The blacksmith's plasma table
05 May 2024 07:48 #299785
by polskleforgeron
Replied by polskleforgeron on topic The blacksmith's plasma table
Yes thank you I understand that now. A lot of confusion due to language and ressources being mostly in english. But I think I got it now 
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06 May 2024 01:18 #299868
by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic The blacksmith's plasma table
OP has a choice between a HF start and a HF start with CPC port.
I worked with Stamos, it works fine, Stahlwerk before it also worked fine, meaning over a year of use for each, none of them mine personally.
Now under the covers, there were two reasons i did the last deed:
-New plasma under warranty, cheap Kzubr for 320 Euro, 60A, so could not open it.
-I had a THCAD collecting dust, so i risked it, it survived unscathed!
I was pretty sure it would work as i did add a capacitor across the THCAD input to short whatever HF gets to it and after the resistor drop should not be much to deal with, but the biggest surprise was it actually does 60A flat! That is in both 220V and 380V, and that raises a worrying question: what happens when someone less experienced gets it and plugs it into 220V and starts using it drawing over 30A from the mains! We (Europe) has a limit of 16A for anything 220V, so that will melt the plugs in a very short time.
380V is all good as it does roughly 18-19A, and we can do 16 or 32A depending on the socket size, probably should be fine with the small socket as it mostly will cut with 40-45A.
Again under the covers, i am mentioning all this as it applies to this topic, the plasma sources are all the same.
I worked with Stamos, it works fine, Stahlwerk before it also worked fine, meaning over a year of use for each, none of them mine personally.
Now under the covers, there were two reasons i did the last deed:
-New plasma under warranty, cheap Kzubr for 320 Euro, 60A, so could not open it.
-I had a THCAD collecting dust, so i risked it, it survived unscathed!
I was pretty sure it would work as i did add a capacitor across the THCAD input to short whatever HF gets to it and after the resistor drop should not be much to deal with, but the biggest surprise was it actually does 60A flat! That is in both 220V and 380V, and that raises a worrying question: what happens when someone less experienced gets it and plugs it into 220V and starts using it drawing over 30A from the mains! We (Europe) has a limit of 16A for anything 220V, so that will melt the plugs in a very short time.
380V is all good as it does roughly 18-19A, and we can do 16 or 32A depending on the socket size, probably should be fine with the small socket as it mostly will cut with 40-45A.
Again under the covers, i am mentioning all this as it applies to this topic, the plasma sources are all the same.
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06 May 2024 10:14 - 06 May 2024 11:55 #299928
by polskleforgeron
When you say "just some care must be taken when wiring to choose a suitable point where the HF has less effect, usually at the rectifier output or at the built in HF filter/protection", do you mean that I shouldn't take the arc voltage the "simple" way from the ground clamp to the torch electrode, but instead get the wiring inside the Plasma cutter ? I think maybe I can do that..
Also when you say you plugged the cheap china plasma through 2 resistors (both 1MO 2W) with a capacitor (0.1uF and what power rating ?) shorting the two, would it look like that :
I've added some pictures of the plasma's cutter inside :
Replied by polskleforgeron on topic The blacksmith's plasma table
Thank you again for your explanation, but it's a bit technical for me and I'm not sure to understand.@Rod,
He mentioned several times he has a HF/HV start plasma, the THCAD manual clearly states not to use that combo.
Having cleared that cautionary tale, THCAD can work with HF/HV start as can be proven by probably 10 i have in use daily, just some care must be taken when wiring to choose a suitable point where the HF has less effect, usually at the rectifier output or at the built in HF filter/protection.
And additionally a few days back i wired a THCAD10 directly to outside connectors on a new cheap china inverter plasma with HF start, THROUGH 2 resistors and added a 0.22uF/350V capacitor across the THCAD input just to be on the safe side, and it also filters the readings a bit. Used it for 2 days, all good, probably did over 200 starts as i was tuning voltage/feed/air so made a lot of 100x10mm rectangles.
Just to be clear, do this at your own risk, any mishaps usually end badly.
A 0.1uF capacitor would be better, did not have one with such high voltage.
When you say "just some care must be taken when wiring to choose a suitable point where the HF has less effect, usually at the rectifier output or at the built in HF filter/protection", do you mean that I shouldn't take the arc voltage the "simple" way from the ground clamp to the torch electrode, but instead get the wiring inside the Plasma cutter ? I think maybe I can do that..
Also when you say you plugged the cheap china plasma through 2 resistors (both 1MO 2W) with a capacitor (0.1uF and what power rating ?) shorting the two, would it look like that :
I've added some pictures of the plasma's cutter inside :
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