FNG w/question on cheap-o welder/plasma

[Flat Ernie]

A friend of mine recently bought a sealed storage unit for unpaid rent. Inside were several new in the box, chinese-made, no-name welder/plasma/tig machines. He gave one to me & I have no idea how to work the damn thing. The manual that comes with it is absolutely worthless, an online search has revealed nothing any better, & questions to sellers of similar items on eBay have proven fruitless.

On the front of the machine it says: DC INVERTER CT-520D

Quick search on eBay shows this as a pretty close match (I think it's identical):

http://cgi.ebay.com/CT518D-50AMP-Pl...yZ113743QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Found a manual for a similar (CT518) one here:

http://www.otdeal.com/f/CT_serial.dochttp://rilandusa.com/ct416manual.pdfhttp://www.temesoft.com/CT518D_Manual.pdf


I guess my question is, has anyone actually used any of these things? I'm interested in it mainly for the plasma function - I've got a Miller for my primary welding requirements (MIG) & a nice quality Victor O/A for most of my other stuff, but I thought at least playing with the plasma would be kind of interesting.

Suggestions on setup? I've never used a plasma before, so don't have any reference from a real machine...

 

[bmwpower]

My suggestion is to sell it on eBay and save more cash for a used/new Miller/Lincoln/etc.

 

[kyeakel]

I have one of the Parkermetalworks machines. It's a plasma, stick, tig machine. The plasma function works real good. I've cut out sheet metal parts, floorpans, 3/16" steel to repair a frame, and 3/8" steel. The 3/8" was slow going but it did work. There is alot of info on one of the 4x4 websites about these machines. I have used the stick function which worked good till I got it stuck and it blew out a fet for the 24v power supply. Parker sent me the repair parts and a circuit change that should prevent this from happening again. I have not tried the tig function yet. At the price you paid, I'd just use the heck out of it. It's not like your going to be out anything if it quits working.. What info do you need? Try the parker site for manuals, there's is OK, not great but useable.

Kipp

 

[Charlie's68]

i also have the parker cut 40 with the turbo(essentially a 50a machine) and it has been excellent. The customer service is the best i have ever wittnessed. My torch head was missing one small oring, and instead of trying to figure out what torch head i needed, they sent me an entire torch, with hoses, and with extra electrodes, tips, sheilding cups, and swirl cups and a box to send my old one back, free of charge. That is service. Oh yeah, and i can cut 1/2" steel like butter for 450 bucks......

 

[Major Ramifications]

I'd say that you have a pretty good friend.

 

[Flat Ernie]

My suggestion is to sell it on eBay and save more cash for a used/new Miller/Lincoln/etc.

If I was in the market for a plasma machine, I probably would. Since I have managed to get by this long w/o one, it's more of a novelty right now. Who knows - maybe I'll try it & decide I can't live without it & step up to a real machine.


Thanks for the tip on Parker - I'll check there for manuals.

Info I'm looking for right now is there's a switch that says:

3S / 10S / 6S - what the heck does this do? Someone told me it was how many seconds of air when you push the button on the plasma????? I refer you back to the fact I've never used a plasma before, so I have no idea & it doesn't make any sense to me.

The other info I'm looking for is what kind of air pressure should I be running to the machine. It came with some little cheap-o regulator, but no instructions on where to set it...

Here's all the manual has to say:

3-3 CUT FUNCTION:

​

​

• Put the function exchange switch to “CUT”gear.​
  
  [*]
  Turn on the power switch, and the power pilot light is on, and the inner fan begins to work.​
  [*]
  Turn on the control switch or air regulator, set the pressure and gas flow volume to the rated value.​
  [*]
  Push down the button on the torch, and starts the electromagnetic valve, you can hear the sound of HF splash​
  [*]
  electricity-releasing , and meanwhile the gas flows out of the torch mouth.​
  [*]
  Set cutting current according to the thickness of the work piece.​
  [*]
  Make the nozzle touch the work piece, and push the switch on the torch to start the arc, the sound of HF​
  [*]
  arc-leading disappeared, and you can begin your work now. After the arc -starting, keep the nozzle and work​
  [*]
  piece about 1mm from each other, which is good for protecting the nozzle.​
  
  
  [*]
  Re: if the output voltage has difficulty in arc-starting, please lower the air pressure to a certain value.​
  [*]If the nozzle is heavily burnt, please raise the air pressure to a certain value.

