Tweco PC250 User Manual
PC250
Plasma Cutting System
Instruction Manual
FORM NO. 0056-2990 EFFECTIVE January 2004
Safety and Operating Instructions
For Your Safety . . .
PLEASE READ
CAREFULLY!
IMPORTANT
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Safety Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Cautions and Warnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Statement of Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Specifications and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installation and Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Site Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Electrical Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Functional Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Operating Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Torch Consumables Parts Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Operating Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Hand Torch Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Common Operating Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18
Inspection and Replacement Consumable Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
Basic Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20
Parts List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Spare Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ordering Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
INTRODUCTION
This User’s Manual provides specific information about your Firepower PC250 Plasma Cutting System.
It provides pertinent information needed to safely and effecti vely operate your Firepo wer Plasma Cutting System.
The manual provides instructions on set-up, installation and actual use.
SAFETY
SAFETY PROFILE
Tradesmen respect the tools and equipment with which they work. They are also aware that tools and equipment
are dangerous if used improperly or abused.
Read this manual prior to using your Firepower machine. It will enable you to do a better and safer job. You will
also learn the machine’s application, limitations and the potential hazards specific to plasma cutting.
SAFETY INFORMATION
The following safety information is provided to you as a guideline. Use it to operate your new Firepower Plasma
Cutting System under the safest possible conditions. Any equipment that uses electrical power is potentially
dangerous to use when the safety or safe handling instructions are not known and/or are not followed. This
safety information gives you the necessary information for safe use and operation.
Items in this manual that significantly affect safety are identified with the following headings. Please read and
understand this manual. Pay special attention to items identified with these headings.
- Means there is a possibility of injury or death to yourself or others if the proper
safety precautions are not followed.
- Means there is the possibility of damage to the Firepower System or other
property.
- Indicates points of interest for more efficient and convenient installation or oper ation.
It may be used before or after a procedure to highlight or better explain the step.
READ ALL SAFETY AND WARNING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY before attempting to install, operate or
service this machine. Your failure to comply with the instructions could result in personal injury and/or property
damage.
RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE.
SAFETY SYMBOLS
Please familiarize yourself with the warning symbols listed on the following pages. These symbols identify
important safety messages in this manual. When you see one of these symbols, be alert to the possibility of
personal injury and carefully read the message that follows.
Indicates that the possibility of electric shock hazard exists during the operation of the step(s) that
follow.
Indicates that the possibility of fire hazard exists during the operation of the step(s) that follow.
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WARNING
CAUTION
NOTICE
IMPORTANT
Indicates that the helmet must be worn during the step(s) that follow to protect against eye damage and
burns due to flash hazard.
Indicates that the possibility of toxic gas hazard exists during operation of the step(s) that follow.
Indicates that the possibility of being burned by hot slag exists during operation of the step(s) that
follow.
Indicates that eye protection should be worn to protect against flying debris in the following
step(s).
Indicates that the possibility of injury or death exist due to improper handling and maintenance of
compressed gas cylinders or regulators.
NOTES, CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PLASMA ARC EQUIPMENT CAN BE
DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. Plasma arc cutting produces intense electric
and magnetic emissions that may interfere with the proper function of cardiac pacemakers, hearing aids, or
other electronic health equipment. Persons who work near plasma arc cutting applications should consult
their medical health professional and the manufacturer of the health equipment to determine whether a hazard exists. To prevent possible injury, read, understand and follow all warnings, safety precautions and
instructions before using the equipment. Call your local distributor if you have any questions.
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! The plasma arc process uses and produces high voltage electrical
energy. This electric energy can cause severe or fatal shock to the operator or others in the workplace.
Never touch any parts that are electrically "live" or "hot." Wear dry gloves and clothing. Insulate yourself from the work piece or other parts of the welding circuit. Repair or replace all worn or damaged
parts. Extra care must be taken when the workplace is moist or damp. Install and maintain equipment
according to NEC code. Disconnect power source before performing any service or repairs.
