i have replaced all the torch parts in my hypertherm powermax 350, and i can't get it to strike an arc. it will barely throw sparks when i touch it to the ground electrode. the air pressure is right on, filter is clean. this machine has very few hours on it. i'm stumped. machine is currently running 115v (it's switchable) any ideas? matt
I have a hypertherm also some times even after I replace the tip parts it still wont work. I take them back out agian and hit them with a scotch brite. Also have put it back together wrong once and it didnt work, looked like it was right but it wasnt. I dont remember how it was wrong though.
did ya have prob.s before ya replaced the torch parts? if this started after, ya got the wrong parts, installed wrong, or the parts are not clean and are not making contact.
You took off the cover and electrode and replaced em both as a pair right? are they tightened up correctly?
yeah, all the tip parts are in correctly. it has a torch cap warning light that lets ya know if they are right. i'll check the moisture, my air lines tend to get wet pretty easily.
Adding to the above possible solutions , I don't know if yours has it, but mine (Hyp600) has an interrupted cut switch for cutting expanded metal and grating, it'll overheat & quit if it was on that.
crap!!! air lines were dry. i even changed the plug and switched to 220v. same problem. i guess i'll call the company tomorrow.
I used to work at a welding/fab shop. As someone posted earlier this could be caused by moisture in the lines. Drove us nuts trying to solve the problem. We solved the problem by running an air trap close to the plasma. Hope this helps.
i've got one of those "toilet paper" filters right at the torch. the filter is bone dry. i'm stumped.
The one at the shop had a toilet paper filter too. We replaced the filter also. My boss said the filter bothered him because too much line water got inside of it. So we just ran an air trap and replaced the filter. Our problem went away. I am not sure if your facing the same problem but I know the frustration you are going thru. At one point the thought of throwing the thing into the dumpster and smashing it seemed like fun to us. Damn thing drove us nuts - gave us problems in the middle of a job. Hope you find out whats wrong!!
that's how i was feeling, so in a fit of frustration, i smacked the gun against the metal, and whadda know, it started!! so, it's now working perfectly!! i shoulda tried that first!!
Yep, things weren't fitting together right! They can be a bit picky about clean/tight but man do they cut!
The problem was probably that the electrode welded itself to the tip. They work by air pressure pushing the electrode back right as the arc starts. Sometimes the air pressure doesn't transfer to the tip on the first strike and it will fuse itself. I've had my Snap-On (hypertherm) for a number of years, and when it happens to me, I just hit and hold the trigger while I unscrew and re-tighten the end of the torch. Just make sure your hand isn't in front of the tip. That would probably hurt. JOE
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