order arrived today

[DATEC]

I took everyone's advice and bought the Hypertherm45 the spoolmate 100 and Hypertherm's Hyaccess kit. It all arrived yesterday and I took the plasma cutter out to the garage and did a quick setup and did just a few quick cuts to make sure it was working. Did I say quick cuts? Holly crap did it make quick cuts. I just grabbed some scrap replacement panels for automotive repairs I had previously done I didn't measure the thickness but guess it's in the 20ga area and cutter on 35. Holly crap (did I already say that?) as fast as I could draw across the metal it was sliced and hitting the ground. I put it at it's lowest setting and still the same thing. It cut so fast that the metal could be handled after being cut it was only warm to mabey very warm at best.

One thing I did notice was a very slight sound coming from it with it on kinda hard to explain cause it is slight but when I hooked it up and turned it on (fan was not running) I could hear what sounded like a electrical crackling type sound with it just sitting there (very slight). I just very briefly listened to it but figured I would get back to it tomorrow when I had more time. Does anybody else notice any sound at all from theirs with it just sitting there ready to go?

The other thing is the air nipple that came installed on it. It doesn't match what I use so I had to change it they put red lock tight on it and it was a bear to get off it unscrewed the brass fitting with it and then I was able to use 2 wrenches on it to finnaly get it off to install mine. While it was nice to include one with the machine it should not have been that tight in case like me someone might need another type. I thought I was going to break the air regulator as it was twisting with every attempt until the brass tube fitting unscrewed. I reattached the brass tube with teflon tape and did the same with my air nipple.

Has anyone have any ideas for a storage? I would like to keep everything in one case, what do you guys use for storage?

Thank you goes out to everyone who recommended that plasma cutter it seems to be one **** of a unit.

Dave

[Aeronca41]

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Congrats on the new stuff! I don't recall any sound at all from mine -may be able to listen closely to it tomorrow. I'd say use it like crazy and flush out any bugs if you think there might be se in there. I know Hypertherm load tests every machine before shipping but maybe something got loose in transit. Been using mine over a year with no issues. I put a regular air dryer followed by a coalescing filter on the input and consumables just seem to go on forever. After 50+ years of OA cutting I still find this thing unbelievable even after using it for so long. Enjoy!

[aametalmaster]

I have a canvas bag made from a new tarp for my spool gun. Will show you Sunday when you come over for your spool gun tip conversion. I hope to be sewing some more up soon...Bob

[DATEC]

I was looking at the plasma cutter tonight and the sound is still there. It kinda cycles from real soft to soft. When I decided to look into it I was standing at my tool box about 10ft away and could hear it. So I grabbed my screw driver and torx bit set and took the cover off.

I could make it out with the cover on nearest the back of the unit. When I removed the cover and powered it on it became louder and was surely coming from the back of the unit around the area of the internal water separator. I grabbed my mechanics stethoscope (long skinny screw driver) and with my eye being drawn towards either the rear most transformer (there are 4) and the rear most large blue compassitor (there are 2) I carefully placed the stethoscope and put my ear to each of them and the sound was clear and we'll defined. The sound transferred to the other remaining transformers and other compassitor faded quickly to nothing the more I moved to the front of the unit. I also noticed I could wiggle one of the wires coming from that transformer, I couldn't make out how it was attached, either crimped or screwed together (like a TV cable plug), it was just too tight and narrow to make out how it is attached together. But when I wiggle the wire it is sloppy at the connection and rattles. So thinking that that might be it I held the wire tight and powered the unit, nope that wasn't it still has the same sound.
I don't know if this is normal or not but it just dosen't sound right. The unit and box are spotless. I just don't want something to progressively get worse and break especally if it should be quiet.
It's not a humm like some transformers do it is a crackling sound.

[DATEC]

Bob,

I'll bring this with me and you can tell me what you think. I may be looking too hard into it, my day job has kinda got me into the habit of being critical sometimes I'm too critical or so I've been told.

