Plasma Consumable Life

[DVA]

What type of plasma consumable life are you all getting with your Everlast equipment? I have read articles stating that some leading brands are getting 1000 starts with their consumables and have not heard much about Everlast plasma consumable life.

[geezer]

Not sure if the story of 1000 starts has any merit regardless of the brand,,,if we think about this issue and the variables involved,,such as what are we cutting how many amps,,who is the operator etc...I have had people including my self use my cutters and screw up a tip in no time and I had tips last a year or so,,,if we are talking about holding the torch and just pressing the trigger then that is another thing,,,never tried that,,

[performance]

I've seen where Hypertherm is claiming so much better increased life, but I have watched HT's in action and used them myself. I've watched one particular one I have in mind, in use on a CNC table, and it's making simple, long cuts, on a 4 x 8 sheet of metal every 3 inches or so and they have to change the cons out after about every plate. Good air pressure, dryer etc. are all installed. I've used their torches too with Miller equipment, and well, as geezer said, you can screw up a tip in no time. I've cut with them and "wore" out a tip in a couple of hours after a hundred or so starts.

These life tests are done with the optimum conditions for THEIR machines when they do tests on other's equipment to compare too as well.

Now with that said, the S-45 cons are pretty good life, IF the larger consumables are used for using a 50 amps. If not, they'll blow through in an 30 minutes or less...same with any brand unit with the wrong tips.

Trafimet has introduces a torch that they claim has longer start/cut life than any of it's competitors. It's the new s-65. It would probably be a better fit for our 50 amp machine, but is expensive and we do not carry it. It can work on our units now, but has to be ordered direct from trafimet.

[DVA]

I've seen where Hypertherm is claiming so much better increased life, but I have watched HT's in action and used them myself. I've watched one particular one I have in mind, in use on a CNC table, and it's making simple, long cuts, on a 4 x 8 sheet of metal every 3 inches or so and they have to change the cons out after about every plate. Good air pressure, dryer etc. are all installed. I've used their torches too with Miller equipment, and well, as geezer said, you can screw up a tip in no time. I've cut with them and "wore" out a tip in a couple of hours after a hundred or so starts.

These life tests are done with the optimum conditions for THEIR machines when they do tests on other's equipment to compare too as well.

Now with that said, the S-45 cons are pretty good life, IF the larger consumables are used for using a 50 amps. If not, they'll blow through in an 30 minutes or less...same with any brand unit with the wrong tips.

Trafimet has introduces a torch that they claim has longer start/cut life than any of it's competitors. It's the new s-65. It would probably be a better fit for our 50 amp machine, but is expensive and we do not carry it. It can work on our units now, but has to be ordered direct from trafimet.

Most material I will be cutting will be under 1/8 inch thickness so do not think that I need much more than a 50 amp machine like the Power Plasma 50. I would assume that most welding shops should have consumables for the trafimet torches? I will check with mine next time I stop in to see what they have available. I would hate purchasing something that has consumable parts that would need to be special ordered.

[SeanMurphy265]

These life tests are done with the optimum conditions for THEIR machines when they do tests on other's equipment to compare too as well.

Optimum conditions are the key! I will say that dry air makes a dramatic difference. I've owned a high frequency cutter with touch start that I felt had a good consumable life. A high frequency cutter with pilot arc that had a fair consumable life. A blowback cutter that I feel has had the best arc and consumable life. Without dry air I doubt you would see much difference in consumable life.

[DVA]

Optimum conditions are the key! I will say that dry air makes a dramatic difference. I've owned a high frequency cutter with touch start that I felt had a good consumable life. A high frequency cutter with pilot arc that had a fair consumable life. A blowback cutter that I feel has had the best arc and consumable life. Without dry air I doubt you would see much difference in consumable life.

I have heard that having dry air is one of the most important things. How large of a desiccant dryer is typically required to keep the air dry? I have seen some small dryers less than one foot in length and about four inch's diameter. This just seams too small.

[DaveO]

There have been a number of threads here on the forum about this- try a search using "dessicant" as search term. I'm limited to using my dumbphone just now (camping with Cub Scouts) or I'd post a link... if memory serves you can gin up a good dryer by modifying a HarbFrt model, or just use the HF dryer off the shelf.

[acourtjester]

Here is one I built for my table. I bought the large water filter from Lowe's and modified it with aluminum screen both input and output ports. I reversed directions of the air flow as I wanted to have a tube going to the bottom of the Silica Gel (MIMI cat litter from Wal-Mart) one bag will fill the filter $4.00.

[zoama]

Here is one I built for my table. I bought the large water filter from Lowe's and modified it with aluminum screen both input and output ports. I reversed directions of the air flow as I wanted to have a tube going to the bottom of the Silica Gel (MIMI cat litter from Wal-Mart) one bag will fill the filter $4.00.

How much pressure can it take ?

[Rambozo]

How much pressure can it take ?

From the photo it looks like the Whirlpool model WHKF-DWHBB which is rated to 100 psi.

[zoama]

From the photo it looks like the Whirlpool model WHKF-DWHBB which is rated to 100 psi.

Thanks, I just might try one of those.

[In Utopia]

This is what I did.
Left the wound filter in, added some color changing beads the chunk desiccant doesn't change color.


This is the desiccant I used. Got it on Craig's for $25.


Also installed a Motor Guard filter at the plasma cutter.
Been running them on two compressors without incident.

And no, I didn't wear a helmet when learning how to ride a bike, and no training wheels either.

[fdcmiami]

thanks for helping us out bruce!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pqyax6gwzQ