With a plasma cutter, why is water in your compressed air bad, but a water table on a cnc machine doesn't bother it?
Reply:Water in the air turns to steam and will not let the air ionize, causing corrosion and wear on the tip/nozzle and electrode.Water from a CNC table is not in the air of the torch, its there to keep down dust,sparks and cool the plate.www.georgesplasmacuttershop.comPlasma Cutter and Welder Sales and Repairs--Ebay storeTec.Mo. Dealer Consumables for the PT and IPT torch's
Reply:What M416 said .. sure fire way to burn up a tip/nozzle is bad air.Located In SE OklahomaLincoln Mig 135Hobart Ironman 230 Mig5x10 CNC Table with DTHC & FTHypertherm PM65 on the tableMiller Bobcatwww.caneyagequipment.com
Reply:Thanks guys!
Reply:There is definitely an argument for and or against God in this thread!
Reply:Moisture in the compressed airline gets into the plasma plenum area of an air plasma torch during steady state cutting. The consumables in an air plasma torch are engineered to work with air as the plasma gas....air is approximately 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen. When water is added, the water immediately breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen (H2O), and disrupts the delicate balance of chemistry and high temperature physics inside the torch. Some plasma torches are extremely sensitive to water in the airline, some are not sensitive. Water causes the electrode emitter (hafnium) to vaporize at a much faster rate than normal, which causes more rapid changes in cut quality...and with some torches incredibly short consumable life.Water from a water table can and does have an effect on consumable life if the plasma torch is left submerged when no air is flowing. In most cutting applications the torch air flow starts as soon as the torch gets to the material, and at the end of the cut cycle the postflow cooling air stays on for 10 to 20 seconds. This airflow effectively removes water table water from inside the torch. Industrial torches that are specifically designed to cut submerged have a preflow and a post flow.....preflow is most effectively done with a high frequency start torch....which most industrial grade plasma cutters are.I'll add this: If you have a newer Hypertherm Powermax (30, 30XP, 45, 65, 85 , 105 or 125) ...keep in mind that these systems were designed specifically to minimize sensitivity and rapid consumable wear based on low levels of moisture in compressed air systems. Each of these units have internal coalescing filters with auto drains that take care of low or normal levels of air moisture. I personally have a Powermax45 that is about 8 years old....it has always been used on the raw air just as it comes from the compressor....and I have never had an issue with short consumable life. I do have an air dryer (refrigerated) in my shop that I use only during humid summer months for paint spraying and I also have my Powermax85 (on a cnc) connected to the dry air....but no additional filtration....just compressor, refrigerated dryer, and the onboard filter in the plasma.The point is....I run into more issues with "over filtration".....too many filters that can cause air flow starvation at the air inlet on a plasma cutter....than I do with actual moisture affecting consumable life. My suggestions:-Install a pressure gauge on every air plasma right at the inlet. do not rely on the pressure reading back at the compressor.-Drain your compressor tank every day. in real humid climates drain it more than once a day...or invest in an automatic drain.-If you really like all your air tools and occasionally have to use compressed air for painting...consider adding a refrigerated or a dessicant air dryer system. Painting needs dry air more than anything, all air tools will work better and live longer with dry air.-If you choose a dessicant dryer....I don't recommend a simple piece of pipe filled with dessicant. Get a commercially designed system with proper filtration that will keep the "fines" from the desicant from clogging up your system.Happy cutting!Jim Colt Hypertherm Originally Posted by whiskeymikeWith a plasma cutter, why is water in your compressed air bad, but a water table on a cnc machine doesn't bother it?
Reply:Originally Posted by mikecwikthere is definitely an argument for and or against god in this thread!
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltMoisture in the compressed airline gets into the plasma plenum area of an air plasma torch during steady state cutting. The consumables in an air plasma torch are engineered to work with air as the plasma gas....air is approximately 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen. When water is added, the water immediately breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen (H2O), and disrupts the delicate balance of chemistry and high temperature physics inside the torch. Some plasma torches are extremely sensitive to water in the airline, some are not sensitive. Water causes the electrode emitter (hafnium) to vaporize at a much faster rate than normal, which causes more rapid changes in cut quality...and with some torches incredibly short consumable life.Water from a water table can and does have an effect on consumable life if the plasma torch is left submerged when no air is flowing. In most cutting applications the torch air flow starts as soon as the torch gets to the material, and at the end of the cut cycle the postflow cooling air stays on for 10 to 20 seconds. This airflow effectively removes water table water from inside the torch. Industrial torches that are specifically designed to cut submerged have a preflow and a post flow.....preflow is most effectively done with a high frequency start torch....which most industrial grade plasma cutters are.I'll add this: If you have a newer Hypertherm Powermax (30, 30XP, 45, 65, 85 , 105 or 125) ...keep in mind that these systems were designed specifically to minimize sensitivity and rapid consumable wear based on low levels of moisture in compressed air systems. Each of these units have internal coalescing filters with auto drains that take care of low or normal levels of air moisture. I personally have a Powermax45 that is about 8 years old....it has always been used on the raw air just as it comes from the compressor....and I have never had an issue with short consumable life. I do have an air dryer (refrigerated) in my shop that I use only during humid summer months for paint spraying and I also have my Powermax85 (on a cnc) connected to the dry air....but no additional filtration....just compressor, refrigerated dryer, and the onboard filter in the plasma.The point is....I run into more issues with "over filtration".....too many filters that can cause air flow starvation at the air inlet on a plasma cutter....than I do with actual moisture affecting consumable life. My suggestions:-Install a pressure gauge on every air plasma right at the inlet. do not rely on the pressure reading back at the compressor.-Drain your compressor tank every day. in real humid climates drain it more than once a day...or invest in an automatic drain.-If you really like all your air tools and occasionally have to use compressed air for painting...consider adding a refrigerated or a dessicant air dryer system. Painting needs dry air more than anything, all air tools will work better and live longer with dry air.-If you choose a dessicant dryer....I don't recommend a simple piece of pipe filled with dessicant. Get a commercially designed system with proper filtration that will keep the "fines" from the desicant from clogging up your system.Happy cutting!Jim Colt Hypertherm
Reply:I don't personally recommend them as I have not tested them. They absorb moisture....expect that when they get near saturation that they will create flow restrictions. If you install pressure gauges on the upstream and downstream side and monitor the pressure drop across the filter when air is flowing at the plasma cutter...you will have an idea of when to change the filter. I believe they work better as a particulate filter, not as a moisture trap.Jim Colt Hypertherm Originally Posted by roadkillbobbdo you recommend Motor Guard M-26 Air Filter for hypertherm plasma cutters?
Reply:Thankyou for the info..Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Wow, thanks Jim for the write up. It's because of your posts/videos that I bought a 65 this week and didn't consider other brands. It should be a fun weekend.
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lasma cutters are like Calamity Jane when it comes to ingesting water....She refused to drink water, but she loved to play in it....I got her DNA, me think.
Reply:I highy recommend this: http://www.harborfreight.com/compres...yer-40211.htmlI got one placed first in line before my hose reel for my Hypertherm plasma....Yeah, I got me a Motorguard too after the refrigerated dryer, but it ain't the motorguard that make my cutter consumables last FOREVER.