Dave

[DATEC]

Well I came back from aametalmaster's and he did his retrofit repair to my new spoolgun. Great job and a **** of a nice guy, Thank You.
I also took my plasma cutter and we hooked it up to his power cord and while we were outside it made a me look silly. The noise wasn't there dam, oh well. I guess I will just do as Aeronca41 said "use it like crazy and flush out the bugs". I guess the one good thing is that the Powermax units have a 3yr warranty and while it appears to work like it should if something does happen hopefully it will be under warranty. I will check my power at the outlet to make double sure I have 220v, lasttime I checked it was but will check it again.
Other then that everythings looking good. Gotta try the spoolgun but am sure it will be fine.

Thanks again Bob,

Dave

[Aeronca41]

Dave, I apologize. I never got to listen to mine to see if I could hear anything. Will give it a shot Mon evening. You might also want to give a call to Hypertherm and describe the sound and the loose wire you noted. I talked to 2 people there while deciding to buy mine and they were great-same top quality folks as talking to Miller on the phone. Maybe just see what they say.

[DATEC]

Today I called Hypertherm as suggested on my lunch. The tech support picked upon the second ring and was extremely nice. I started to explain my concern and before I could finnish he said "you hear a bacon frying sound?" I said yes. His reply was that is completely normal and that it should be making that type of sound. He said that without going into the confusing technical reason that basically it is going through it's processing waiting for the demand and while it is doing that it makes that type of sound and is nothing to be worried about at all it is normal. I told him, that was a huge load off my mind because this was my first plasma cutter and just didn't know what to expect and with electrical things that sound usually is not a good sign and with it being new out of the box I thought the worst. I breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him for his time.
I couldn't make it out at Bob'd yesterday but we were outside which might have something to do with it. It has gotten quieter since the first time out of the box which might be things settling in as being new, I don't know but relieved that it is a normal sound none the less.
He was extreamly pleasant and reasuring which i can tell you really impressed me.
I wanted to let you all know what i found out and to again thank those who recommended these products.

Now about that Plasma CNC table?.....

Dave

[Aeronca41]

Dave,
plugged mine in and listened- didn't hear anything but a click from inside just after power on. But, at my age maybe it's making a sound I can't hear. :-). Glad you got good news from the factory today. You will continue to be amazed with that machine. I cut some expanded metal a couple of weeks ago using that special mode. Once I got the hang of it I didn't even need to grind it before welding in place.

[BukitCase]

Dave, glad you found peace of mind on your PM45 - I've had mine for about 3 years now and love it.

I'll try to help on your cart/stand issues, if the site will let me post large pics -

First one, back side of a Home Depot (Husky) 5 drawer rollaway showing a steel garden hose hanger - note the indented "channel" just to the left of the hanger - it's a stiffener stamped into the back of the cabinet, which also keeps drawers from coming to the rearmost part of the cabinet - this means that ANYWHERE ELSE is fair game for short self-drilling screws, which I used to mount the hose hanger.

Next one, air setup - mounted on unistrut frame, theres an inlet valve, auxiliary air connect, pre-regulator (my air is at 175 psi), Painter's air filter, Motorgard filter, output pressure gauge, everything with QD's and swivels so it doesn't stick out past the rollaway. I adjust the pre-regulator down to about 110 psi so it's no threat to the internal PM45 regulator, but has enough headroom for anything.

Next one - I removed the fixed QD on the PM45 and inserted a swivel fitting - didn't like the idea of something bumping that fitting and messing up something inside the PM45.

Last one - shows the hose hanger, added bracket for tie-down strap (temporary, sorta) and an added intermediate 3-drawer. The plaz never leaves smooth concrete while it's on the cart, so I'm not worried about tipping. Note that I remove the torch from the PM45 when I'm not using it, I feel that at $500 to replace, it's probably safer that way.

HTH... Steve (Guess they weren't THAT large :=)