 

[Charlie's68]

yes, that could very well be the amount of time air continues flowing through the torch, my parker isn't adjustable, but is set from the factory at 6s if i recall correctly.

 

[Flat Ernie]

yes, that could very well be the amount of time air continues flowing through the torch, my parker isn't adjustable, but is set from the factory at 6s if i recall correctly.

So I push the button to start the arc & hold the button to cut - when I'm done cutting & let go of the button, air continues to flow out the nozzle (I assume for cooling) for 6S (or whatever I have my switch set to)?

I'm trying to figure this out so I don't electrocute myself or burn the garage down due to my ignorance...

 

[Vicegrip]

Get some scrap and go at it. Nothing like practice to make the work better.

 

[Major Ramifications]

That manual is just PRICELESS!
I mean, you couldn't make that stuff up, and if you could, it would be considered offensive to chinese people.
Maybe you could sell the crappy manual on ebay and just fumble your way through figuring out the cutting function by trial and error.

 

[Franz©]

Plasma like TIG employs a preflow/postflow timer to operate the air solonoid.
The preflow is a purge feature to insure there is airflow at the tip to become a charged plasma stream.
Postflow is primarily for cooling.

As far as all the ChinkOmatic machines go they are all fairly similar. If you want to buy a container load, 20 or 40 foot, the manufacturer will paint them the color of your choice and even custom label them. That's exactly what Parker does. Parker is a retired TV repairman who is completely devoid of knowledge of welding or cutting. He is one hell of a hustler though. Parker machines are rebadged Riland machines.

The Master Distributor for Riland is a halfwitt school teacher on the Left Coast who brings Rilands in by the contaier load, along with the rest of the **** he dumps on ePay. He's even been clever enough to sell distributorships to suckers who can't afford a container load, and help them fail. Warranty parts and service don't exist.
There is a very interesting thread on one welding site where the Connecticut/East Coast Riland dealer, who also purports to be a weldor, is seeking information on buying a new MIG machine for his shop. He's deciding between Lincoln & Miller. He obviously knows the quality of Riland.

Plasma cutting employing air plasma ain't rocket science. You could set all the controls on a plasma to maximum and break the knobs off with no ill effect. About the only critical to the operation is air pressure. The moisture content in the air stream should be minimal to maximize tip life.

 

[Flat Ernie]

Plasma like TIG employs a preflow/postflow timer to operate the air solonoid.
The preflow is a purge feature to insure there is airflow at the tip to become a charged plasma stream.
Postflow is primarily for cooling.

Excellent. Thanks!

Plasma cutting employing air plasma ain't rocket science. You could set all the controls on a plasma to maximum and break the knobs off with no ill effect. About the only critical to the operation is air pressure. The moisture content in the air stream should be minimal to maximize tip life.

So what should my critical air pressure be? Obviously, the manual is of no use here...there is a vague reference to "four times atmospheric pressure" - which, if I were to trust anything in this manual, would be about 60psi??


Thanks for putting up with all my stupid questions...

 

[eschoendorff]

Plasma like TIG employs a preflow/postflow timer to operate the air solonoid.
The preflow is a purge feature to insure there is airflow at the tip to become a charged plasma stream.
Postflow is primarily for cooling.

As far as all the ChinkOmatic machines go they are all fairly similar. If you want to buy a container load, 20 or 40 foot, the manufacturer will paint them the color of your choice and even custom label them. That's exactly what Parker does. Parker is a retired TV repairman who is completely devoid of knowledge of welding or cutting. He is one hell of a hustler though. Parker machines are rebadged Riland machines.

