Shocking

[speedoo51]

Ow it smarts...My Cebora CAR30 is not liking me...When I touch the nozzle to the work to depress it [not just a scratch] and start the arc I get one heck of a shock just touching the work if my free hand is on the work piece...I checked and there is about fifty volts at the nozzle when the start button is depressed to me or to the ground clamp..It seems that the torch is leaking to my hand as with a glove there is no problem shocking..Puzzlement is I've taken the torch apart three times and cannot find the "path"..If I hold the button "on" and depress [and release] the nozzle with a hammer handle an arc will start in mid air..Is this something that is normal?? I wore gloves and had no problem cutting 1/8thick plate [3mm] ...I checked the supply voltage and it is 231, 116 per leg and the ground is good..Wierd I could only pass about 50 volts through the ground clamp when feeding it 116v..Thoughts?

 

[shenion]

Sounds like there is a leak in the welder putting 50V on the ground. You say 50V, measured from where to where?

Mine is similar; the press-down to start type. Will start with no connection to the work.

 

[speedoo51]

""You say 50V, measured from where to where?""

50v is found from nozzle to grd clamp [or work piece] when button is pushed...Also if I insulate the grd clamp and put a voltmeter between it and 115v supply the VC only reads around 50v, I would think it would be the full 115v?

 

[shenion]

Between the ground clamp and the 115V in you should see no voltage.

you have a short, probably in one of the transformers.

 

[speedoo51]

I'm going to take the torch apart one more time, I have to be over looking something..How would I check for a short in a transformer? There should be continuity from the grd clamp to the 230v plug grd pin?

 

[shenion]

There should be no continuity between the ground clamp and any of the power or ground lines coming in.

It is not a torch problem if it is putting voltage on the ground.

 

[speedoo51]

I'm going to open it up and check around inside..Maybe there will be something obvious..Thanks..

 

[speedoo51]

I checked things again [on my to do list] and found that when button is pushed there is 240v + between the torch tip and grd clamp; or me if I'm touching work piece..Once cutting there seems to be no current as best as I can check using three hands..Took the cover off and can see nothing obviously wrong..One relay works when start button is depressed making tip hot and second relay [solely for grd wire] works when torch is depressed starting arc..

 

[pedrobedro]

Did you check the earth in the mains plug ?

 

[HasBean]

Had similar in a machine where the neutral was floating hence no blown fuses and a potential difference between earth and err... earth so to speak.

Paul