Chinese Plasma Cutters Safety Warning!

[weldequip]

As I said, the voltage at the torch head is only 50 -60 volts, it's at the machine end where the high voltage is. Direct wired torches or euro-plug in torches ensure that any high voltage is kept within the machine case & not exposed on the outside of the case, as has been identified by the 'powers that be'. I don't know how long those high voltages occur as I'm no electrical wizard, but the fact that these issues are even being raised, and machines being withdrawn from the market surely is enough to cause concerns?
They may well be fine, with a bit of insulation tape wrapped round or whatever, but if TESCO annouced a product recall on a TV people would be flocking back in droves would they not?
weldequip

 

[lexi]

Well no not comparing it. Hi fi is very subjective Steve. Convince someone that an item is the danglies and you can then charge. It`s a bit like winetasting. I could go on. All is fair in love and war.LOL

Alex

 

[lovelectricity]

hi there lads,
no i think it very clever! this is where germany went wrong. they just invaded bits and hoped nobody noticed, now if you can wipe out some of the resistance to your world domination plan with cheap, faulty goods....oh no sorry that might be a film i watched.

 

[malcolm]

We're all very keen about health and safety all of a sudden. Wasn't last week when we were all complaining about it.

My Miller HF TIG has exposed connectors. I'm very careful not to put them in my mouth. Should imagine some hose or that plastic cable trunking would offer enough isolation for anyone who was worried.

Smacks of alterior motives when the issue is blown out of proportion by people whi don't like Chinese products. Suddenly toddlers are in the workshop disassembling the side of the machine and sticking their hands inside while daddy is cutting. Whoever lets toddles roam around in the workshop unattended will have more to worry about than their torch connectors.

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

yes, I agree. No-one else works in my workshop, very few people come in there and hardly ever when I'm not there. My wife or daughter may take one step inside to deliver a cup of tea occassionally...

Now I know the problem I can sort it out but there'll be people around who have no idea what to do with it, they'll just use it as it is.

My concern is that I bought this not knowing that there's a high voltage uncovered and lots of other people have also bought similar items off Ebay in recent months. These won't be recalled to be sorted like those sold by shops (including intenet shops). Ebay aren't interested even though it should be relatively easy for them to send an email to everyone who's bought one recently.

If someone gets hurt and there's a crack-down on DIY home users then we'll all be targets!

It'll make buying and selling the next new gadget that much harder.

Regards
Peter

 

[oddball90]

The trouble is Peter somebody coming past you to leave a cup of tea whilst you are cutting could be close to the live connections. Okay big if there but atleast you know there is a danger and have done some thing about it.
How many machines out there that people don't know could be dangerous.
I need a plasma cutter and was thinking of getting a chinese machine but looking at all the machines i can find, they are all like your Berlan the gas connecter being a live connection?
All the very expensive european/usa machines have the torch hard wired to the machine in the same sort of range machines(40 amp). Why would they do this?
So i'm looking for a secondhand machine now.

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

I understand what you mean but it's a one man workshop, single garage with benches down each side. No-one can walk past. When I wrote about someone taking one step inside that's excatly what I meant, they can't get more than one pace inside the door.

As /we/ now know the problem, and how to rectify it, I can't see why we shouldn't carry on using the sets.

AFAICS the more expensive sets also seem to have a much smaller cutting capacity.

For me to get an equivilent set I reckon I'd have to spend closer to £1000 which is way too high for occassional use.

I wanted the cutter for a particular job and it'll probably get a couple of hours use each week. It's not worth it for me to buy something much more expensive just to try it out. Probably wouldn't be ecconomical to hire one either.

If the idea I have works out then I can use profits to buy something better and I don't mind doing that.

Yes, it could kill me if something goes wrong but that's less likely now I know what the problem is...that's why I took the time to find out why sales had been stopped.

Anyhow, death can't be that bad...

ten years of a Labour government has that sort of affect on me...

Regards
Peter

 

[kezajones]

if all the butters (chinese) machines on this page http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/TIG_Welder/tig_welder.html

have the same connections shouldnt they be recalled aswell? and that newly released MTA machine looks awfully like a mitech machine

 

[kezajones]

and the first butters plasma here

http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/Plasma_Cutter/plasma_cutter.html

 

[jcorallo]

Thats interesting... the Butters 180 HF DC Tig is almost identical to the Berlan one on eBay. The Butters one seems to have an extra switch though:

Butters:

Berlan:

Jules

 

[kezajones]

Thats interesting... the Butters 180 HF DC Tig is almost identical to the Berlan one on eBay. The Butters one seems to have an extra switch though:

Butters:

Berlan:

Jules

the extra switch is 2t/4t

Edit: you can actually see that anyway

 

[kezajones]

oh and the butters 160 pulse is identical to the ones being sold on ebay

 

[irondarren]

I would assume butters check each unit over, before selling it under the butters name, but i could be wrong

 

[snowcat]

Yes, Please!!! This forum only has one topic.... play another bloody record lads!

Yes Yes Yes, The wurthless Rep came round to drop off his christmas goodys includeing the hahmm arty calenders what did he start to moaning about the bloady chinese ahhhhh, Can we have a vote to stop pleaseee

 

[malcolm]

Thirded from me. This is partly a DIY forum, and a lot of DIY folk want stuff for weekend use. That Chinese stuff could well be the best buy for many even if it is made in Eastern Europe. Downtime and duty cycles are just annoying for the DIY user rather than bancrupting.

Lexi hasn't reported any breakages on the Greenbird yet.

 

[Drains]

Malcolm, I dare you to lock this thread! (Anyone up for a double dare, cos Malcolm's very hands-off, dontchaknow)

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

finally, I've modified the cutter with a bicycle handle grip as I suggested earlier.

It's thickish rubber and with the 'blunt' end cut off it's wide enough to just cover the nut and be a smooth, sliding fit, so it won't vibrate off when in use.

In fact, I first had the idea that I would tighten the nut by hand and slide the rubber over it but it's such a good fit that I can actually leave the rubber over the nut and still attach/detach it from the cutter.

Regards
Peter

 

[snowcat]

Il Throw My dirty welding gauntlet down, and Double Dare!! and il go as far to say all threads that tangent off In the Easten Direction, Should be locked In future...Im sure All has been said by now surely.......................................

 

[malcolm]

Malcolm, I dare you to lock this thread! (Anyone up for a double dare, cos Malcolm's very hands-off, dontchaknow)

Sounds like a trap to me. Best just steer it off topic.

 

[Drains]

The trouble is Peter somebody coming past you to leave a cup of tea whilst you are cutting could be close to the live connections.

How do you find the bottle to walk out of the front door in the morning Oddball? (or roll that Landy of yours?)

Away man, get a grip.