The Master Distributor for Riland is a halfwitt school teacher on the Left Coast who brings Rilands in by the contaier load, along with the rest of the **** he dumps on ePay. He's even been clever enough to sell distributorships to suckers who can't afford a container load, and help them fail. Warranty parts and service don't exist.
There is a very interesting thread on one welding site where the Connecticut/East Coast Riland dealer, who also purports to be a weldor, is seeking information on buying a new MIG machine for his shop. He's deciding between Lincoln & Miller. He obviously knows the quality of Riland.

Plasma cutting employing air plasma ain't rocket science. You could set all the controls on a plasma to maximum and break the knobs off with no ill effect. About the only critical to the operation is air pressure. The moisture content in the air stream should be minimal to maximize tip life.

Good lord, Franz! How do you come to know all this stuff?????? (specifically about the people selling the machines - not the processes.)

 

[Charlie's68]

Plasma like TIG employs a preflow/postflow timer to operate the air solonoid.
The preflow is a purge feature to insure there is airflow at the tip to become a charged plasma stream.
Postflow is primarily for cooling.

As far as all the ChinkOmatic machines go they are all fairly similar. If you want to buy a container load, 20 or 40 foot, the manufacturer will paint them the color of your choice and even custom label them. That's exactly what Parker does. Parker is a retired TV repairman who is completely devoid of knowledge of welding or cutting. He is one hell of a hustler though. Parker machines are rebadged Riland machines.

The Master Distributor for Riland is a halfwitt school teacher on the Left Coast who brings Rilands in by the contaier load, along with the rest of the **** he dumps on ePay. He's even been clever enough to sell distributorships to suckers who can't afford a container load, and help them fail. Warranty parts and service don't exist.
There is a very interesting thread on one welding site where the Connecticut/East Coast Riland dealer, who also purports to be a weldor, is seeking information on buying a new MIG machine for his shop. He's deciding between Lincoln & Miller. He obviously knows the quality of Riland.

Plasma cutting employing air plasma ain't rocket science. You could set all the controls on a plasma to maximum and break the knobs off with no ill effect. About the only critical to the operation is air pressure. The moisture content in the air stream should be minimal to maximize tip life.

Well your wrong about the warranty. My torch was missing one small o ring, to sell the shielding cup properly, and instead of parker trying to send me a o ring to fit that model, they sent me and entire new torch, new hoses, and about 5 new consumables( nozzle's, tips, cups, etc) and a box to send my old one back. I have no question of where the machine came from, but they will stand behind there products. Go look on pirate, he took care of his customers there as well. And hey, i know quality, i love my big blue mig, but my little plasma cutter works pretty damn nice too.

 

[jimvannoy]

I wish I could afford a good plasma cutter. I guess I'll have to stick to my cutting torch and cutoff wheels.

 

[Franz©]

You're absolutely right Charlie, Parker is a marketing genius. He's also one person in the US who understands the purloined circuits in the ChinkOmatics, in large part from his experience in the TV repair business.

The Pirate move was brilliant. Parker siezed on the opportunity to dump a container load of machines onto the inhabitants of that lovely site and **** right in the cheerios of the Riland Gang. Parker cleared his inventory and made room for the new model arriving, and the Riland Gang stood around holding their hands on their azzes.

This little war has been going between Parker and Riland Gang for about 3 years now. Parker has the upper hand because he can sort of fix the contraptions. The Riland Gang is limited to their ability to swap boards, and replace torches & lead sets. Last I heard the Gang had a couple dropouts who actually figured out they were loosing $$ on every sale. They continue to be the AMWAY of welding.

 

[Flat Ernie]

What kind of air pressure are you running on those Parkers & Rilands?

 

[Franz©]

The ChinkOmatics all seem to specify around 4 atmouspheres. That would translate to about 60psi.
Remember, the regulator should be set to 60psi with the machine actually cutting, or in the purge setting so there is airflow. A small regulator will often drop pressure between the static setting and the performing setting.