jeepsr4ever
I will need you to send that old cable back to us. The other thing you can try it turning off "raise head on fault" setting in the cut profile. Your THC delay might not be long enough or it may be a PC issue.
f_armer
I'll send the cable.
"raise head on fault" is unchecked already. My THC delay is 1 sec. It seems that it is long enough delay, I can watch it do the pierce, and the height seems ok as it starts the cut, then starts to raise after it gets going. I'll try experimenting with the delay and see what happens.
Also, with THC off, the cuts are nice and smooth, but when I turn THC 'on' curves seem to get jittery. Not so much noticeable on straight cuts.
It makes me think the PC does have issues. Which doesn't make sense, as it is exactly what CandCNC recommends except that its not the right brand.
Not sure if I posted PC specs
IBM Netvista 8303
Pentium 4 2.66 Ghz
512 mb ram
fresh install windows xp sp2
optimized to candcnc recommendations, except they recommend turning off video card memory sharing, which I cannot, there is no setting in bios to turn it completely off.
jeepsr4ever
Raising means your either not traveling fast enough for the material/amperage or your tip volts are too high. (use book specs) Jittery means your THC rate is too high (try 15-18 for 14ga and thicker). THC on making only curves jittery tells me it is most likely a PC issue. Netvista might have been an early windows VISTA PC which is absolutely not compatable with Mach 3.
f_armer
Whats weird is,
If I set my voltage to 116 in mach, it drags the tip, most of the time, but sometimes raises it up till it loses arc.
If I set it to 117v, its about 50:50, sometimes drags, sometimes goes high.
If I set it to 118v, it usually gies up till it loses arc, but sometimes will drag.
Speed, and all other settings are by the book.
Tried changing thc rate, from 15% on up, in different increments, but doesn't seem to fix anything.
Have tried changing thc delay from .8 sec up to 1.5 sec. Still no change.
Do you think pc issue
I ordered yet another pc to try, its a dell gx620 3 ghz pentium 4 ht, 2 gb ram. Wont probably be here for a week or more.
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133765] Netvista might have been an early windows VISTA PC which is absolutely not compatable with Mach 3.[/QUOTE]
It was a business lease return that came with xp pro. Vista was never an option.
[url]http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=MIGR-42671[/url]
Not saying its not the pc, but just seems odd that thc seems to require a specific brand of pc.
jeepsr4ever
Was it 64 bit or 32? Needs to be 32
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133768]Was it 64 bit or 32? Needs to be 32[/QUOTE]
32bit
jeepsr4ever
Its just erratic! Does your tip volt reading form the plasma cutter vary quite a bit is it jumping 10-20 volts while cutting? Try cutting with no THC on it should still read tip volts.
f_armer
Yes it varies easy 20v while cutting with thc off, or on. Whats strange is that when vary the voltage 1v (117-118 ) in mach it changes from dragging to going really high.
Cuts fine with thc off though.
jeepsr4ever
Very strange indeed like there is a loose connection. On that Powermax 45 does the work clamp push in and twist into the power supply or is it integrated? (removable?) When I have see issues similar it was the work clamp not being pushed in all the way into the plasma cutter.
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133772]Very strange indeed like there is a loose connection. On that Powermax 45 does the work clamp push in and twist into the power supply or is it integrated? (removable?) When I have see issues similar it was the work clamp not being pushed in all the way into the plasma cutter.[/QUOTE]
Its integrated, I had the cover off and double checked all the connections inside, everything is clean and tight.
f_armer
Could it be the torch itself? When I fire the torch in the air it is suppose to be around 135v according to tom at candcnc, on the Mach screen. But it still shows 45-50. That's when it has a flame, I was firing it repeatedly and a couple times it just made a blip, and went out. When it did that, the voltage showed right around 130 in Mach. With no flame.
It's like the torch isn't fully firing.
It shows full voltage when it's cutting though, so maybe it's acting normal?
f_armer
I just read through jamscal's thread again, I must have missed it the first time through, but you told him that cut height should be at least .02 higher than the book says.
I have mine set at .06 according to the hypertherm manual, could this be part of my problem? That is the first time I read that anywhere.
jeepsr4ever
The only time that is a problem is when your in contact with the metal your cutting. For this reason we often suggest a cut start at .02 above book.
f_armer
Is it normal for the tip voltage at idle to be jumping around? If I watch it, it fluctuates from 0-20v on the mach dro.
0,3,14,19,0,2,20,3,9,12,0,1,5,9,18,0,3,7,0,1,17,....... if you know what I mean?
jeepsr4ever
No, it is not normal. Does it do it with the cable unplugged from the torch?
f_armer
If I unplug the stereo jack it goes to 125v
If I unplug the torch lead from the PM45 it still does it.
If I unplug the CPC plug from the back of the PM45 it goes to 242v
If I unplug the ethernet cord from the PWM it goes to 0v
If I turn the PM45 off it goes to 0v
With everything hooked up normal it favors 0-5v but watching it now it will even show as high as 29v at idle.
jeepsr4ever
On the old PC?
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133784]On the old PC?[/QUOTE]
Yes, I havent got the newer one yet.
Just noticed the PM45 has a very faint crackling or clicking sound coming from inside it near the back of it. It does not have the air hooked to it, so its not an air leak, but sounds similar. Not sure if that is normal??
f_armer
Here's how the voltage looks, it hits a high of 22 in this short vid
[url]https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwvhe5ezsh4cj3u/20140314_132124.mp4[/url]
