Upgrade to the Torchmate AVHC ?

[art&fire]

Hi guys, my system runs flawless right now. It is reliable, and ready to use when ever I need it to cut something.
Back in the day, I decided to go with the hand torch holder and the manual height control for my Torchmate 2x4 system. You all know why - Keep the start up cost within the budget.
I know all about the advantages of AVHC and I really like to upgrade to it.
What I don't want is mess up my very basic, but reliable setup.
There are so many problem stories out there about AVHC.
How much hassle is it for the regular guy to get it going?
Thanks for your help.

[JEd]

I had zero issues getting my Torchmate AVHC up and running. I researched before I started and got all my wiring information from posts on Pirate. I use a Powermax 65 and had the needed cable from them although you still have to get the raw arc voltage from inside the plasma cutter. As far as cutting I pretty well use book specs from Hypertherm.

[jmsrbrt]

Well worth the money, even though I find myself "baby sitting" the machine when it cuts.

[Gamelord]

For thick plate (10ga and up) its not as crucial and usually you can manually set-n-forget it. With thinner plate or diamond plate, etc..., the THC is a must. As you cut the thinner plate, it has a tendency to warp, causing the height to constantly change during the cut or even warping to the point where torch will be running into the plate. With the THC, you get that set-n-forget luxury because the torch will run along the plate as needed. It also prolongs your consumable life and minimizes messed up cuts and wasted material.

I would always recommend the THC for your table, once it is dialed in it should run flawlessly. The only time you will run into issues is with bad air (water, pressure drops) or bad tips/electrodes. Other than those issues, I never have any problems, just throw the plate up on the table and cut, no need to fine tune it or constantly monitor the height.

[fergy]

yeah you do see lots of horror stories regarding AVHC but most the time it is easly sorted out and was only a small issue or wrong settings/too many settings changed at once my AVHC gives me greef about once a week, allways my fault but still wouldnt be without it, dont forget you can allways turn it off till you get the problem sorted out

[art&fire]

Thanks for the info so far. Will I get enough instructions with the purchase.
Especially about opening up the powermax and wire some cables in.
I tried to look it up but couldn't find it.
Also how much is the AVHC?
Tx

[jimcolt]

The last I heard...the AVHC was about $2600. You need the CPC interface port (rear panel, circular plastic connector) as well as the machine torch....and a cable to connect the CPC for start and OK to move signals. The RAW DC connections are on the main power board in the Powermax unit...Hypertherm has a document that clearly indicates how to connect...you can get the Raw Arc Voltage document from Hypertherm's tech service...or contact me. jim.colt@hypertherm.com Jim

Thanks for the info so far. Will I get enough instructions with the purchase.
Especially about opening up the powermax and wire some cables in.
I tried to look it up but couldn't find it.
Also how much is the AVHC?
Tx