Torch won’t fire at 1st pierce

I’ve had my Pro running for a couple weeks with a Hypertherm 45XP using a machine torch. It seems that the 1st pierce after turning everything on or locking/unlocking the torch out for consumable change it always misfires the 1st fire unless I manually fire torch before hitting the run button. After the 1st misfire I can hit the run bottom and the program works as it should and through out the program everything seems to work flawlessly.

Anyone else come across this? I’ve cut up almost 3 4’x8’ sheets so far and loving it.

When you say misfire, do you mean that the torch is commanded to fire and doesn’t?

Yes it will touch off, adjust height, then error out. Click run from here and it works just fine without changing or doing anything.

If I set zero, manually fire torch, then run program it fires and runs program like it should without errors.

You most likely need to increase your pierce delay just a smidge. Your plasma cutter may take a bit of time to initiate the first arc, and if the XY motion starts before the THC gets a stable voltage, it throws an alarm.

What is your pierce delay set at? My friend uses a Hypertherm 45XP on a different table. He said he has to use a very quick pierce delay like .1

Yes I have, its because the 45xp has a safety built in to when the torch is pulled or switched off it will all ways do a warning where it pulses/puffs(not firing) first time after that to warn the user its about to get real(aka burn some shiznits). This could totally not be the issue your having but worth a check.

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I had no idea- TIL. Is that the case after each time consumables are changed?

I’ll do some testing and see if that’s what I’m experiencing. Seems like it is, it’s ringing a bell that the torch blows air

Think I’m at .6 on 14 gauge, I’ve had to turn mine up higher than the manual suggests because on small details close together it wasn’t cutting all the way through at the beginning.

are you running 45 amps?

That is correct, it will do that if you use the safety switch(on the torch) or pull the torch lead with the machine turned on.

Yes 45 amps

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Thats interesting, I run at 30 amps with a 150 MS delay on 14 GA and always pierces. are the consumables good still? and Air pressure at the cutter?

I noticed when hand cutting sheets down to size if you pull the trigger, let off and quickly pull the trigger again it takes a second before the torch will fire back up. So I think what was happening was the torch moved to the next hole and tried to fire too quickly but would actually start cutting until after the torch started moving. Since I increased the pierce time I’ve had a lot less problems.

I’ve kept an eye on consumables and probably change more than I should.

100% this is the issue. Tried manual fire after undoing the cap and wouldn’t work. Just pulses air and no fire. I’ll have to keep that in mind I need to dry fire the torch before hitting the start button on a program. Appreciate your input

Hey no problem, glad you got it resolved. I have a tendency to just test fire in a scrap area thats not being used when i do mine just to ensure its firing everytime.

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