help with set-up. First plasma cutter

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I just bought a simadre tech plasma cutter today and I really want to get crackin with this thing. But I don't know how to hook up my air compressor to it.There is a barbed fitting in the rear.... and the instructions tell me to hook up a high pressure line directly to that.also there are threads on the back and are labeled ground. Where should I connect this ground to?
Reply:Got the air to work, but still don't know what the ground in the back of the unit is for???Another question though is... It has an adjustable knob from 0-35, and a flip switch 2.5s and 5.0s. What do these control? I'd like the cleanest cut possible.Thanks everyone
Reply:Well, If it was a Hypertherm you would have a very clear instruction manual...and toll free phone numbers to call with answers to all of your quaestions.....you also would be pretty much guaranteed the "cleanest cut possible"....and years of product support...long consumable life....etc etc. Yes, for this you would have paid more...but the money stays here in the U.S., and over time the unit would prove to be more cost effective (longer consumable life = lower operating cost, lower frustration level is worth something...and resale value is much higher!)That all being said....the ground connection is for an earth safety ground if you are so inclined to connect it. The main power cable (is it 120 volt or 240 volt) should be equipped with a ground that is referenced to the chassis inside the unit as a sefety ground...if so, that should be adequate. If the instructions say to connect high pressure to the rear air inlet...then there likely is an internal air pressure regulator...perhaps it is pre-set at a given pressure? The 2.5s and 5s settings on the switch are probably post flow settings...this is cooling flow that exits the torch at the end of each cut cycle to cool the torch consumables. Longer post flow will help cool the torch...but is annoying because you have to wait 5 seconds before cutting again. (Hypertherm units auto reset the post flow so you can refire immediately).Good luck, let us know how well it works, post some pics of your cuts!Jim Colt
Reply:Ground at the back for work from mobile generator. For work from the grid - disregard it...Ditto jimcolt - 2.5s-5s - could be post air flow - how long the torch will be cooled after each cut...
Reply:You need to get these answers from the Mfg., who ever they are.  JGSMAW,GMAW,FCAW,GTAW,SAW,PAC/PAW/OFCand Shielding Gases.  There all here. :
Reply:I'd like to contact the mfg but I looked for them on google and got nothing. The instructions seem as if they were written by a mentally handicapped person, very very difficult to read and they don't tell you how to actually use the unit.The 2.5 5.0 is the post air flow thanks for that one. The air is supposed to be set at 4.5 psi and it came with an adjustable air pressure/filter. seems to work fine so far, but I haven't played with it enough.and to Mr. jim colt... I would have liked to have a good USA product but I don't have the money right now.  I cheaped out ths time but many years down the road when this thing takes a crap (hopefully it lasts that long) I'll shell out the big bucks for quality stuff. I'll put pictures up tomorrow when I start to experiment. Then let everyone critique me and let me know some better techniques and machine adjustment.
Reply:Check out Simadretechs on eBay. They sell the line of machines.  I wouldn't expect better docs though.  They were likely either written or translated by someone that has limited English skills.  That's one of the trade offs with the some of the import units.  Which model did you get?Dave
Reply:4.5 psi  air pressure just has to be wrong. Even 45 psi sounds way too low. My guess is it may be 4.5 BAR, which is about 63 psi. That starts to sound closer to what might be right. I usually have mine set at about 80 psi for most stuff.One trick with plasma is not to go too slow with the cut. If you get a ragged cut it's often either not enough air pressure, or you are moving too slow for the amps. Since your manual is probably useless, the only way you will probably figure out how to get the best cut quality, especially by hand where your speed can easily vary, is a lot of trial and error and take LOTS of notes on the settings and your speed. Each thickness and material will require a different set of settings and your notes will end up becoming your "manual". My guess is you will find that "inexpensive" unit very expensive in time, materials and frustration as you try to dial it in, especially if you are trying to do any sort of production parts where look matters.Oh, one other little tip, You'd better have a good air filter to pull out all the moisture from the air. Plasma consumables hate water vapor. "Inexpensive" plasmas usually don't have the consumable life that the good units have. Water vapor will quickly reduce that life. You also may find down the road that getting those parts, may make your purchase a big door stop if they are not available..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:air psi... big help. My manual is absolutely useless haha. Thanks for all the little notes everyone. and DSW I'll be making my own manual and hooking up my great quality air filter I use for my paint gun on the plasma because I need all the life I can get out of it. Right now though it will be used to remove the floor boards out of my 69' camaro and the rear frame rails, nothing that will be fabricated or seen quite yet.Pics up tomorrow of some cuts and adjustments.Thanks everyone again.
