Nozzle Issue

[Paint Chip]

Hi folks, need some input on a problem I had today. I was running a file with a pretty new set of fine cut nozzles and got a Hypertherm fault about half way through - code 0-30 which is "torch consumable stuck".
What usually causes this error code?

Appreciate your help.

[grindergary]

That is normal for the marks like that. I had asked the same question awhile ago and Jim Colt says it is normal. As for the error code, when you put your consumables on the torch, do NOT tighten to tight. I was always told 2 finger tight. Seems to work for me.

Hope that helps

Gary

[Paint Chip]

Ok, thanks for the reply. I'll try giving them a light polish and re-using. I have been tightening to finger tight + 1/8th turn - I'll back off on that and try 2 finger tight.

Thanks!

[acourtjester]

Here are shots of a few electrodes and nozzles I do not see the deep scratching that are on your's. You may want to remove the swirl ring and clean inside the torch.

nozzle 1.jpg

nozzle 2.jpg

nozzle 3.jpg

[Paint Chip]

Thanks for the advice. How do you clean it? With a que tip and alcohol or other solvent? I didn't find anything in the manual on this (just on replacing parts) or videos on line. This was a completely new set of consumables and swirl ring with only maybe 40-50 pierces on them at the point the fault occurred (first time I've used fine cut consumables) but I have never cleaned to torch head before (still a tenderfoot).

[Old Iron]

Looks like it got some slag in the nozzle to me.
Or may have the pierce height too low.
Plunge rate too fast.
Not enough pierce delay.
Running the tip into the work piece.

[Paint Chip]

The plunge rate was set at 75. The pierce delay was .4 sec - per the HT book. The pierce height measures correct when I test it on flat material but I was cutting a tree of life pattern out of 14 ga and had a bit of warpage going on during the cut - so after touching off, the material could have lifted up during the move to pierce height. I'm not sure how you deal with this. I read a post by Jim Colt and I got the impression that Ohmic sensing would not suffer from this problem.

[tcaudle]

On thin material you need to use either ohmic sense or add in some up lift with springs to counterbalance the torch weight. Put the system in single step with the torch off and go through the touch off part and see how far it deflects. Also keep in mind that the pierce delay INCLUDES the plunge time since the torch has not moved horz. So you will find on thinner metal you need very short or even zero pierce delay times . estimated time to move from .150 to .063 is about .11sec. the acceleration extemds that out so you can figure .15 to .2 sec.

[leadsled71]

I've been told the black on the tip combined with the marking inside the nozzle indicated a contaminated air supply. Either getting oil or moisture is what guys at tracker cnc said when I asked about it.

Installed refrigerated dryer and dessicant system and haven't had it since

[jimcolt]

Any discoloration on the end of the electrode and inside of the nozzle.....such as in the previous pictures is fairly normal. It is where the pilot arc starts at the beginning of each cut cycle. The discoloration could be from dirt / grease (from your fingers) when installing the consumables, small traces of particulate, oil, moisture (from your air system). Perfectly pure air and clean consumables are hard to achieve in a metal fabricating shop....so these marks on consumables are pretty normal, as I mentioned in a previous post. In a perfect environment with no dirt, no oil, no humidity, the consumables would stay clean. Don't expect that to occur!

The important things are: 1. a perfectly shaped orifice on both the nozzle and shield, 2. a pit depth on the electrode within the specs listed in the consumable inspection section of your operators manual. It is a good idea if the inside of the nozzle and end of electrode gets real discolored to clean them with a piece of Scotchbrite pad. Do not use tip cleaners or a file. Jim Colt Hypertherm