Cut-50 busticated. Yes, the xmas one.

[skotl]

Bu66er. Switched on the cutter for only the second time today, pulled the trigger (away from the metal) to check air pressure and there was a whole bunch of blue arcing inside the unit.

Unsurprisingly, when I try it on the work piece there's no spark now. So it's knackered

Air solenoid works, amperage dial works, no thermal cutout light (left it off for 15 minutes and retried), continuity from -ve out to the cutting tip and continuity from the earth lead to its clamp.

Just no spark. Changed the consumables, too, and no difference.

The only good news is that the wife bought it from a UK seller so at least I don't need to send it back to China.

What a pain

 

[zx9]

I feel your pain. Anything can fail, go wrong in the first week, be DOA etc. the true test will be how the seller deals with sorting out the problem. Good luck and fingers crossed.

 

[eSCHEn]

******** skotl that is a complete pain Like Keith says it does happen but it sure is gutting when it does.

It's good news that it's a UK seller, should make it easier to get a positive result. In a way it's better that they fail straight away as it's hard for a seller to accuse you of breaking it yourself. The worst one is the one that fails a month after the warranty expires...

 

[skotl]

Cheers, guys. You're right, of course - if a piece of electronics lasts the first couple of weeks, it will tend to go on for years.
Could have been a dry solder joint (the thing's not that well put together) that's gone open circuit and it's zapped itself.

Wife's out so I need to wait till she gets back to get logged onto her ebay account and start the process

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Have you had a look inside to see if it's obvious what went pop?

 

[Shox Dr]

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrh

 

[eSCHEn]

Best of luck mate. I'm sure it'll all be sorted quickly and you'll be terrifying random bits of metal again in no time

 

[skotl]

Have you had a look inside to see if it's obvious what went pop?

Yep - nothing obviously black'n'blue. I didn't want to go too far, given that it's still under warranty.

 

[mr migwire]

bugger mate, I really hope the seller sorts you out nice and quick...

 

[evobilly666]

Sucks mate. Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Mr shiney]

I feel your pain. When I bought my Eastwood Plasma it cut about 4" and then failed!!

To five them there due they changed it in two days and I got the newer one with the CB50 torch.

 

[outofthefire]

are all the leads tight, what you did shouldn't have broken it, though it could be a coincidence.

 

[cumbriasteve]

My MMA did the same within minutes of being new, was a blown capacitor.. blue sparkies and a nice lingering burning odour, it's replacements been fine, it does lose your confidence in them for a while though.

 

[skotl]

are all the leads tight, what you did shouldn't have broken it, though it could be a coincidence.

Yeah - had all the leads off, checked for continuity, and put them back on again.

It's just been sat on the bench since I used it a few days back.

 

[justin]

I have no idea how these things work but i thought that i could see arcing inside the case in your video.

 

[Pete.]

I have no idea how these things work but i thought that i could see arcing inside the case in your video.

I saw that too but I thought it was the HF generator sparking unit, the old type (which is what my welder has) uses two contacts 8 thou apart and you get a little blue arc from it.

 

[skotl]

I have no idea how these things work but i thought that i could see arcing inside the case in your video.

I saw that too but I thought it was the HF generator sparking unit, the old type (which is what my welder has) uses two contacts 8 thou apart and you get a little blue arc from it.

Yes indeed - I'd noticed that, too. Arc was coming from the great big copper coil like thing at the front.

When it went fut this afternoon, it was coming from the sides, which was definitely new! Now no shiny blue sparks anywhere

 

[wheresmejumper]

Whatever you do,dont say you had the covers off.a big excuse for weaseling out of a warranty

 

[skotl]

Whatever you do,dont say you had the covers off.a big excuse for weaseling out of a warranty

Indeed. I'll just say to them that I've checked continuity on the leads.

Thing is, it's off ebay / paypal, and paypal (despite an unfairly poor reputation) pretty much invariably come down on the side of the purchaser.
I'm sure it will all be fine - just shaken my faith in the units as a whole - hopefully the replacement will be ok.

 

[mr migwire]

I think for the most part they are ok machines mate but the quality control is a tad loose so a few do get through that would normally go to rework........at least I would hope that's how it works.....