a PC cooling radiator setup like that will never be able to drop the water temperature BELOW your room temperature? so unless your room is at around 18 degrees or less (and it ain't since you're showing temps around 26 degrees on your meter - which is WAY TOO WARM for your laser tube), you ain't cooling much at all, you're just moving lukewarm water around :-D

[@duster.]

Hi, I bought a K40 laser earlier this year and my manual says to change the coolant weekly. I bought a water distiller and use distilled water also suggested in my manual.

[@MancaveEffects]

Sure, changing the cooling water more frequently will be better for your system. However until now changing it once a year did not caused any problems to my laser.

[@ronpaul2012robust]

i use fish tank algea tablets in my system and it kept it clean for 3 years.

[@jamiewilliams6763]

Any suggested brand?

[@Ramesh-j3k]

Which chemical need use for cooling co2 laser machine

[@Andreas-gh6is]

Es gibt Aquarianer die auf UV-C Licht schwören. Das killt Schwebealgen und wahrscheinlich noch eine Menge anderer Sachen. Aber nur um nicht alle paar Wochen/Monate das Wasser wechseln zu müssen ist das sicherlich overkill.

[@cofa4011]

Weirdest miso soup recipe i've seen. Thanks again for the great advices :)

[@1991apfel]

I rekomend using pc coolant it has a anti algae and a anti corrosion agent in it. Glycol don't work efficient below 50°c....

[@rickmerd2411]

Very useful to me. Thanks!!

[@EmBoLabe]

@Mancave Effects, ik ben een beetje vast met koeling, heb gedestilleerd water gekocht maar voor de winter raden de mensen anti-vries aan, nu heb ik Puur anti-vries concentraat gekocht EN Koelvloeistof beide van GAMMA, Wat moet ik gebruiken voor de winter? Groetjes

[@TalmadgesArcade]

Thank you for sharing

[@ronpaul2012robust]

as long a air is not causing a vapor lock you will be fine with some bubbles.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

The bubbles should also gradually be absorbed by the water pass through the tube over time.

[@billwade8724]

Really enjoying your series and plan to do the same as you on several of your mods. I do have one question though. As related to Water Cooling, can you tell me if their is a recommended placement location for the water reservoir? Does it make any difference if the water reservoir level is above or below the laser level? I look forward to hearing your thoughts soon. Thank you.

[@MancaveEffects]

Hi Bill, it doesnt matter where the reservoir is placed as there is a pump that pumps the water. However that is my opinion. But i would recommand to use a non transparent container to avoid algae growth.

[@colinantink9094]

Not surprised those temperature sensors are failing. They are not the sealed waterproof type.

[@MancaveEffects]

They say they are submergable

[@MalkennBricolvape]

usefull video, many thanks :)

[@daverhin5975]

What voltage are the Digital LCD Thermometers? I just ordered 2 of them for my machine and it dont say 5v or 12v? Im guessing 5v. Thanks

[@MancaveEffects]

It runs off 5v, i power it with an old usb charger.

[@gordon861]

I'm probably going to be buying one of these in the next few weeks and noticed that you had the radiator after the water tank and before the laser. Surely this will just help cool the water down to ambient and a better solution would be to cool the hot water that leaves the radiator before it goes back into the reservoir?

[@MancaveEffects]

Yes, it is a simple radiator for PC water cooling i got from china for a couple of bucks. When the water temperature raises, the laser loses power so you want the cooling water as cool as possible. In my setup the radiator is last in the row before it dumps back in the reservoir.

[@hristotodanov1615]

@@MancaveEffects what is the effect with and without the radiator. In temperature i mean. I`m thinking to put one too.. How cold u manage to hold it. Sry for the bad english :)

[@KurtBarcelona]

. did you have arcing problems due to the electrolytes in the coolant?

[@MancaveEffects]

No, never had

[@GeorgeZaharia]

I just use a 5 liter glycol box from homedepo store and a fish water pump 😢

[@3rdsty]

HI! do you think this can cut 1mm silver plate? and engraving on silver??? i really want to know. it looks like it has a power to cut if i laser it twice on 1mm thin silver plate.

[@MancaveEffects]

Hi, no the K40 will definately not cut silver. You can check out my video „Can the K40 cut Metal REVISITED“ for more details

[@ryanlangan1060]

No CO2 laser will cut metal. You need a fiber laser.

[@user-iv5wr3co3h]

hi i have a machine k40 and my temperature is 34,2 maybe have problem to cut the wood or plexiglass anwser me please.