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WARNING
5
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE DEATH, INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE! Fire and
explosion can be caused by hot slag, sparks, or the plasma arc. Be sure there is no combustible or flammable material in the workplace. Any material that cannot be removed must be protected. Ventilate all
flammable or explosive vapors from the workplace. Do not cut or weld on containers that may have
held combustibles. Provide a fire watch when working in an area where fire hazards may exist.
Hydrogen gas may be formed and trapped under aluminum workpieces when they are cut underwater
or while using a water table. DO NOT cut aluminum alloys underwater or on a water table unless the
hydrogen gas can be eliminated or dissipated. Trapped hydrogen gas that is ignited will cause an e xplosion. Remember, cutting by nature produces sparks, hot spatter, molten metal drops, hot slag and
hot metal parts that can start fires, burn skin and damage eyes.
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND BURN SKIN! Plasma Arc Rays can injure your eyes and
burn your skin. The plasma arc process produces very bright ultra violet and infra red light. These arc
rays will damage your eyes and burn your skin if you are not properly protected. To protect your eyes,
always wear a welding helmet or shield. Also always wear safety glasses with side shields, goggles or
other protective eye wear. Wear welding gloves and suitable clothing to protect your skin from the arc
rays and sparks. Keep helmet and safety glasses in good condition. Replace lenses when cracked,
chipped or dirty. Protect others in the work area from the arc rays. Use protective booths, screens or
shields.
Use the shade of lens as suggested in the following per ANSI/ASC Z49.1:
Minimum Protective Suggested
Arc Current Shade No. Shade No.
Less Than 300* 8 9
300 - 400* 9 12
400 - 800* 10 14 *
* These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters
may be used when the arc is hidden by the workpiece.
FUMES, GASSES AND VAPORS CAN CAUSE DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS AND DEATH! Gases
and fumes produced during the plasma cutting process can be dangerous and hazardous to your health.
Keep all fumes and gases from the breathing area. K eep your head out of the welding fume plume. Use
an air-supplied respirator if ventilation is not adequate to remove all fumes and gases. The kinds of
fumes and gases from the plasma arc depend on the kind of metal being used, coatings on the metal,
and the different processes. You must be very careful when cutting or
welding any metals which may contain one or more of the following: Antimony Chromium Mercury
Arsenic Cobalt Nickel Barium Copper Selenium Beryllium Lead Silver Cadmium Manganese
Vanadium For information on how to test for fumes and gases in your workplace, refer to item 1 in the
Publications section in this manual. Use special equipment, such as water or down draft cutting tables,
to capture fumes and gases. Do not use the plasma torch in an area where combustible or explosive
gases or materials are located. Phosgene, a toxic gas, is generated from the vapors of chlorinated
solvents and cleansers. Remove all sources of these vapors.
Noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Plasma arc processes can cause noise levels to exceed safe
limits. You must protect your ears from loud noise to prevent permanent loss of hearing. To protect your
hearing from loud noise, wear protective ear plugs and/or ear muffs. Protect others in the workplace.
Noise levels should be measured to be sure the decibels (sound) do not exceed safe levels.