Reply:Could it be 4.5cfm they are getting at in some weird ESL way?
Reply:Chinese do not use Imperal they use SI...Meanig no - cfm, in, psi...Instead - l/hr (or min). mm. bars....Fortunately AMPs the same in both systems... How long will it take for Americans to swith to SI ?!...
Reply:Actually the 2 industries that the US spends the greatest amount of GDP are already in Metric mostly, the military (6% of GDP) and healthcare (16% of GDP!!!).
Reply:alright well here are a few shots of what my cutter is doing. I have not experimented too much with it yet. I did not really care if the cuts were clean when I was taking out my floorboards just as long as they came out haha.Let me know if you've ever had similar cuts and what you did to make them better.Last edited by clay69camaro; 12-04-2009 at 09:39 PM.Reason: to make it readable
Reply:I just bought a Simadre rx50 rx50 plasma cutter, and I agree that the "manual" sucks.  This is billed as a dual voltage 110/220 unit.  Are you using 110 or 220?By the way, the gas pressure required (0.45) is in MegaPascals (MPa).  The conversion to psi is:  1 megapascal = 145.037738 pound-force/square inch (PSI)which would be about 65 psi.Geoff
Reply:The ground bolt at the back in NOT for grounding a generator.  It is to bleed off HF emissions, and prevent you from doing weird things to your home electrical system. It should be connected to a separate wire, running to a ground rod outside.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I'm running it at 220vThanks for the conversion too Geoff
Reply:I too bought a samadre tech 50 amp plasma cutter it says it works at 110 and 220. It works fine on 110,and will cut up to 1/8 steel. My question is it came with a 110 power supply cord how do I put 220 to it. also what type of breaker and wire should I use. All this stuff is new to me any help would be appreciated. One other thing this unit came as a tig-arc- plasma cutter, on the tig can I use the 75-25 argon mix that I use on my mig welder. Thanks
Reply:Did the machine not come with a manual? I would think the manual should tell how to operate it on 220......if that doesn't work call the supplier....hopefully they will offer technical advice.Tig requires argon.Jim
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltTig requires argon.
Reply:Actually.....when I said tig requires argon........argon is 100% argon!Jim
Reply:Just making sure he understood you Jim and that he didn't think he just needed "some" argon and his mix would work..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I guess I figured that. I suppose if the manual doesn't tell you how to connect power.....it also won't tell you how to be an expert at tig!Best regards, Jim
Reply:These units autosense  the input voltage.  There are switches or jumper settings to change.  110 plugs in this country are hot (black), neutral (white) and ground (green).  220 is just 2 hot lines and a ground.  The Simadre has a different scheme which I can't remember now without looking at the machine.  There should be some form of manual which specifies which of the 3 wires is ground.  The other 2 go to the live terminals on the plug.  I have mine plugged into a 30 amp source.As a side note mine was dead when I got it from the vendor.  Lights came on but no cutting current.  Opening the case I found the center tap wire on the cutting current potentiometer was disconnected.  Soldered it back on and all works fine.  I bring it up because I haven't seen this issue in any of the other posts.Good luck.GeoffLincoln 3200 HD MIGMiller Diversion 165 TIGSimadreTech Rx50 Plasma cutter
Reply:Sorry.  Should have said NO switches or jumpers to changeGeoffLincoln 3200 HD MIGMiller Diversion 165 TIGSimadreTech Rx50 Plasma cutter
Reply:Thanks for all the help guys. I emailed samadre tech last night at about 9:00 and they answered it at 1:00 am. They to told me it for sure does have the automatic sencing, and I could hook 220 right into it and to use a 50 amp breaker. So with out cutting the 110 power cord I should be able to just make a short adapter wire to go in between the 110 and the 220 wire. Is this right  Thanks         DEMO LH-28I think I would get more info before hooking it up to 220volts and a 50 amp circuit.110v has one hot(black) ground (green or barecopper) and neutral(white)220v has two hots (black and white) ground (green)#12 wire will take 20 amps at 110 and 220 volts#10 wire will take 30 amps at 110 and 220 voltsbut you will need #6 wire for 220 volts at 50 ampsif it came with a wireing diagram I would have a electrician look at it.both my plasma cutters use 220v 20 amp circuits they have #10 wire cords now my tig uses a 50 amp circuit and has a #6 wire cord.Good luck