Plasma cutter consumables lifespan

[Forever Fixin]

I have a Longevity forcecut 40d that I've been using more and more lately. It is set up for an S45 torch. Good tool fun to use, but it doesn't seem like the cup and the tip last very long. I have done some piercing with it and I know that shortens the life of them, but should I have to change them twice in a day for what I consider a light amount of use? (1/2' steel, 8" x 12" some piercing, plasma cranked all the way up) I've been getting consumables on Amazon. Where are you guys getting yours, what kind of lifespan are you getting out of them? School me on what I need to know here.

 

[Provincial]

It sounds like you are working it near its maximum capacity. Plasma cutters are one of the tools that use consumables faster the harder they work. I consider plasma cutters to be designed to operate effectively at around 50% of maximum rating.

 

[Power79]

Make sure your air is dry right before entering the plasma cutter

 

[Forever Fixin]

Make sure your air is dry right before entering the plasma cutter

There is an moisture filter built into the unit itself and I have another inline. I've heard moisture kills plasma cutters

 

[Forever Fixin]

It sounds like you are working it near its maximum capacity. Plasma cutters are one of the tools that use consumables faster the harder they work. I consider plasma cutters to be designed to operate effectively at around 50% of maximum rating.

Right at max capacity, you are correct, still seems like the consumables should last longer. It looks like they have tips rated for different amperages, would this make a difference? and how?

 

[American Locomotive]

At one point do you change consumables? When they just look bad, or when it stops cutting? I usually run the consumables in my Hypertherm to the point where cut quality gets noticeably bad.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

My first set outlasted my chinese plasma cutter...maybe 20'

 

[dnschmidt]

This depends A LOT on brand of plasma cutter. The longest lasting by far are Hypertherm. The Chinese ones don't seem to last.

 

[Forever Fixin]

At one point do you change consumables? When they just look bad, or when it stops cutting? I usually run the consumables in my Hypertherm to the point where cut quality gets noticeably bad.

I have changed when cut quality is important, but I usually change them when the arc won't cut through the material, it seems like the arc has huge drop in power and usually quits. When I change them out at that point, you can tell they need to be replaced the orifice on the cup has opened up and it looks like someone has taken a drill bit to the tip.

 

[Forever Fixin]

This depends A LOT on brand of plasma cutter. The longest lasting by far are Hypertherm. The Chinese ones don't seem to last.

I caught a smokin hot deal on Amazon, ( around 460 IIRC). I can afford a few consumables for the cost difference. I honestly didn't think I would use the machine as much as I have on as thick of material as I have.

 

[DerekV]

The consumables on my Hypertherm last for a really really long time if I'm doing "normal" cuts. Starts, restarts, and piercing on the upper-end of the machine's thickness ratings all tend to wear out the consumables a little faster.

 

[ishiboo]

I have a cheap Chinese plasma and I bought all the consumables on eBay in bulk. Since buying them, I haven't really even used it.

Hypertherm is definitely the way to go.

 

[Finky198]

Our Miller stuff also last a long time I bought extras when I got it. I'm still using the ones that came with it... it's been a few years now not daily use, but a few times a week.

 

[Forever Fixin]

Looking back at the Amazon order it says they are 40 amp tips, so I ordered the max output ones I believe. What is the difference? orifice size? Can I get 55 amp tips to last longer?

 

[jubilee]

I bought $400 worth of consumables when I bought my Miller cutter. My Lincoln before it ATE consumables. I had a half a dozen semi trailer king pins and plates to change in the field and didn't want to get caught short. That was 5 years ago and I'll bet I still have $350 worth of those consumables hanging on the wall. In my case, it depends on the machine.

 

[American Locomotive]

Looking back at the Amazon order it says they are 40 amp tips, so I ordered the max output ones I believe. What is the difference? orifice size? Can I get 55 amp tips to last longer?

You might be sacrificing cut quality for durability with the higher-rated tips

 

[Forever Fixin]

You might be sacrificing cut quality for durability with the higher-rated tips

That would be OK as the 40 amp tips didn't hold up to 40 amps well. Anyone know what the max amperage tips are for an S45 torch?

 

[Cope]

Be sure you're not dragging the tip on the work surface. You need a stand-off.

 

[rlitman]

Be sure you're not dragging the tip on the work surface. You need a stand-off.

That depends on the cutter head, but most likely you're right. On most Asian machines, you need stand-off when operating at anything but the lowest amperage.

This depends A LOT on brand of plasma cutter. The longest lasting by far are Hypertherm. The Chinese ones don't seem to last.

Well, from what I've seen, the Chinese machine's cutting heads are based on Hypertherm guns from the 1970's and early '80's. Hypertherm's technology has advanced a LOT since then, ESPECIALLY when it comes to the longevity of consumables.

 

[JPinSTL]

I have the now discontinued HF 95136 40A Plasma Cutter and I've cut thousands of feet in 1/4" steel with it. For the $650 I paid, it's been well worth the last 8yrs of use. When it dies it will be a new HyperTherm 45 or 65 for me, but I might just look for another 95136 on eBay I've spent a few hundred in consumables so far.

That said not all of the S45 consumables are the same. The cheapos in bulk on Ebay, etc from many sellers are Chinese made and do not last as long as the Italian OEM tips. The copper cups burn out 2-3 times faster. I will say that the silver electrodes from China are cheap and seem to last a long time. I usually swap a cup/electrode at the same time as when the electrode blows it will take the cup with it.

Plasma's need DRY DRY DRY air. My airline setup is not ideal right now coming into the humid summer but I get at least 100ft of cutting in 1/4" material with a few pierces on a set of tips. Sometimes though I can cut all weekend and I know it's been 200ft+

I use a roller stand off for the Trafimet torch, about $50 on eBay, and run the 40A pipe tips mostly. I've also had good luck with the thicker looking drag tips. I do not buy any of the lower amperage tips since I usually have the machine set on max all the time. I think the only difference is kerf thickness anyway and I'm not cutting thinner material with detail.