Power Board Failure

[WinterFabrication]

A few weeks ago I posted this issue:

http://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=15948

Basically, it stopped cutting while running g-code. It ended up being a power board failure and I had to send it in for warranty repair.

I called the shop that does the warranty work for my local Praxair to ask on the progress (its been three weeks). I started talking to him to try to get clues as to why my power board would get fried in the first place. At first, he said they have had enough needing replacement that it was probably just another bad board...

I went on to mention that my shop is wired for 100amp service. I have three separate circuits for my 220v items (compressor, Hypertherm Powermax 45 plasma cutter, and a Miller welder). I told him that everything works fine, I just make sure that the welder stays off if I was intending on using the compressor and plasma cutter at the same time.

He was saying that even running the compressor and the plasma cutter at the same time with only 100amp service can cause voltage spikes which will fry the power board.

Anybody else have this issue? Or have 100amp service and took measures to prevent this?

[WyoGreen]

I have about the same setup and have not really noticed any voltage sags or spikes. You'd think the lights would dim a little if the voltage sagged. That said, I do have my plasma controller and computer plugged into a battery backup UPS to keep any noise, spikes etc. away from them. I have a computer program that records the voltage readings off my digital Volt meter. I'll rig it up next time I'm cutting and see what happens.

Steve

[WinterFabrication]

I also have an APC Battery Backup UPS but that's to protect the computer and CandCNC Control box. The Hypertherm is directly into the 220v outlet to its own breaker.

[_Ogre]

unless your plasma is firing at the same moment as your compressor i don't see a problem
any service will have a spike when a big motor starts, that's where the ups comes in handy

[WinterFabrication]

But the plasma and compressor are both 220v and the UPS is 110v. Am I missing something? Is there a UPS for 220v? Haha

[_Ogre]

i meant handy to keep your pc alive

while i'm sure that there are 220v ups available to handle the amps
they are probably out of hobby plasma owners price range

[WinterFabrication]

Jim Colt,

Have you ever heard of this?

[jimcolt]

Of course we hear of power board failures on occasion....as we have about 450,000 plasma cutters in the field. Failure to power boards can be a simple 10 cent component failure on the board....can be a failed solder joint, could be a bad connector....and could also be related to input line voltage spikes (lightning, etc.). It would be hard to tell what may have happened to yours without some sort of analysis of the failure mode.

All of our units go through a lengthy burn in before final assembly...at full power and duty cycles to minimize the chance of "infant mortality" component failures. Still, they are fairly complex machines and there can be a variety of types of failure modes.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

Jim Colt,

Have you ever heard of this?