Plasma cutter purchase things to consider??? Looking to buy the Spectrum® 375 X-TREME

[B&M Welding Inc.]

I really appreciate everyones feedback and suggestions, I will have to do my homework now..

So what ive heard so far are the following:

The 45
The 85
The 130
The 180
The 1250 (this one I only found a 125 on their site, or is there a 1250?)


So based on the power requirements looks like the PM30 would be the biggest I could go to use at home, as I have dedicated 120 and 220 outlets in the garage, the 220 though is running my compressor, so if im going to use air then I would either have to run another dedicated line to the garage and go with the PM45.

Is the PM30 worth the money? Anyone have or had one?

Im not using this to make a living like a lot of you do, so just curious if it would be a waste of time and money to go with the 30? or just have a new 220 line run to the garage to dedicate for the cutter?


thank you again..

I mentioned the 1250. It was replaced a few years ago with the 85. Good used 1250s can still bring good money though.

[Cgotto6]

I have a 40amp plasma by thermal and there is no way I could live with anything smaller. I run into 1/2"+ from time to time and there is no way I would want less than 40amps. I would also say go for the hypertherm. I used my dads friends brand new 45 a few months back and although I would say the cut quality was very similar to my thermal, all of the hardware is just higher quality. Hold the torch once and you can tell it's well built.

[Manisoba]

Plasma cutter purchase things to consider??? Looking to buy the Spectrum® 375 X-TREME

Cubangt, just because the power max has 45 amps doesn't mean you have to cut at 45. You can turn it down and install 30amp consumables if they are different. I have a pm 85 on a Cnc table and it has spent most of its life at 45 and 65 amps cutting 3/16 and 1/4 plate

[Country Metals]

I have a 875 pre auto link. I got it cheap being a demo model. It has always work well for me, the only complaint I have so far is no one makes a gun for it. It has a totally different connection. I cut up a rusted out tank last week and the auto restart was flawless. Oh and the other thing is if you have to change tips or whatnot, you have to shut the machine off and turn it back on to reset the torch safety switch.

Overall, good machine but I will be purchasing a hypertherm next time.

[jimcolt]

You should choose a plasma cutter based on what you need to cut. The maximum pierce thickness and what you spend 80% of your time cutting.

A Powermax30XP will pierce 1/4", can edge start and sever to 5/8". The Powermax45 can pierce 1/2" and can edge start and cut 7/8"
Powermax65, pierce 5/8", edge start and sever to 1-1/4"

The severance speed is pretty slow.....the material you can pierce is a thickness that will also allow for production cutting speed.

There is no 130 or 180 system from Hypertherm in an air plasma cutter anyway!

Jim Colt Hypertherm

I really appreciate everyones feedback and suggestions, I will have to do my homework now..

So what ive heard so far are the following:

The 45
The 85
The 130
The 180
The 1250 (this one I only found a 125 on their site, or is there a 1250?)


So based on the power requirements looks like the PM30 would be the biggest I could go to use at home, as I have dedicated 120 and 220 outlets in the garage, the 220 though is running my compressor, so if im going to use air then I would either have to run another dedicated line to the garage and go with the PM45.

Is the PM30 worth the money? Anyone have or had one?

Im not using this to make a living like a lot of you do, so just curious if it would be a waste of time and money to go with the 30? or just have a new 220 line run to the garage to dedicate for the cutter?


thank you again..

[Arizona Joe]

I

Is the PM30 worth the money? Anyone have or had one?

Well, I too was considering the Spectrum 375 but bought an Powermax 30XP.
The 375 has a built in regulator and moisture trap. The 30XP does not.
While you can drag cut with both machines, you don't need to change to the drag tip with the 30XP. You get two tips: one for regular cutting and one for fine cutting.

The Miller and Hypertherm kits look suspiciously similar and are close in price. But the drag feature of the Hypertherm is what tipped the scale in their favor as shown in Jay Leno's garage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4grP8O-1Beo

The 30XP is more than adequate for what I do. Besides, I don't have enough air for larger machines. So far I've cut 16 ga steel, zinc, and copper sheet. I used a 3/4" piece of common pine clamped to the work as a straight edge. (Of course I would've used a steel bar if I had one.) I also cut some small, rough, 5/8" diameter holes in sheet metal. I cut holes in a pieces of blue painters tape that I used as a guide and did it by hand as I picked up from Jody.

In summary, while I have absolutely no experience with plasma cutters, I am nevertheless very pleased with my XP30. Is it worth the money? IMHO, yes.

[kize]

Well, I too was considering the Spectrum 375 but bought an Powermax 30XP.
The 375 has a built in regulator and moisture trap. The 30XP does not.
While you can drag cut with both machines, you don't need to change to the drag tip with the 30XP. You get two tips: one for regular cutting and one for fine cutting.

