PP50 wont make second cut with out first turning machine off and on

I have a PP50 that is about two years old. For the first year I only had the occasional need for it and did not use it much when the problem began, I just lived with it. Now I am using it almost everyday and would like to fix it. When I turn the machine on and make a cut, it will continue to blow air after I release the trigger. When I try to make a second cut, it will not strike an arc. I have to manually turn the switch off the machine and back on to make a second cut or to get the air to stop coming out of the nozzle. Everything works fine otherwise.

how much is your inlet air pressure from air compressor

What is your postflow set to? And make sure the switch is set to timed flow. You might want to flip the switch a few times and run the postflow control back and forth a few times to clean the contacts.

Your solenoid is sticking. There could be moisture in your air and it could have corroded the solenoid or spring. Do you have an air dryer installed inline? (Not the water trap supplied with the unit). You can probably resolve this by disassembling your solenoid, and cleaning it out. Also, a slight stretch on the spring may help. Just a few thousands added to the length is all that is needed. Don't over do it.

my older plasma was doing that took it and cleaned solenoid valve and lubed with some marvel mystery oil works fine since cleaning and lubing it = new it was sticking cause when it would not turn off i would lightly smacked the plasma cutter and it would stop blowing air and work ok now after cleaning valve

If it was just a sticking solenoid, I don't see how power cycling would correct it. I could see removing the airline or smacking it like Rod did, but if you turn off the power and the air stops, by definition the solenoid is functioning. Something is keeping it energized. Granted there is the possibility that shutting off the main power is shaking the machine enough to free a stuck solenoid, but that seems doubtful.

It will though. Never figured it out, unless there is a slight back flow of power that creates residual magnetism or something like that. It will correct it by shutting it off usually if the spring or solenoid is the problem. As far as it goes, we have corrected the problem almost always by cleaning the solenoid or stretching the spring.

residual magnetism is what i thought also cleaning it fixed mine

Thanks for the replies. Sticking solenoid does seem possible! I will try to clean it and see what happens.

I haven't had the cover off the machine yet so first what does the solenoid look like or how do I locate it inside the machine?

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Originally Posted by xtreme cartz

I haven't had the cover off the machine yet so first what does the solenoid look like or how do I locate it inside the machine?

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I'm guessing but probably follow the gas line into the enclosure. Might be obvious at that point.

Power the unit off and unplug it. The unit comes apart from the rear if it has plastic bezels.

It will be at the rear where the air fitting plug is, in most cases, but on the inside inline with the air line. It's a square parts with a rounded top part (couple wires going to it to turn it on and off). 4 screws to open it if the more current one we use. The spring is more likely the issue. Give it a light stretch, no more, like Mark said.

I took the black cap with 4 screws off the solenoid and stretched the small spring inside. It was really clean in there I was expecting gunk build up. Put it all back together and hooked it to the compressor. Somehow I managed to make it worse because air immediately started spewing out of where the two red wires go into the black cap on the solenoid. Is there supposed to be a gasket I didnt see drop?


Rambozo, Post flow is set to 0 and it is in timed flow position.

I found the O ring and reinstalled it. Started up the machine and made some cuts. Works like brand new! This truly feels like a miracle.

Yeah, those left over parts are killers. :)
IF the solenoid starts to give serious problems give us a call and we can get another shipped out to you under the warranty agreement.

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Originally Posted by performance

Yeah, those left over parts are killers. :)
IF the solenoid starts to give serious problems give us a call and we can get another shipped out to you under the warranty agreement.

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Can not tell you how many swirl ring calls where like that too :D

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

Can not tell you how many swirl ring calls where like that too :D

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Good to see everything work out. This kind of support sure does beat having to send a unit in using the "package tosser" couriers, waiting for a repair and then risking another trip by "package tosser" back .... LOL

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Originally Posted by undercut

Good to see everything work out. This kind of support sure does beat having to send a unit in using the "package tosser" couriers, waiting for a repair and then risking another trip by "package tosser" back .... LOL

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Absolutely! I am very impressed by this support forum. Wish I had fixed it over a year ago didnt know it would be that easy! Glad to have an everlast plasma cutter. Its a great unit.


And yeah I too have lost the swirl ring before and wondered why it wouldnt cut! Lol All in the learning process.

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

my older plasma was doing that took it and cleaned solenoid valve and lubed with some marvel mystery oil works fine since cleaning and lubing it = new it was sticking cause when it would not turn off i would lightly smacked the plasma cutter and it would stop blowing air and work ok now after cleaning valve

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Boy, that sounds like the old technacal trick we used to do with our tv's and radio's . I might try that myself, LOL

Where is the solenoid valve and what does it look like? Mickey