Lorch Breakdown

[Seano]

I had to send our Lorch T220 ac/dc basic plus back to the suppliers yesterday with two faults...the amperage selector pot has gone haywire...when you adjust amps it appears to work ok, then the numbers in the Led readout stop moving, and sometimes even start to reduce down the scale

and the torch function plug...that weird one that has flat blade terminals that go into a female socket with the round holes on the front of the machine is really sloppy, you can wobble it from side to side and up and down, in fact it is quite difficult to get at to turn through 90% to lock it as its buried right under the the top dinse connector...so consequently the lock ring at the back of the plug now has stripped threads because the lazy arses at work can't be bothered to to unplug the dinse plug to tighten the torch function plug, my own opinion of both of these fault are heavy handedness because the monkeys we employ just don't give a S**T about how they treat equipment which makes me sooooooooooooooo mad....

 

[pedrobedro]

I get the amp thing with my Stel but it just needs the back of the circuit board brushing where the pot is soldered in and a light blow with the air line to fix it. It happens every six or eight months.

 

[Seano]

I get the amp thing with my Stel but it just needs the back of the circuit board brushing where the pot is soldered in and a light blow with the air line to fix it. It happens every six or eight months.

Done that ... been there....shame you can't squirt a tough of electroclean in back of the pot....but it's sealed...

 

[matt1978]

my own opinion of both of these fault are heavy handedness because the monkeys we employ just don't give a S**T about how they treat equipment which makes me sooooooooooooooo mad....

Sorry to hear that

I'll get the to have a look into it and see if any can be done under-warranty.

The Amphenol plug sounds like its down to abuse and probably wouldnt be warranty, but I am suprised at the Control knob.

Wellington??

 

[Seano]

Sorry to hear that

I'll get the to have a look into it and see if any can be done under-warranty.

The Amphenol plug sounds like its down to abuse and probably wouldnt be warranty, but I am suprised at the Control knob.

Wellington??

No Matt...British Welding in Bristol....Amphenol plug.... I've seen a lot in the offshore biz, but never a one with flat bladed pins, and never fitting into round holes....

 

[matt1978]

OK, I am at British on Monday. I'll look into it for you.

 

[Seano]

OK, I am at British on Monday. I'll look into it for you.

Cheers Matt, it won't be there as it has not been collected yet, but I did speak to Trevor about it on Thursday.

 

[matt1978]

Hello,

I just spoke to British Welding, who received the machine yesterday I belive. They did encounter a problem as you described with the potentiometer, but they stripped the Pot down and cleaned it and there was some dirt/debris inside.

They say its all functioning fine now and should be back with you soon.

 

[Seano]

Hello,

I just spoke to British Welding, who received the machine yesterday I belive. They did encounter a problem as you described with the potentiometer, but they stripped the Pot down and cleaned it and there was some dirt/debris inside.

They say its all functioning fine now and should be back with you soon.

Thanks for that Matt...I thought the pot was sealed and soldered to the board...? what news on the Amphenol / Tuchel plug...?

 

[matt1978]

They didnt mention the Tuchel plug apart from that it was functioning ok and all when the up/down torch was fitted it was moving the current up/down and initating the on/off signal as normal.

 

[Seano]

They didnt mention the Tuchel plug apart from that it was functioning ok and all when the up/down torch was fitted it was moving the current up/down and initating the on/off signal as normal.

Ok Matt
Thanks, so just to be absolutely clear about what I tell the eedjits at work, the Tuchel plug IS supposed to be a slack fit in the socket. and that it will move around...?

 

[matt1978]

I didn't see the machine, I am just relaying the conversation I had with Colin at British welding earlier today.

Are you saying that the female socket in the actual machine front cover is slack? Or do you mean that when the Male is fitted into the Female that there is some slack? Or maybe even the Male plug on the torch side is wobbley and loose?

What make is the torch?

The Tuchel/Amphonal fittings used for the torch are not-Lorch specific and are classed as a Industry standard so I guess that they should be to a tolerance to whoever it is who manufacturers them, but like I said, its frustrating for me because I didn't actually see the machine, so I don't know exactly what the problem is.

The important thing is that everything seems to be functioning fine now, but if you have any queries after you've received it back, drop me a PM.

Cheers

Matt

 

[pedrobedro]

My Stel uses the flat bladed 5 pin Tuchel plug into a round holed socket and it does slap about a bit even when you turn the lock ring. The actual connectors are expensive even from Spectrum our local shop who is very reasonable.

 

[Rick]

The pot on my machine started to do that but randomly fixed itself.

 

[Seano]

Got the tig back on Thursday from British Welding in Bristol and everything is like new again....Cheers for the input Matt....

 

[matt1978]

No prbs.

Glad it all got sorted