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PUBLICATIONS
Refer to the following standards or their latest revisions for more information:
1. OSHA, SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS, 29CFR 1910, obtainable from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
2. ANSI Standard Z49.1, SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING, obtainable from the American Welding
Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Rd, Miami, FL 33126
3. NIOSH, SAFETY AND HEALTH IN ARC WELDING AND GAS WELDING AND CUTTING, obtainable from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
4. ANSI Standard Z87.1, SAFE PRACTICES FOR OCCUPATION AND EDUCATIONAL EYE AND FACE
PROTECTION, obtainable from American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY
10018
5. ANSI Standard Z41.1, STANDARD FOR MEN'S SAFETY-TOE FOOTWEAR, obtainable from the
American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
6. ANSI Standard Z49.2, FIRE PREVENTION IN THE USE OF CUTTING AND WELDING PROCESSES,
obtainable from American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
7. AWS Standard A6.0, WELDING AND CUTTING CONTAINERS WHICH HAVE HELD COMBUSTIBLES, obtainable from American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Rd, Miami, FL 33126
8. NFPA Standard 51, OXYGEN-FUEL GAS SYSTEMS FOR WELDING, CUTTING AND ALLIED
PROCESSES, obtainable from the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA
02269
9. NFPA Standard 70, NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, obtainable from the National Fire Protection
Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269
10. NFPA Standard 51B, CUTTING AND WELDING PROCESSES, obtainable from the National Fire
Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269
11. CGA Pamphlet P-1, SAFE HANDLING OF COMPRESSED GASES IN CYLINDERS, obtainable from
the Compressed Gas Association, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 501, Arlington, VA 22202
12. CSA Standard W117.2, CODE FOR SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING, obtainable from the
Canadian Standards Association, Standards Sales, 178 Re xdale Boule vard, Re xdale, Ontario, Canada M9W
1R3
13. NWSA booklet, WELDING SAFETY BIBLIOGRAPHY obtainable from the National Welding Supply
Association, 1900 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
14. American Welding Society Standard AWSF4.1, RECOMMENDED SAFE PRACTICES FOR THE
PREPARATION FOR WELDING AND CUTTING OF CONTAINERS AND PIPING THAT HAVE
HELD HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, obtainable from the American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune
Rd, Miami, FL 33126
15. ANSI Standard Z88.2, PRACTICE FOR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION, obtainable from American
National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
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FIREPOWER LIMITED WARRANTY
SCOPE OF LIMITED WARRANTY: Firepower, a division of Thermadyne Industries, Inc. (hereinafter,
"Seller") warrants that its products are free of defects in workmanship or material. If an authorized distributor or
the customer of an authorized distributor (hereinafter, collectively, "Purchaser") who purchases Seller's product,
notifies Seller within the time set forth below that the product has a defect in workmanship or material even
though it has been stored, installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with Seller's specifications, instructions, recommendations and in accordance with recognized standard industry practice, and the product was not
misused, repaired, neglected, altered, or damaged, the Seller may repair or replace, in its sole discretion, those
parts of the product determined by Seller to be defective in workmanship or material if said defect is not attributable to Purchaser's acts or omissions.
THIS WARRANTY EXCLUDES ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR OTHER WARRANTY OF QUALITY, WHETHER
EXPRESSED, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY.
LIMITED WARRANTY PERIOD: Except as otherwise limited below, this limited warranty is effective for
twelve months from the date Seller sells the product to an authorized distributor, or for twelve months after an
authorized distributor sells the product to its customer, whichever is longer, except that in no event will this warranty exceed eighteen months from the date the product is sold from Seller to an authorized distributor.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
• Firepower oxygen / acetylene products will be covered by a two-year product replacement warranty
• Firepower plasma cutting equipment will be covered by a one-year (parts & labor) warranty.
• Firepower electric welding machines will be covered by the Firepower 5-2-1 limited warranty.
• 5 years on the transformer
• 2 years on the welding unit
• 1 year on the MIG gun
• Firepower engine-driven welding machines will be covered by a one-year (parts & labor) warranty.
Engines will be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
• Firepower ADF (auto-darkening) welding helmets will be covered by a one-year warranty. Any ADF
helmet claims must be made directly to Jackson / Morsafe products, Belmont, MI, 800-253-7281.
• Firepower welding electrodes, MIG (& flux cored) wire, and brazing rods, although manufactured to AWS
Class specifications, are considered perishable items. As, such, these products are sold "as is" and "with
faults" and without warranty, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchant ability and
fitness for a particular purpose.
• Products used in rental applications are warranted for one year from the date sold by the Seller to an
authorized distributor, without regard to when they were later sold by the authorized distributor.
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