[@MancaveEffects]

I try to keep the water temperature arround 23 deg c. The warmer the water gets, the less power the laser has in my opinion.

[@user-iv5wr3co3h]

@@MancaveEffects in my bucket i put ice water and ice cubes i do well?

[@MancaveEffects]

Γιώργος Στουμπης never tried it, make sure the water is not frosty cold, the temperature difference may blow your lasertube. I swapped the reservoir to a bigger one you see in the video as the cooling solution git to warm. For me this works but it really depens on how often and long you are using the K40

[@Snagglepuss1952]

Does the coolant colour effect the laser performance?

[@MancaveEffects]

No, it doesn‘t in fact the color may vary depending on the brand of cooling solution.

[@sinformant]

I was about to ask if you could run ethylene glycol/distilled water mix in the laser, then I got to that part of the video lol

[@juststeve5542]

Ditto... Car antifreeze is probably the easiest source.

[@MancaveEffects]

Try a search on Google: Trailer RV Boiler Glycol Antifreeze

[@GigaPhilipp]

Warum nutzt du keine Filter? Sollte doch das Wachstum der Algen minimieren wenn es regelmäßig gewartet wird.

[@MancaveEffects]

Wie bei einer Drehbank ist das gesammte kühlsystem sehr einfach. Filter würden wohl den durchfluss verringern und müssen auch regelmässig ausgetauscht werden. Danke aber für den Vorschlag

[@Andreas-gh6is]

Dann wachsen die Algen, und vor allem die Bakterien auf/im Filter. Dann muss man in gewissen Abständen den Filter UND das Wasser austauschen.

[@thebeststooge]

The three items I checked from your list refuse to ship to the USA.

[@MancaveEffects]

Hm, i was checking if they ship worldwide but maybe they have updated their shipping requirements. All the items are definately available in the U.S., maybe from another seller but for arround the same price. I will see if i can add or update the links

[@thebeststooge]

I am not sure why the USA would be banned from these different sellers. There are other sellers, of course, of these items or close enough matches.

[@MancaveEffects]

The Best Stooge : It could be because of customs, but usually it is the other way arround as you have companies like „lightobject.com“ that have some of the best k40 accessories and theire situated it the U.S. (non sponsored message)

[@anizhijabfashions9734]

HI ....SIR ...HOW MUCH ACRYLIC CAN CUT IN K40

[@MancaveEffects]

Ideal is 3-4mm but it can cut thicker acryllic with more passes.

[@anizhijabfashions9734]

@@MancaveEffects thaaanku so much sir...

[@Weird_guy79]

don't use tap water for gods sake.

[@MancaveEffects]

As you see in the video, i used distilled water... however i don’t really care... if it would be a smoke machine where a water solution gets heated to boiling point and pumped with high pressure trough very thin lines it is a differend thing but for a low pressure cooling system it doesn’t really matter, there will be all kind of stuff swimming in it after a while anyway.

[@darknessblades]

how long on average can you use the K40 with a radiator?

[@MancaveEffects]

The laser seems to lose intensity when the cooling liquid exceeds 77f. I have not tested how long it will run without cooling down but keep in mind that it is finest and cheapest chinesium.

[@darknessblades]

@@MancaveEffects Would it be overkill to use something like 3-4 240mm radiators? or is more better? {ps from the EU so don't really use Fahrenheit} Any specific brand/purity of Glycol you recommend?. or is any good as long as it does not have any stuff added {like the stuff for cars}

[@MancaveEffects]

The cooler the water is the better. 25deg c that is. I add glycol used for house heaters. It is recommanded however to use a dark container for the cooling liquid to avoid to much algae growt.

[@ddizzledizzault2936]

I trust anyone that has a NASA sticker on their K40.

[@ChelseaJadeC]

There is no need for all this... Distilled water in a black container that no light can get into

[@vesslades]

You shouldnt have a transparent water bucket

[@MancaveEffects]

Right, because of the algae growth, another viewer pointed that out already but thanks!

[@scottydntno]

So in short, distilled water and anti-freeze.

[@MancaveEffects]

Glycol, not anti-freeze

[@sir_john_hammond]

...the hell? a YEAR? You're supposed to switch out water every week, at least.

[@MancaveEffects]

You are pumping cooling liquid trough a glas cylinder using an aquarium or mud pump, why should the liquid be swapped every week?

[@sir_john_hammond]

@@MancaveEffects hygiene, for one? The health aspects alone are common sense. Emptying and filling a regular bucket with regular cold tap water is super easy and more efficient for the laser to stay cool. It will never run the risk of getting bacteria overgrowth, clogged up or overheating.