I've just found and joined this forum hoping for some help with an old plasma cutter. I'm a Mechanical Engineer as a day job but my hands-on MIG/TIG welding is all self-taught and I'm completely new to the world of plasma cutters!
I was given a "AWAC system 3" single phase plasma cutter probably nearly 20 years ago and it’s stood neglected in the corner of my workshop ever since. I was hoping to add some photos but haven't worked out how to do this yet...
Unfortunately I can't find anything on the internet about it and all the removable parts of the torch are missing. It’s physically a very big machine and when I turned it on I heard what I thought was an air compressor running - turns out it’s got a 5litre tank and circulation pump for the torch… There is only an on/off switch on the front, a 0.4A fuse, a yellow “on” light and a red light marked "block" (whatever that is). From the plate the machine seems to be rated at 15A, 200-240V @50Hz and 70V and 45A output - although I am defiantly not qualified/experienced to understand anymore! Something about power factor stuff perhaps..??
After much internet searching a YouTube video watching I bought a PT-31 torch thinking that I could simply replace the original and see if it worked. Then I realised that there are two 'cables' running to the torch (it actually uses both water hoses) and therefor I assumed it must be this thing call ‘pilot arc’ that I'd heard about. Just wanting to see if it would work without spending much cash, I wired the supply in the old torch that didn't register as having continuity with the main earth clamp to the new torch, plumbed in my compressor and tried it. Nothing. Machine makes a clunk sound but not sparks at the torch. Sanity checking with a multi meter showed 100V DC between the earth clamp (+) and the torch electrode (-). I'm therefore guessing that the gap inside the torch is too big for this 100 Volts to jump across to initiate the plasma... so will a proper pilot arc torch, say a P80, work with this please? I was beginning to think I had this understood!!
The original torch has a screw cap on the 'back' i.e. the opposite side of where the ceramic shield fits. Think of a TIG torch, but its flat. The brass thread under the cap is negative compared to the 'front' brass thread of the torch which is positive - along with the earth clamp. As mentioned earlier, the machine uses both water hoses for these electrical connections. I've googled everything I can think of to see if I can match up a picture even similar to this and I can't. Everything now seems to only have the removable ceramic shield and consumables – nothing at the other side of the torch.
What I'm really hoping for is that somebody can kindly recommend an available torch I can retro fit to get it up and running and maybe explain a little more about it? Do I need to use the water cooling? I don’t do a lot of cutting in one go, perhaps some 6mm plate for a homemade go-kart or some car body/landrover chassis type work. I'm very able to make up wire/hose adaptors but really not getting into the machine its self in the electric-trickery side!
PS just worked out how to do the photos - hope they aren't too big...
I was given a "AWAC system 3" single phase plasma cutter probably nearly 20 years ago and it’s stood neglected in the corner of my workshop ever since. I was hoping to add some photos but haven't worked out how to do this yet...
Unfortunately I can't find anything on the internet about it and all the removable parts of the torch are missing. It’s physically a very big machine and when I turned it on I heard what I thought was an air compressor running - turns out it’s got a 5litre tank and circulation pump for the torch… There is only an on/off switch on the front, a 0.4A fuse, a yellow “on” light and a red light marked "block" (whatever that is). From the plate the machine seems to be rated at 15A, 200-240V @50Hz and 70V and 45A output - although I am defiantly not qualified/experienced to understand anymore! Something about power factor stuff perhaps..??
After much internet searching a YouTube video watching I bought a PT-31 torch thinking that I could simply replace the original and see if it worked. Then I realised that there are two 'cables' running to the torch (it actually uses both water hoses) and therefor I assumed it must be this thing call ‘pilot arc’ that I'd heard about. Just wanting to see if it would work without spending much cash, I wired the supply in the old torch that didn't register as having continuity with the main earth clamp to the new torch, plumbed in my compressor and tried it. Nothing. Machine makes a clunk sound but not sparks at the torch. Sanity checking with a multi meter showed 100V DC between the earth clamp (+) and the torch electrode (-). I'm therefore guessing that the gap inside the torch is too big for this 100 Volts to jump across to initiate the plasma... so will a proper pilot arc torch, say a P80, work with this please? I was beginning to think I had this understood!!
The original torch has a screw cap on the 'back' i.e. the opposite side of where the ceramic shield fits. Think of a TIG torch, but its flat. The brass thread under the cap is negative compared to the 'front' brass thread of the torch which is positive - along with the earth clamp. As mentioned earlier, the machine uses both water hoses for these electrical connections. I've googled everything I can think of to see if I can match up a picture even similar to this and I can't. Everything now seems to only have the removable ceramic shield and consumables – nothing at the other side of the torch.
What I'm really hoping for is that somebody can kindly recommend an available torch I can retro fit to get it up and running and maybe explain a little more about it? Do I need to use the water cooling? I don’t do a lot of cutting in one go, perhaps some 6mm plate for a homemade go-kart or some car body/landrover chassis type work. I'm very able to make up wire/hose adaptors but really not getting into the machine its self in the electric-trickery side!
PS just worked out how to do the photos - hope they aren't too big...