AVHC stopped working

[Jake Bertola]

We basically cut non stop all the time for manufacturing. We run a torchmate 2 table with the accumove 3 controller. We have been running the same settings for weeks which have been working beautifully then the following day we start the machine up and we have lost the AVHC it still reads a voltage but it is very low not going over 50. Which is causing the torch to dive into the steel all the time. The setting we are running are below. We run sample voltage all the time. And have tried running with sampling off and entering the voltage manual as well but still can't get the torch to stop diving. When we run in manual with no height sensing it works fine as well. Absolutely nothing has changed on the machine. We have check and double check settings and connections but still can't find this problem. Any ideas Anyone ?

Perice height = 0.15
Cut height = 0.06
Feed rate = 110
3mm mild steel material on 45amps
Running a hypertherm powermax 125

 

[Larry Cameron]

I run at 135ipm at 45 amps cutting 3mm mild steel with the powermax 45. Only dross appears at the corners. Would this possibly cause the torch to crash, maybe too slow and searching for material?

Larry Cameron
RusticMetalArt

 

[Jake Bertola]

Yeah we have tried speeding the machine up but still no luck

 

[LECS-Chad]

Yeah we have tried speeding the machine up but still no luck

Sounds like you are using the "divided voltage" and not the RAW ARC VOLTAGE.

Also verify that you have SAMPLE voltage ON along with AUTO.

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

You can monitor the voltage out of the plasma cutter to see if it is in the correct range. Use a multimeter on the raw arc voltage wires that connect to the VFC box, these wires are hot when the plasma cutter is on and cutting material, checking for DC voltage should be somewhat in the same range as the cut charts call for.

 

[Jake Bertola]

We are having that tested to day and will let you know what we find. Yep sample voltage is on and its in auto. Torch dives all the time because its reading such a low voltage.

 

[Jake Bertola]

Had the plasma tested today to check the voltage. All is good with that, we where getting voltage readings pretty much what is listed in the cutting charts. Also Tested the leads connecting the plasma to the VFC, all good. So the problem we are having is either in the VFC box or something inside the accumove box which is not translating the voltage properly. Daniel Stewart has advised us to reload the firmware and see if that fixes it.
Any other things we should be testing ? Or can look at

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

In Machine Settings change your distance to corner to 10, this will lockout the height control for 10" while cutting in Auto mode. When it is cutting monitor the Arc Voltage readout on the right side of the VMD screen, should be reading about the same as the book values. If it reads 0 or 200 then try swapping the polarity on the VFC arc voltage wires and see if it reads voltage now.

 

[Jake Bertola]

Cheers will try this tomorrow morning.

 

[Jake Bertola]

Just thought I would say again. The table has been working fine for months. Is it normal for it to all of a sudden change like this ? We have also been cutting with it for probably over 3 years now. So we are pretty good on knowing what it likes and dislikes

 

[Jake Bertola]

Today we tried cutting a few different shapes that would activate the corner lockout. We also set the distance to corner lockout to 10'' so we where able to monitor the arc voltage. It is showing a voltage reading on the VMD screen that is sort of bouncing between 40 to 70. What do we do now ? new VFC box ??

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

You can test the voltage readout by using a 9v battery, click on Machine Settings then Advanced Tab, press the button for MVC Test. Note what the display is reading for line 1, should be reading 400, connect a 9v battery to the red and black wires on the VFC box and the voltage should drop by about 9v, or read somewhere around low 390's. After this test you would need to cycle the Accumove box off for 15 seconds.

 

[Jake Bertola]

Righto we will give that a shot. Thanks !

 

[Jake Bertola]

We are getting a reading of 399.50 with out the 9v battery attached. With the battery attached it goes down to 390.50. So this means the problem is back in the accumove box ? should we uninstall the software and reinstall it ?

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

That test means the Accumove is reading the voltage correctly. We can reload the configuration, under Machine Settings, click on Load Configuration and choose something else other than what you are using now, such as Torchmate 2.ini, highlight the line dont click the box, and press Ok. Then Load Configuration again and choose the correct configuration, again do not check the box, and press Ok, then press Factory Reset and restart the VMD software.

 

[Jake Bertola]

Tried that today. Still not working just keeps reading a voltage of around 50 and the torch will either crash into the steel and stop or sometimes slowly creep upwards until it can cut the steel anymore. What can we try next ? this is driving us insane and loosing business and customers !

 

[Jake Bertola]

Any torchmate staff on here that can solve this for us ? Been waiting a while.....

 

[LECS-Chad]

Any torchmate staff on here that can solve this for us ? Been waiting a while.....

I would recommend calling into tech support and having them go over some other tests with you on this.

If you got 9v showing then that means that the AM and VFC are working. Im a little confused about it dipping as the SAMPLE VOLTAGE ON and AUTO being on that it is not adjusting. Regardless of voltage being read in the lifter should adjust regardless.

Doing a FACTORY RESET and reloading your config but if you had the plasma tested and it was showing 80-120v and not the 40-70 you are describing then have that discussion with the tech on the phone and we can get you set up.