PM-256 Finally arrived

Today was the day I was waiting patiently for, with the customs hold-up, guess it makes today worth waiting for.
Opened the carton, I didn't need much help ,UPS already did most of the work. What a nice surprise it had most everything needed.
A great surprise was having the regulator/flow gauge for the argon.
After putting the 50 amp welding plug on (not included)
Connected the cables for the plasma cutter they were a little tight a touch of WD40 and the rubber ends fit great, the small air line could be about 2" longer. Put on the air regulator/filter and the hoses/fittings.
Luckily I took the plasma torch tip apart they electrode and tip were loose. I needed to know how it fit anyway.
I am impressed with the weight of the PM-256 it's heavy being an inverter style and not a transformer type. Still portable in comparison to the other plasma cutters I have.
Hooked it to the air compressor set the pressure at 70 PSI I read somewhere I read it should be between 60-80 PSI that also is where the Millers are.
Plugged it in turned it on and it jumped to life, the only sound was the hum of the fan. Set the rocker switch to plasma cutting and the digital display to 28 amps Thought it was a good place to start with 16 ga. Tried the pilot arc and it worked great now to cut, zipped through the 16ga nicely! Now for the 3/8" flat increased it to 45 amps cut great but a little slower, Only had a small piece of 1/2" tried it at 45 amps and it would cut it through a little slower and left more slag but it came off easy, finished the cut at 50 amps worked well. My wife wanted to to try it. She was excited about the ease it cut! she did a quick 4 leaf clover.
After this set the rocker switch to the stick welding, set the amp control to 85 amps DC with a1/8 6013 rod. A light scratch starting was OK the weld was very good, very smooth and easy to maintain reminder me of a DC generator welder. Also tried 3/16 6013 had the amps to 175. Only welded horizontal it also was good. The steel was 32 degrees it weldeed a little cold to start.
All the controls that it has will take a little time to sort out the use, interaction. Already ruined a tip and electrode, I raised the air pressure to 80 after that.
Exchanging the air cooled Tig torch for the water cooled. That was with the Pirate 4X4 special pricing at the show. The only thing is I can't hook my extra Tig torch to the PM-256 it has metric threads, I have to wait.
People that say you get what you pay for. May at times be right but this China unit at half the cost of what I paid for the old Millers that are just a plasma cutter and are set to one place in the out building they must weigh in at 500+ lbs. The small Hobart plasma is labeled made in Japan. I paid over $1800 12 years ago, its one of the first inverter plasma made. The Millers I owned over 12 years and bought them used and have been a great investment as is the Hobart, time will only tell if the EVERLAST lasts as the Hobart and Millers.
dwdw

DWDW,

The new revised numbers for air pressure for that machine is about 60-65 psi. I wouldn't crank it more than that. You get dimenishing returns over a certain pressure. See if you can't get as good cut with the lower pressures, even down to 50 psi, we have achieved satisfactory results.

Glad you got what you waited so long for.

For the PM_256 cart I bought from HF it was on sale for about $100. Its the one with the removable tool chest, turned the top tray upside down to make it a shelf. Made 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 angle iron up rights and a 2X2 angle frame for the argon tank and replaced the two casters with 8" wheels with two stub axles.
It works Great holds all the extra parts and cables, still need to add separate cable hooks.

Mark I'll give the lower pressure a try during the holidays.

Merry Christmas

dwdw

There are a few issues: TIG Welding DC
Th settings for the DC Tig seem to work ( ramp up-down, gas on and off), Not with the Pedal!

The foot pedal was defective! followed a few good ideas posted of a needed repair just to make it work!
Installed the nylon guide to hold the timing belt arm in-line also added a bracket to help hold the timing belt arm more ridged.
This is the pinout of the pedal connector:
1=Black ;2=Blue ;3=Green ;4=Yellow ;5=Red ;6+7= Connected together

This is where the pot is at different moves from a static position. (Yellow is connected to the wiper)
Static position Green to Yellow 0 Ohms ; Yellow To Red 24.44K Ohms
Microswitch NO + Com =0 Ohm
2-3 degree move of pedal Micro switch closes NC +Com =0Ohm Pot still at static resistance
Full excursion of pedal yellow smoothly goes to red=0 Ohm and Green = Yellow are at 24.9K Ohms

Now after all that it still doesn't control the amperage only the micro switch activates the welder and it works with the same characteristics as the finger control on the TIG torch handle. That when used works I think correctly. This is all on the DC settings.
Tried the AC TIG and It seems to do what it should. but not the pedal amp control.

Are there basic get started settings? A Ball Park Setting??
Thanks
dwdw

dw,

Mike should be able to help you with this. But first, make sure the unit is in 2T mode. You probably have already checked, but this will prevent the pedal from working if its in the 4T setting.