The Miller and Hypertherm kits look suspiciously similar and are close in price. But the drag feature of the Hypertherm is what tipped the scale in their favor as shown in Jay Leno's garage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4grP8O-1Beo

The 30XP is more than adequate for what I do. Besides, I don't have enough air for larger machines. So far I've cut 16 ga steel, zinc, and copper sheet. I used a 3/4" piece of common pine clamped to the work as a straight edge. (Of course I would've used a steel bar if I had one.) I also cut some small, rough, 5/8" diameter holes in sheet metal. I cut holes in a pieces of blue painters tape that I used as a guide and did it by hand as I picked up from Jody.

In summary, while I have absolutely no experience with plasma cutters, I am nevertheless very pleased with my XP30. Is it worth the money? IMHO, yes.

You sure about not having a reg and moisture trap on power max 30 xp ? The downloaded service manual shows one inside on the left side of machine ( facing the front). Supposedly under the units cover. Looks like a auto drain type from the picture.

[Aeronca41]

Dry Air for Plasma Cutting

Link below to an article by Hypertherm's Jim Colt has some great info. I added a Motorguard coalescing filter to my air line just before it enters my PM45. Works great.

http://www.achrnews.com/blogs/16-gue...plasma-cutting

[Arizona Joe]

You sure about not having a reg and moisture trap on power max 30 xp ? The downloaded service manual shows one inside on the left side of machine ( facing the front). Supposedly under the units cover. Looks like a auto drain type from the picture.

From the 375 description on this site:
Automatic Air Regulation

The unit automatically compensates for input pressure variation to provide constant recommended torch pressure for optimum cutting performance.


As for the filter, see OM-253 555 page 26

[kize]

From the 375 description on this site:
Automatic Air Regulation

The unit automatically compensates for input pressure variation to provide constant recommended torch pressure for optimum cutting performance.


As for the filter, see OM-253 555 page 26

I don't believe my post was referring to the 375.

[Arizona Joe]

I don't believe my post was referring to the 375.

OK. So does the 30XP have a moisture trap and regulator inside?

[Meltedmetal]

OK. So does the 30XP have a moisture trap and regulator inside?

Yes.Look at page 66 & page 50 of the operators manual available on the Hypertherm web site.

http://www.hypertherm.com/en-us/Service/Manuals/

[Arizona Joe]

Yes.Look at page 66 & page 50 of the operators manual available on the Hypertherm web site.

http://www.hypertherm.com/en-us/Service/Manuals/

OK. I stand corrected, it does have a built in filter, but it does not have a built in regulator, at least the way I read it. The quote below is from p 27 of the owners manual. Hence, I use an external regulator and filter.


"The gas supply can be shop-compressed or cylinder-compressed. You must use a high-pressure regulator on either type
of supply, and the regulator must deliver gas to the filter on the power supply at 99.1 l/min at 4.7 bar (3.5 scfm at 68 psi).
To ensure adequate pressure to the power supply, set the regulator between 5.5 and 6.9 bar (80 and 100 psi).
The system contains an internal filter element, but additional filtration may be required depending on the quality of the gas
supply. If gas supply quality is poor, cut speeds decrease, cut quality deteriorates, cutting thickness capability decreases,
and the life of the consumables shortens. For optimal performance, the gas should have a maximum:"

[H80N]

Combination Filter/Regulator

OK. I stand corrected, it does have a built in filter, but it does not have a built in regulator, at least the way I read it. The quote below is from p 27 of the owners manual. Hence, I use an external regulator and filter.


"The gas supply can be shop-compressed or cylinder-compressed. You must use a high-pressure regulator on either type
of supply, and the regulator must deliver gas to the filter on the power supply at 99.1 l/min at 4.7 bar (3.5 scfm at 68 psi).
To ensure adequate pressure to the power supply, set the regulator between 5.5 and 6.9 bar (80 and 100 psi).
The system contains an internal filter element, but additional filtration may be required depending on the quality of the gas
supply. If gas supply quality is poor, cut speeds decrease, cut quality deteriorates, cutting thickness capability decreases,
and the life of the consumables shortens. For optimal performance, the gas should have a maximum:"

Stand by to be corrected yet again...

See Page 121 of the 30XP Service Manual

Section 6 – Power Supply Component Replacement

Figure 57 Item 1..... Air Filter/Regulator

ALSO Page 143...144

AIR FILTER/REGULATOR Replacement...

[Arizona Joe]

Stand by to be corrected yet again...

See Page 121 of the 30XP Service Manual

Section 6 – Power Supply Component Replacement

Figure 57 Item 1..... Air Filter/Regulator

ALSO Page 143...144

AIR FILTER/REGULATOR Replacement...

While I see it and read it, nevertheless I am not convinced. I wrote a long response explaining why, but it got lost after my login timed out. Rather than repeat everything, I will repeat that I ended by saying I would send an email to Hypertherm and report their response.

Thanks for the research guys.