HELP! Hypertherm Fault 0-21

[biggator850]

Boys I sure need help! I have pulled out all the hair I can get ahold of! When I am cutting the torch keeps going out. Sometimes it will run for awhile, sometimes it is one second after the first pierce. Most of the time when the torch goes out it is showing fault 0-21 which is an air fault.

At first I thought it was air pressure drops in the air piping between the table and compressor. So I added a small roll around compressor at the table to act as an expansion tank. Main compressor is turned up to 125 psi, it is piped into a small compressor which is also turned up to 125 psi and turned on, then a 4' hose to the Plasma Machine. Air pressure does not seem to be the problem because sometimes it will loose the arc before the pressure switch kicks on either compressor.

Tried new consumables! Same problem!

Thought it was a bad ground so I cleaned the ground clamp. Same problem! So I screwed and clamped the ground to the sheet. My shop could get hit by an F-5 tornado and the ground would still be attached!

I am thinking it has something to do with the Torch Height Control. It seems to happen most often when the sheet deflects from the pressure of the torch touching down. I tried holding the sheet down with my hands and following the torch through the cut path. This seems to help but I am still getting the same faults, just not as often. It happens sometimes right after the pierce within the first 3/4" of travel, sometimes the last 1/2" of a long cut. I can hear the arc get unstable right before the torch goes out.

I am running a TruCut table, Hypertherm PM85, 45 Amp Fine Cut consumables at 45 Amps, 200 IPM cut speed, and the Pierce Height, Cut Height, Pierce Delay, etc. are per the book. I have tried speeding up the cut, but the torch jumps around too much. What I can cut is pretty good cut quality, but I am wearing out the E-stop buttons reseting the machine!!!!

I am lost! Any good ideas?

Thanks,
BC

[WyoGreen]

Take a look at this thread.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/hyperther ... tware.html

Steve

[jimcolt]

O-21 errors can be caused by:

- A restriction on the inlet air pressure line. Install a gauge at the inlet (not more than 6" away from the rear panel inlet fittings.) Observe the pressure with no flow (static air pressure) and observe with flow.....if the inlet pressure ever wavers below 90 psi.....expect a flow restriction causing a momentary inlet pressure drop.

-Trying to start the torch with Finecut consumables in contact with the material. If nozzle touched material when trying to fire....nozzle air flow can be restricted, causing an 0-21 error.

- Worn out retaining cap.
-Worn out swirl ring.


Jim Colt Hypertherm

[_Ogre]

post up some pics of your air distribution system, if your whole system is 1/4'' air hose with low flow regulators; your starving the torch.
install the air gauge as recommended by jim colt; unscrew the fitting in the back of the plasma and install a T, run 1/4'' plastic line to a gauge you can see when the machine is running

[biggator850]

Thanks for the quick help men!!!!

Jim you hit the problem on the head - swirl ring! Changed the swirl ring and she runs like a dream. I guess I just never thought about it going bad.

Hopefully this post will help someone else who may run into the same issue......

Thanks,
BC