I have a Thermal Dynamics Pac Master 75XL. The machine will not strike an ark. I used it yesterday and it worked fine and today when I went to use it, I get no ark. I replaced the consumables in the tip and have the correct air pressure.

When I hit the trigger the air starts and you can hear what sounds like a relay trips on and off. The DC light comes on with the trigger, it just will not start an ark.

Any help would be appreciated.

KR

check to see if your consumables are in properly.
is your air off or the pressure regulator turned down?

thats about the extent of my advice. those are the two things that ive had to deal with when i'm having plasma troubles.

Bad ground or the consumables are loose in the torch. that is my first two guesses

That is the first thing I checked. Consumables are good. It needs a ground to cut but not to strike an ark. I did have a good ground though.:)

Another idea is that there is a lot of moisture in the lines. When I lived in houston I had that same thing happen to me due to a lot of moisture the day after I used it a lot. I also had it where the first consumable contact point needed to be cleaned.

I think I am going to pull it apart on Monday. Worst case is I break it, oh wait I already did that.:homer:

Same thing just happened to me. I called up the manufacturer and he had me stick my voltmeter in it and test a couple things. Turns out the diodes are blown so I sent it in for repairs. I think I may have had bad power. When you put your power circuit under load, the voltage may dip if it's a bad circuit and wreck your cutter. Or maybe I just got a bad one:shaking: Try putting your circuit under load (however many amps the plasma cutter takes) and test the voltage, it shouldn't dip too much.
Hope you have better luck than me

what are you cutting? paint can impede a ground

also.. what are you talking about it doesnt need a ground to arc... um yes it does, otehrwise all you have is a positive wire.....

I have had this plasma for at least 2 years with no real changes in the working conditions. Same power supply. I know for a fact that it will ark without a ground. I also know for a fact it will not CUT with out a ground. With out a ground or a bad ground I would get a very small ark(kind of like a starter ark?).

Right now I do not get any kind of ark. Keep the ideas comming.:)

check your tip..

pull the tip apart and check the insides you can burn them up.. and if it burnt it wil not spark..just happened to us this weekend.. lucky we had extras

what are you cutting? paint can impede a ground

also.. what are you talking about it doesnt need a ground to arc... um yes it does, otehrwise all you have is a positive wire.....

Also here is a hint, try to know what the fuck your talking about before you try to act like an expert.

Most recent (like the last 20 years) plasma cutters have what is known as a pilot arc. This doesn't apply to the cheap chi-com garbage cutters, but for any reasonable machine made somewhere after 1990 you should not have to scratch start an arc. The pilot arc is either established by high frequency arc ignition, or a mechanical device in the torch head that internally strikes the arc and then lifts away due to air flow. Both types will ignite an arc without coming anywhere near the grounded work piece and will burn there in the open air until the machine times out, or you let off the trigger...

Anyhow, my Hypertherm Powermax 1000g w/ fine cut consumables will sometimes not strike an arc. The consumable light lights on the machine but otherwise, mine does what you are saying, a short burst of air and then nothing. I have found that tapping my torch on the table frees whatever stuck and it will strike an arc again. I have never had it do this with standard consumables, so who knows...

I have changed the consumables again just to make sure every thing is in good shape, still no difference. I took the covers off and the only thing that looks out of place is a flash(spark) from somthing on one of the circit bourds. When I hit the triger the air comes on and then the selinoid on the lower right side clicks and and then the flash on the bourd on the upper left side. It is comming from the little black thing on the bourd. You can see the flash in the pic.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/b4wscrambler/P1010171.jpg

I have changed the consumables again just to make sure every thing is in good shape, still no difference. I took the covers off and the only thing that looks out of place is a flash(spark) from somthing on one of the circit bourds. When I hit the triger the air comes on and then the selinoid on the lower left side clicks and and then the flash on the bourd on the upper right side. It is comming from the little black thing on the bourd. You can see the flash in the pic.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/b4wscrambler/P1010171.jpg

i don't see any flash????

call the manufacturer, get their help troubleshooting it.

I don't know my right from left. I fixed my post.

i dont think that is suposed to flash!!!! call the dealer!!!!

I have this happen sometimes on my hypertherm. I think it water in the line too. Try turning just the air on (like when you set the air pressure), and letting it run a bit and see if that does anything.
If I remeber right, mine flashes somewhere inside when it starts too. Don't quote me on that though.

I talked to Thermal Dynamics to day and it looks like there is a short in the triger head. I was going through the problem with the teck guy checking this and that, after my last check I called back and the were closed.:mad3: I will find out for sure tomorow.

Does anyone have a good source for parts?