error after Plasmac setup

It should be possible to use a Mesa THCAD and run that into a software encoder .
That should work with a parallel port and you could upgrade from a parallel port at a later date and keep the THCAD.
You would be restricted with I/O and probably need shared home switches and no limit switches.

phillc54 wrote: It should be possible to use a Mesa THCAD and run that into a software encoder .

But if you go to the trouble of ordering a THCAD, you might as well add a 7i96 to the order and be done with it. Its really the cheapest THC available.

The plasma cutter i ordered has a 1/50 torch head voltage divider built into it. couldn't i use run that into and arduino analog input then write a bit of code to output one pin or another based on voltage readings, then i could use Plasmac mode 2 for the z control

Probably but don't go over 250 volts or you'll fry the input.
That is probably fairly safe upper limit for a plasma cutter in the 40-50 amp range though.
It will still be a crude substitute for a THCAD.

But if you go to the trouble of ordering a THCAD, you might as well add a 7i96 to the order and be done with it. Its really the cheapest THC available.

Even cheaper without the 7i96

The plasma cutter i ordered has a 1/50 torch head voltage divider built into it. couldn't i use run that into and arduino analog input then write a bit of code to output one pin or another based on voltage readings, then i could use Plasmac mode 2 for the z control

That would be possible. Mode 2 was really designed for configs where there was an existing external THC (Proma or similar).

crude it may be but i already have a dozen or so arduino's laying around and my build budget cant handle a THC at the moment lol.
yeah i will add a zener diode to protect my input pin and a capacitor for a noise filter if it doesn't have one built in already