PowerMax 380 airlight blinking won't start

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 08:59:44 GMT

go to see Welding Machine for PowerMax 380 airlight blinking won't start

I have a powermax 380- lowerish number of hours- worked like a champAnyway- recently sounded like air was leaking- I opened the case just to find it's little internal filter was blowing a little air out the drain- seemingly odd but unit worked. Everything else super clean. Torch had a problem developing pilot arc- but if you were close enough to cutting material it would usually still fire off- also noticed after cutting it had a weird vibration in the torch so I checked the air pressure and noticed it had been cranked up by someone at some point- probably been running for a few hours around 85-90 psi. Tried dialing back but I noticed something else- if I turn the power dial to set air, it jumps around like opening the closing the solenoid. If I tap the trigger and turn the dial to air, it lets the air run as it should.... Not getting a pilot arc or any arc now. Electrode is new- although aftermarket, from a welding shop. And the air light (first below the power) blinks when I hit the trigger despite being set just over 60 psi (and above the green needle which is just below 60 (like .33 I'd say). Ideas?
Reply:If the air pressure light blinks with trigger pull. T in a pressure gauge at the back of the unit. watch the gauge. If it spikes down you have a problem in you supply, hoses or tank regulator.The machine regulator was turned up to compensate for the leak in the filter drain. You might be able to take the filter apart and put the auto drain back in place. If the plasma gets turned upside down or lays on its side hard. the auto drain float will come out of place and can't fall back into the correct place, so it leaks a lot. I turn the bowl upside down and use a small pipe to hold the float and put it back in place. turn it right side up before removing pipe. If it won't seal after that the assembly will have to be replaced.air pressure switch inside the case must be closed for anything to work.You can down load the manual for Hypertherm. might help.I think the miller spectrum 350 uses a lot of the same parts except the pcb. Or match up the filter/ regulator with one from grainger or any industrial supply.
Reply:I agree that it likely is a restriction somewhere in the inlet, and good advice on solving the leak!  A lot inexperienced operators think that by increasing cut pressure (different from inlet pressure) will allow you to cut faster and thicker....in reality it causes rapid electrode wear and misfiring! Run at the recommended cut pressure with plasma....you will find it listed in the operators manual. On newer Powermax systems (45XP, 65, 86, 105 and 125) leave the cut pressure in Auto mode for best results.  Jim ColtLast edited by jimcolt; 02-06-2019 at 06:56 AM.