Frying start cartridges on cutmaster 101

[Yellowstone]

So I had a couple cartridges that came with my machine and they shorted out so I bought some new ones. Well I fried a new one today. Shorting out on the electrode. Any one else have this issue? Pricey little buggers to be buying all the time.

[radicalrescue]

are u running air dryer, i had the same thingon my120 cutmaster when i first got my table check ur tips i got some an they were a dragin tip

[Yellowstone]

I have a separator. No drier yet. What's a dragin tip? Drag tip? I bought new nozzles and electrodes. I was a little suspicious of wet air being the culprit but I was running a little Bosch POS compressor, prior to hooking up my new used Quincy 60 gallon 2 stage, and I didn't have this problem. Thanks for the reply. A desiccant drier is on the list.

[Yellowstone]

I cut all day today without an issue. I did pull it and clean it once.

[jawslandshark]

You might try changing out your shield cup to a new one. I have had some start cartridge problems in the past, I even talked to ESAB about it at Fabtech. When I found out this was not a common thing I checked some of my consumables and found a warped shield cup, probably because I use the crap out them and had burned up the end pretty bad hand cutting with this particular one, plus I think I overtighten them. I don't use mine much on the cnc table anymore, it has been transferred to job site hand cutting duty for now. A scotchbrite pad will clean the start cartridges up real well, plus I don't crank them on anymore, just snug. I always use TD consumables and even on a little portable compressor with only a MotorGuard have not had anymore problems.

[Yellowstone]

I did change from a shielded cup to a non shielded today. That was my variable. Until I get into some thicker stuff I'm sticking with it. I've been hitting the cartridge with a SS brush. Thanks for the replies, there's so many little things that can ruin your work piece. I haven't had a torch signal not detected error in a while so I think I'm on the right track. I do keep getting incomplete cuts reoccurring in the same area but it must have to do with cut path??

[Yellowstone]

I did change from a shielded cup to a non shielded today. That was my variable. Until I get into some thicker stuff I'm sticking with it. I've been hitting the cartridge with a SS brush. Thanks for the replies, there's so many little things that can ruin your work piece. I haven't had a torch signal not detected error in a while so I think I'm on the right track. I do keep getting incomplete cuts reoccurring in the same area but it must have to do with cut path?? I re cut the path and it cuts but it acts funny in its own when I let it rip.