PlasmaC torch starting problem (Solved with help from the famous three)

I have a pilot arc start machine the torch will always fire on the first cut but on the next cut it will error out with "valid arc lost program is paused"

Before it errors it does the probe OK the float switch triggers the led and very briefly triggers the torch-on led.

Then pressing pause it will do another cut OK then the same problem happens for every cut.

I have tried altering the OK Low Volts between 5-30 . I notice that after a cut the Ark Volts hover around 2-20v but when the air purge stops is then goes to zero

Vid from my Nas Drive photos.app.goo.gl/aPzSCVR5uQSApnKK6

you need to increase the wait between retry time
maybe your plasma needs some seconds to get a clear refire arc signal

I think bbsr_5a is correct, try increasing the Arc Retry Delay, maybe Arc Fail Timeout needs increasing as well.

Clive S wrote: I have tried altering the OK Low Volts between 5-30 . I notice that after a cut the Ark Volts hover around 2-20v but when the air purge stops is then goes to zero

That is to low, i have it set to 80V min and 150V max, wired to an ISKRA plasma source, i was pleasently surprised that it never failed to detect a valid arcok. The cut voltage is 125 to 135 depending on speed and thicknes.
Try this:
-Load gcode, start the gcode with the plasma source OFF, measure the distance from torch to material.
-Power on the Plasma
-Start the gcode from beginning, let it make the first cut, switch off the plasma, measure the distance.
If the distance is the same, all is good, but do try to make that distance from 2 to 3mm and see if the consequent cuts succeed .
All this only after you check the previous replies.

Many thanks for the above comments. I will test them out in the morning and will report back.

I think arc retry is set for 1 second

phillc54 wrote: I think bbsr_5a is correct, try increasing the Arc Retry Delay, maybe Arc Fail Timeout needs increasing as well.

Phill I have tried the arc retry delay to 20 secs with no joy. But thinking about it does the retry delay work for pilot arc.

I have also tried with the arc fail from .5 to 5 secs with no luck.

It always works after an arc fail then the Z goes up and waits until pause is pressed, If I wait until the machine has stopped the air over-run (at this point the volts drop to zero) at this point pressing pause works and completes the cut then I have the same prob at the next section cut.

I am beginning to think this is a problem with the plasma cutter as until the air stops the volts float around anything between 0 to 18 then when the air stops it then holds steady at zero.


Edit: Phil . Trying to test the above I made 3 small circles with shapes and array I saved the gcode to the standard folder and then edited it with G4 P15 after the first cut to see if the 15 sec delay (ie long enough for the air to stop and volts get to zero) but when this was reloaded it purged the g4p15 out of the code. So how can I get a pause in the code between the cuts to test ?