Another question?probably something Jim Colt could help out with?

[tm america]

I have a customer that has several hypertherm powermax cutters .He uses a powermax 45 with a machine torch with the machine most of the time.However sometimes he would like to use his powermax 85 here is where the issue is ...He doesn't want to have to pull the machine torch back out of the cable chain every time to switch torches so we will most likely just be running a spring mounted set up for the torch for the 85..But he doesn't have a machine torch for the 85 he has a 15 degree hand torch for it that i was gonna make him a holder that fits in place of the machine torch holder >>This is fine for all those issues but i need to know the pin out for the torch so i can move the at least one of the torch trigger wires to a different pin location in the central connector..That way it will go into machine mode instead of hand torch mode?I know i can just do a continuity test to find the trigger wires in the torch just don't wanna move it to the wrong place and cause an issue with the cutter..>Might just wire in a toggle switch on one of the torch trigger wires on the torch ..

[jimcolt]

As a Hypertherm employee I cannot suggest that you modify the safety circuitry on the torch......as it is there to prevent the hand torch from firing from a remote location. I'm sure what you suggest could be done, but cannot make suggestions or recommendations along those lines!

Jim Colt

[davek0974]

The secret is out there, i have converted my PM45 to use the CPC or the hand switch, its only me using it so safety is not an issue as I know the torch switch is live all the time.

I bought some spare pins from RS and inserted one with a loop to another pin, this enables the cpc port trigger.

Sorry i can't give more detail but I'm on holiday at present:)

Google found the answer for me

[tm america]

Well let me ask this question does anyone have a pin out or wiring diagram from the hypertherm powermax 85?

[tcaudle]

Get the Hypertherm 65_85 Service_Manual (pdf) off the Hypertherm website. There is a schematic in the back of the manual of the machine torch and hand torch connections. Pay attention to the wires colored yellow and orange

[tm america]

Thanks i will look at those..

[davek0974]

If the connectors for the torch are the same as the PM45 then the extra pins are available from RS.

[jimcolt]

I have a machine torch that stays on my machine.....and when I want to do some hand cutting with the Powermax85 I unplug the machine torch and plug in the hand torch. No wiring to change.....do not have to fabricate a special torch mount, and best of all it is safe.

The reason the CPC port connections are interlocked (do not allow a hand torch to fire from anywhere but its trigger switch) are because of a few field incidences a number of years ago, one of which allowed a hand torch to fire from a track burner.....while the hand torch was neatly coiled up on a set of oxy acetylene cylinders. The building burned down, the company blamed Hypertherm, and Hypertherm bought them a new plant.
What is being done here bypasses the built in safety interlock....so I don't suggest doing this.

Yes...it costs more to have both a hand and a machine torch. But if you could do the math....Let's see, how many hours spent figuring out how to bypass the safety circuit? How many hours spent designing and fabricating a special torch holder? How much time is wasted every time you need to remove the torch from the machine? How much time to put it back on? (multiply these last two by how many times you do this over the life of the plasma cutter). It is way less expensive to have two torches! And I didn't even mention safety during this math session! (your shop is expensive, so is your life!)

Bottom line, I'll be cutting parts at the billing rate of $100 an hour......while the guy with one torch is fiddling with his setup. When I am done with every scrap skeleton I plug in the hand torch and cut it into small pieces to carry to my scrap pile. More time saved.....add it to the equation above!

Hypertherm has "bundled" systems (Powermax65 and 85) that come with both hand and machine torches....with a great discount as compared to buying separate.

Jim Colt

[davek0974]

Yes, in an ideal world i would have (and one day will have) both torches for my '45, there were no package deals when i bought it, a machine torch is useless as a hand torch but the hand torch works both ways nicely with a little adjustment. The most import part if a user does decide to mod the hand torch this way IMHO is to always switch the unit off before going to change the consumables - with the safety bypassed there is nothing to stop the torch being fired by the CPC while its in your hands - result = ouch!

I will definitely be getting a machine torch as soon as funds have recovered from buying the PM45, but at what ? £400 here in the UK, it's a lot of cash to drop when the hand torch works so well.

I did read about that incident though and can understand why the changes were made.

[tm america]

The customer has a pm45 machine torch with the machine using a pm45 for most of the stuff he cuts..However he also has a pm85 with a hand torch and a 15 degree torch for the pm85 which he never uses..He wants to be able to set up the 15 degree torch to use with the machine when he is doing thick stuff on the machine.. It would be alot easier to justify the cost of the machine torch if he was gonna use it with this machine all the time..I am building him a second machine that he will put the pm85 on with a machine torch but for now just wants to have the option to use the 15 degree pm85 torch with the machine..Kind of like a trial thing before he goes decides which cutter he wants to put on the big machine..He might even decide to go with a pm105?I definately push for people to use a machine torch with a machine as it is so much easier to true up to the machine..In his case i totally understand why have the 15 degree torch just laying around collecting dust if you can use it for that