Trouble cutting 3/8” with Crossfire Pro and Primeweld Cut60 (Not solved yet)

CrossFire ® PRO
582

Alright guys, I think it’s time to try raw voltage wiring. I know that several of you have wanted me to try raw voltage for a while, but I think I finally have an indication that the voltage divider is doing something strange.

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After the new laptop test revealed that my computer was never the issue, I tried something @Bigdaddy2166 had recommended a while back; using a ground plug isolator on the Langmuir electronics enclosure.

I had three normal cuts, and in the middle of the fourth cut live voltage spiked to 282.7v and froze there.

This represents two FIRSTS

This is the first time I have had a voltage spike; I have never seen a voltage while cutting above ~125v.

This is the first time I have had ONLY Live Voltage freeze without the torch speed and THC DRO’s also freezing.

Am I correct in thinking that this spike could be a representation (manifestation?) of exactly what has been going wrong with the Primeweld CNC port on these machines all along?

*** UPDATE ***

I asked Gene at Primeweld this question and this was his response:

“Casey actually it was EFI from internal cable routing and lack of insulation, this was all corrected in the second generation model.

Going direct to raw voltage points would take out all other instances of EFI or voltage issues.”

This certainly seems like another mark on the Primeweld Cut60’s record for CNC plasma applications.

@mechanic416, do you have any thoughts on this voltage spike and what it means?

I also want to add that today I had 3 unrecoverable freezes in a total of 2 minutes and 12 seconds total cutting time.

The only thing I changed, was switching from a laptop that barely met the minimum system requirements to one that is roughly double the minimum system requirements, and the ground plug isolator on the last couple of cuts.

This tells me that the 1-1/2 hours I got out of this machine the other day was a total fluke. :roll_eyes:

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583

Hey, so who was it that put together the raw voltage wiring guide for the Cut60? Was that you @nicaDd? Or @72Pony?

I just read through 6 threads on THC issues on couldn’t find it again. I found a picture of a couple of lugs inside the machine, but I thought I had seen a guide that was slightly more detailed.

ALSO

Has anybody actually experienced MORE EMI from moving their plasma cutter further from the table? I’ve seen a couple of posts from Langmuir which somewhat fiercely stated that the torch voltage lead could act like an antenna increasing EMI if extended.

Both times that I have moved my plasma cutter FURTHER away from the table it has seemed to get slightly worse.

I’m currently 9’ from the electronics on a 10’ extension cable, and my FireControl freezing is the worst it has been, with the exception of when I briefly had the torch and work clamp leads connected together.

584

me
PrimeWeld Raw Voltage Cable Installation.pdf (2.3 MB)

if it’s “freezing” but still cutting then it’s not EMI related. that sounds more like software issues.

if it’s freezing completely where everything stops responding and firecontrol greys out, that’s EMI that’s affecting the USB connection betweem computer and contorl box.

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585

There it is. Thank you. I’m going to try this next.

Langmuir’s software developer is currently watching some videos I have recorded of the freezing in real time, and Thomas in support has passed on all relevant data about everything we have tried.

FC has frozen consistently this way since day 1; two plasma cutters, three laptops, USB contact fixed, multiple FireControl installations, cable management from horrid to as perfect as you can get it, plasma cutter moved far from electronics, electrical service re-wired, everything on, everything off, etc, etc, and no discernible difference, except for a couple of flukes.

I still have some suggestions from this thread to try (table grounding, faraday cages, etc), and raw voltage, I think are really the only ones left. I guess if I get desperate I can do the Windows 10 back-date, and try FCv20.6, but Langmuir says practically every Pro and XR they have sold in the last year is running FCv21.1 without issue.

Unfortunately, Langmuir’s basically telling me that they can’t fix it, at this point, and I need to try and work around the freezing by baby sitting FC, pausing cuts when it freezes, write down the line number, restart FC, and use the “run from” feature.

As often as it freezes (3 times in less than 132 seconds of torch time) I think I could probably cut things more efficiently by hand.

I’ll try raw voltage and let you guys know if that changes anything.

586

Extension cable for what? 240 to your plasma cutter or THC/torch fire harness from plasma cutter to table control box?

587

Torch on/off and torch voltage from VIM box; I’ve got 10’ extensions on each per @nicaDd’s recommendation.

Langmuir says NOT to do it here:

Both times I extended the cutter further from the table FC freezing seemed to happen a bit MORE frequently, but right after I fixed the USB contact it seemed to get better, for a day, but now it’s worse than ever.

Like you said, I’m pretty lost, here.

The freezing is constant (happens every cutting session), but it’s inconsistent on exactly how and when it happens.

588

Raw voltage… Just get it over with… I have a 15’ usb extention on my table without a problem.
What do you have to lose? Send me a measurement of your work cable and I will fab you a faraday tube for it.

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589

That sucks for sure, you have any hair left on head.? I don’t have THC or limit switches on my Pro so never had issues, only cable I extended was torch fire cable to reach cutter.
My XR has been great using thc and limit switches no freeze with it.
Hopefully you find the culprit that is causing the issues…

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590

Did you leave the limit switches unplugged?

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591

I tried that, and it didn’t make a difference. BTW, I’m not trying to blame you for anything or say that you gave bad advice about extending the cables; I’m just saying that I’m not sure it helped in my case and may have actually hurt. It’s just very peculiar.

592

Thank you.

593

Heading out there to try it now. I was on baby duty all morning. I’ll get you that measurement if this doesn’t work.

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594

not taking it that way. I’ve recommended to countless users to use the extension cables i posted to move the cutter away from the control box. none have came back saying it made things worse.

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595

Guys…

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That doesn’t look good…

@Bigdaddy2166 @nicaDd @mechanic416 ???

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Please don’t take it rudely. Ask for a refund this is your chance!!

Change brands I honestly think it is your problem.

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597

Have you sent the original Cut 60 back yet? If not, I’d check it too.

Roy

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598

Not good. Call them

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599

They’re going straight to VM. I emailed Gene and asked him to call me.

From this side you can see that the whole board is melted:

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I’ll say this:

If I had listened to you guys sooner and wired it from raw voltage I would have noticed this two weeks ago…

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600

Being stubborn sucks sometimes doesn’t it??

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601

True dat, Phillip!

But damn, two bad plasma cutters in a row from Primeweld. That doesn’t bode well.

I wonder if they’ll refund me for the machine torch and the 100-piece consumable kit I purchased too…?

I’m damn sure going to be firm in asking them too.

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