Hi Mark:
Your right I checked and its in 2T I haven't had a reason to use the 4T.
Any other ideas? is there a relay that does the change-over to the pedal? If so, where in the welder is it? Just a though trying to get it to work correctly!
I want it to work just as much as Everlast does.
Will there be a schematic available or a block diagram to trouble shoot it? I realize there are companies that would like to have this information but they would just reverse engineer it anyway.
Does Mike have a number that works without going through the electronic operator?
I forgot to mention that I tried the lower (55-60psi) on the plasma cutter and I couldn't tell much difference but using the stand off and another set of consumables did cut better, its the life that I have trouble with. Added another desiccant style air filter hoping that will also help.
Thank You
dwdw

I don't think its any trouble with the unit, just the pedal. I am not an electrical engineer by trade. But knowing that the unit performs correctly in 2T without the panel performs correctly leads me to believe its in the pedal. I'll let Mike weigh in on it though.

Hi Mark
I guess were both in the same boat I'm not an electrical engineer by trade either.
Doesn't it seem as though there should be a change-over in the welder to interrupt the ramp up-down and the Amp adjust knob on the unit? Of what I have read those are disabled while using the pedal. doesn't that reflect on the pedal as the selecting member? and the welder is the change-over controller? Using pins 6+7 in the pedal connector (they are tied together).
I'm just a commonsense guy, even though commonsense isn't common anymore!

Thank You for the help
dwdw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dwdw

Hi Mark
I guess were both in the same boat I'm not an electrical engineer by trade either.
Doesn't it seem as though there should be a change-over in the welder to interrupt the ramp up-down and the Amp adjust knob on the unit? Of what I have read those are disabled while using the pedal. doesn't that reflect on the pedal as the selecting member? and the welder is the change-over controller? Using pins 6+7 in the pedal connector (they are tied together).
I'm just a commonsense guy, even though commonsense isn't common anymore!

Thank You for the help
dwdw

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In conclusion with the help of Mike and Mark and a forum member.
I'm back in service!
A loose 7 pin connector circuit board mount, grounding issue - must have been from the UPS basketball finals! and a ground wire not in place. Hope that was the only problem!
Thank You for the help
dwdw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dwdw

In conclusion with the help of Mike and Mark and a forum member.
I'm back in service!
A loose 7 pin connector circuit board mount, grounding issue - must have been from the UPS basketball finals! and a ground wire not in place. Hope that was the only problem!
Thank You for the help
dwdw

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If it's what I'm thinking, if you look at that board (bottom side), if there's a third though-hole (solder pad) with nothing in it, under two others with wires in them (upper left corner). It was removed for that bracket ground and screw. That third hole went to the chassis ground and the bracket replaced it. A loose screw there will be a problem for sure, no ground.

Was that the problem?

I think we have some more packaging upgrades to deal with. We've stepped up the packaging, but so with the newer designs, we have increased the weight on some of the units, which may be offsetting some of the upgrades. UPS is now requesting 3 inches of fully padded space on all sides of the box. At least that is what my local depot told me. So, honestly, the customers who have larger orders that are being shipped via ltl freight, have no issues. Go figure.

UPS has NO manned belts from the information that my hub gave me. They are only handled putting on and taking off at the final destination.

Those symbols on the box mean nothing now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by performance

I think we have some more packaging upgrades to deal with. We've stepped up the packaging, but so with the newer designs, we have increased the weight on some of the units, which may be offsetting some of the upgrades. UPS is now requesting 3 inches of fully padded space on all sides of the box. At least that is what my local depot told me. So, honestly, the customers who have larger orders that are being shipped via ltl freight, have no issues. Go figure.

UPS has NO manned belts from the information that my hub gave me. They are only handled putting on and taking off at the final destination.

Those symbols on the box mean nothing now.

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Hi Mark:
Your post about the through hole was 100% right! I hope I just didn't have a "self correcting malfunction with returning ghosts".
Second issue I don't see why the manufacturer would place a ground terminal ring sandwiched between the front bezel and the mounting tab, I guess it was a production line upgrade! an after thought about HF/RF shielding?

This sure eliminated the UPS Nightmare of an exchange!! When these units are returned are they unloaded with a shovel? Ha ha LOL! Can't see how they could last through 2 trips! Everlast has their work cut-out for them on the packaging issue.

It seems to work just as expected now. This weekend I'll try to do more with it. Other projects need attention also!
I thank you and Mike for the help.
dwdw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dwdw

Hi Mark:
Your post about the through hole was 100% right! I hope I just didn't have a "self correcting malfunction with returning ghosts".
Second issue I don't see why the manufacturer would place a ground terminal ring sandwiched between the front bezel and the mounting tab, I guess it was a production line upgrade! an after thought about HF/RF shielding?

This sure eliminated the UPS Nightmare of an exchange!! When these units are returned are they unloaded with a shovel? Ha ha LOL! Can't see how they could last through 2 trips! Everlast has their work cut-out for them on the packaging issue.

It seems to work just as expected now. This weekend I'll try to do more with it. Other projects need attention also!
I thank you and Mike for the help.
dwdw

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Dwdw,

Yea, the bracket replaced a ground wire. It added better support for the board and the ground. Looks like in shipping it became loose.