CT312 3in1 Plasma

[Nathan2016]

Hi everyone, I've just received a 3in1 Chinese CT312 welder (I know,everyone has mixed feeling on these) anyway it comes without a plug on it. Just wondered if anyone can tell the wiring for it. I have a Black, White and Green/Yellow. Let's see who can answer first the all knowledgeable on this forum or the Chinese seller on eBay.
Cheers Nathan

 

[Richard.]

If your not 100% sure you could check it at the other end while you have the covers off making sure none of the connections have worked loose in transit.
My guess would be white L black N green E. But best to check to be sure as its new.

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

Assuming it's the American colour code, black is live, white neutral and green/yellow earth.

Make sure it'll run on 240v and report the vendor to trading standards for supplying equipment with an illegal mains lead on it.

 

[skotl]

Welcome to the forum

As Richard says, never assume.

Get the case off and check the cable as it enters the case. One wire should go to a screw on the chassis - that will be the earth (double check with a multimeter if you have one).
For the other two cables, I'd expect that both go to the power switch so just check whether once cable goes via an inline fuse. If one does, then that's live. If neither do then it doesn't matter which one you treat as live or neutral.

 

[skotl]

...report the vendor to trading standards for supplying equipment with an illegal mains lead on it

Good point. Does that just apply to goods for domestic use, though? Would kit sold as commercial still require that?

Edit: Found it, I think, at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...al-equipment-plugs-sockets-guidance-notes.pdf

"Supply of Electrical Equipment: Specified domestic electrical equipment intended to be connected to the mains power supply via plug and socket outlet is required to be supplied fitted with a standard plug or conversion plug, see Regulation 12" (my highlight).

So is a unit "domestic" if it plugs into a BS1363 socket, or because it's used in a house?

 

[rtbcomp]

I've seen foreign equipment with a single pole switch in the live and a fuse in the neutral.

 

[Nathan2016]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Took the covers off, it's a double pole switch no fuses, on the other side of the switch two yellow wires that go to two different sides of the bottom circuit board. Still don't know. Damn Chinese electronics, oh and everything's covered in hot glue.

 

[Parm]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Took the covers off, it's a double pole switch no fuses, on the other side of the switch two yellow wires that go to two different sides of the bottom circuit board. Still don't know. Damn Chinese electronics, oh and everything's covered in hot glue.

Get someone who knows to check it out, better for you and the machine to be a little cautios

 

[skotl]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Took the covers off, it's a double pole switch no fuses, on the other side of the switch two yellow wires that go to two different sides of the bottom circuit board. Still don't know. Damn Chinese electronics, oh and everything's covered in hot glue.

Parm's right - if you're not comfortable, then get someone else to check it.
That said, the two yellow wires are the other side of the switch? If so then sounds like you definitely found L and N.
Is the third cable visibly attached to the chassis?

By the way - being covered in glue is the only way the units (mostly) make it to the UK in a working condition, so don't knock it

 

[Nathan2016]

Parm's right - if you're not comfortable, then get someone else to check it.
That said, the two yellow wires are the other side of the switch? If so then sounds like you definitely found L and N.
Is the third cable visibly attached to the chassis?

By the way - being covered in glue is the only way the units (mostly) make it to the UK in a working condition, so don't knock it

Yeah yellow/green connects to chassis. I'm fairly certain Black Live, White Neutral. Still waiting for seller to respond, apparently it's still weekend in China.

 

[rtbcomp]

It probably won't make a difference which way round you connect them, they swap sides 50 times a second anyway...

That said, I wouldn't guarantee it without looking.

It's a safety thing really - you need to know which is live to make sure the switch (if it's single pole) and the fuse (if fitted) is in the live side. I'm surprised it doesn't have a mains fuse though.

 

[Parm]

It realy is quite simple, but often a fuse isn't fitted into the positive side. If you know what your doing its not complicated to trace which wire goes where, BUT, if you don't know it's better for a competent person to mess about

 

[Nathan2016]

Hi, just thought I'd give you an update the seller responded Black Live, White Neutral, Green/Yellow Earth. Wired up and tried it earlier like a hot knife through butter, 4mm mild steel not a problem had a go at a brake disc and it cut into that quite well. Whats the PSI to run on these, i was using about 75psi.

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

 

[skotl]

Good news

Yep; 60 to 80psi. The regs are notoriously imprecise so you just need to play around with it a bit. Glad you're enjoying it!