My Newb Plasma Table Attempted Build

I need to do more cuts to make sure it's just outside vs inside. After I posted I realized the plasma wasn't clamped to the work piece (it was clamped to the table frame) on the last part. The one before that gave me no issues, so I'm wondering if maybe that was the issue. And it went the opposite direction up instead of down.

Edit: straight and curved lines after it goes roughly a foot or so.

Is it possible that if, in the run panel, I selected Use Auto Volts selected but above that I entered a voltage value in the Cut Volts field that could be causing the issue? That's how mine is (just a brain fart on my part).

Yes, I already did that in a previous 'episode' when I came to find out my 5v power supply was the cause of the issue (the control panel was reading a constant neg voltage). They are wired correctly for polarity.

No, I haven't. I'll give that a go on my next attempt though.

Edit: I did monitor the voltage and it only fluctuated a range of approximately 3 to 4 volts after the arc stablized post-piercing. There's not even some crazy voltage spike or drop that's causing it, and before yesterday the damn thing always went down until it touched the material and tripped the float switch. Now it's changed it's mind. Should I give it a good spanking?

phillc54 wrote:

Just reading through a few posts and I see that you mentioned that if the workpiece clamp is on the workpiece the Z axis moves down and if the workpiece clamp is on the table the Z axis moves up. Is this correct?

No, and I probably didn't word that post very well...my apologies. The first attempt after I reset the PID P gain value from 10 to 1 as you recommended, that first cut was fine and the clamp was on the actual work piece.

On the next (2nd) part, different material, I had moved the clamp and put it on the table frame to get it out of the way while I changed the sheet of steel out. I forgot to reclamp it onto the actual material and made the cut and the torch went up, etc. I didn't realize I had done this until after I posted here about the THC acting up again, and then I followed up wondering if that could have been the cause (because the first part after the change you recommended worked beautifully).