Chicago Electric 95136 Installation manual

INVERTER AIR PLASMA CUTTER

Model

95136

SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com

Read this material before using this product.

Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

SAVE THIS MANUAL.

contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written consent of

Harbor Freight Tools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing

improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Tools required for

assembly and service may not be included.

For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Manual Revised 10e

Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 95136

SAVE THIS MANUAL

Keep this manual for the safety warnings

and precautions, assembly, operating,

inspection, maintenance and cleaning

procedures. Write the product’s serial number

in the back of the manual near the assembly

diagram (or month and year of purchase if

product has no number). Keep this manual

and the receipt in a safe and dry place for

future reference.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INFORMATION

In this manual, on the labeling, and

all other information provided with

this product:

This is the safety alert

symbol. It is used to alert

you to potential personal

injury hazards. Obey all

safety messages that follow

this symbol to avoid possible

injury or death.

DANGER indicates a

hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, will result

in death or serious injury.

WARNING indicates a

hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, could

result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION, used with

the safety alert

symbol, indicates a hazardous

situation which, if not avoided,

could result in minor or moderate

injury.

NOTICE is used to

address practices not

related to personal injury.

CAUTION, without the

safety alert symbol, is

used to address practices not

related to personal injury.

SAFETY WARNINGS AND

PRECAUTIONS

WARNING: When using tool, basic safety

precautions should always be followed

to reduce the risk of personal injury and

damage to equipment.

Read all instructions before using this

tool!

WARNING!

READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL

INSTRUCTIONS

Failure to follow all instructions listed

below may result in electric shock,

re, and/or serious injury.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

Work Area Precautions

Keep your work area clean and well1.

lit. Cluttered benches and dark areas

invite accidents.

Do not operate power tools in2.

explosive atmospheres, such as in the

presence of ammable liquids, gases,

or dust. Power tools create sparks

which may ignite the dust or fumes.

Keep bystanders, children, and3.

visitors away while operating a power

tool. Distractions can cause you to lose

control. Protect others in the work area

from debris such as chips and sparks.

Provide barriers or shields as needed.

Page 3For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 95136

Electrical Safety

Grounded tools must be plugged1.

into an outlet properly installed and

grounded in accordance with all

codes and ordinances. Never remove

the grounding prong or modify the

plug in any way. Do not use any

adapter plugs. Check with a qualied

electrician if you are in doubt whether

the outlet is properly grounded. If the

tool should electrically malfunction or

break down, grounding provides a low

resistance path to carry electricity away

from the user.

Double insulated tools are equipped2.

with a polarized plug (one blade is

wider than the other). This plug will

t in a polarized outlet only one way.

If the plug does not t fully in the

outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does

not t, contact a qualied electrician

to install a polarized outlet. Do not

change the plug in any way. Double

insulation eliminates the need for the

three wire grounded power cord and

grounded power supply system.

Avoid body contact with grounded3.

surfaces such as pipes, radiators,

ranges, and refrigerators. There is an

increased risk of electric shock if your

body is grounded.

Do not expose power tools to rain or4.

wet conditions. Water entering a power

tool will increase the risk of electric

shock.

Do not abuse the Power Cord.5. Never

use the Power Cord to carry the tool

or pull the Plug from an outlet. Keep

the Power Cord away from heat, oil,

sharp edges, or moving parts. Replace

damaged Power Cords immediately.

Damaged Power Cords increase the risk

of electric shock.

When operating a power tool6.

outside, use an outdoor extension

cord marked “W-A” or “W”. These

extension cords are rated for outdoor

use, and reduce the risk of electric

shock.

Personal Safety

Stay alert. Watch what you are1.

doing, and use common sense when

operating a power tool. Do not use

a power tool while tired or under

the inuence of drugs, alcohol, or

medication. A moment of inattention

while operating power tools may result in

serious personal injury.

Dress properly. Do not wear loose2.

clothing or jewelry. Contain long hair.

Keep your hair, clothing, and gloves

away from moving parts. Loose

clothes, jewelry, or long hair can be

caught in moving parts.

Avoid accidental starting.3. Be sure the

Power Switch is off before plugging

in. 

on the Power Switch, or plugging in

power tools with the Power Switch on,

invites accidents.

Remove adjusting keys or wrenches4.

before turning the power tool on. A

wrench or a key that is left attached to a

rotating part of the power tool may result

in personal injury.

Do not overreach. Keep proper5.

footing and balance at all times.

Proper footing and balance enables

better control of the power tool in

unexpected situations.

Use safety equipment. Always wear6.

eye protection. Dust mask, non-skid

safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing

Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 95136

protection must be used for appropriate

conditions.

Tool Use and Care

Use clamps (not included) or other1.

practical ways to secure and support

the workpiece to a stable platform.

Holding the work piece by hand or

against your body is unstable and may

lead to loss of control.

Do not force the tool. Use the correct2.

tool for your application. The correct

tool will do the job better and safer at the

rate for which it is designed.

Do not use the power tool if the Power3.

Switch does not turn it on or off. Any

tool that cannot be controlled with the

Power Switch is dangerous and must be

replaced.

Disconnect the Power Cord Plug from4.

the power source before making any

adjustments, changing accessories,

or storing the tool. Such preventive

safety measures reduce the risk of

starting the tool accidentally.

Store idle tools out of reach of5.

children and other untrained persons.

Tools are dangerous in the hands of

untrained users.

Maintain tools with care. Keep cutting6.

tools maintained and clean. Properly

maintained tools are less likely to bind

and are easier to control. Do not use a

damaged tool. Tag damaged tools “Do

not use” until repaired.

Check for misalignment or binding of7.

moving parts, breakage of parts, and

any other condition that may affect

the tool’s operation. If damaged,

have the tool serviced before using.

Many accidents are caused by poorly

maintained tools.

Use only accessories that are8.

recommended by the manufacturer

for your model. Accessories that may

be suitable for one tool may become

hazardous when used on another tool.

Service

Tool service must be performed only1.

by qualied repair personnel. Service



personnel could result in a risk of injury.

When servicing a tool, use only2.

identical replacement parts. Use of

unauthorized parts or failure to follow

maintenance instructions may create a

risk of electric shock or injury.

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

Maintain labels and nameplates on the1.

tool. These carry important information.

If unreadable or missing, contact Harbor

Freight Tools for a replacement.

Always wear ANSI approved safety2.

impact eye goggles and heavy work

gloves when using the tool. Using

personal safety devices reduce the risk

for injury. Safety impact eye goggles and

heavy work gloves are available from

Harbor Freight Tools.

Maintain a safe working environment.3.

Keep the work area well lit. Make

sure there is adequate surrounding

workspace. Always keep the work area

free of obstructions, grease, oil, trash,

and other debris. Do not use a power



dusts, and vapors. Do not use this

product in a damp or wet location.

Avoid unintentional starting.4. Make

sure you are prepared to begin work

before turning on the tool.

Page 5For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 95136

Never leave the tool unattended when5.

it is plugged into an electrical outlet.

Turn off the tool, and unplug it from its

electrical outlet before leaving.

Always unplug the tool from its6.

electrical outlet before performing and

inspection, maintenance, or cleaning

procedures.

Prevent eye injury and burns.7. Wearing

and using ANSI approved personal

safety clothing and safety devices

reduce the risk for injury.

Wear ANSI approved safety impact eye

goggles with a welding helmet featuring

at least a number 10 shade lens rating.



or boots should be worn when using

this product. Do not wear pants with

cuffs, shirts with open pockets, or any

clothing that can catch and hold molten

metal or sparks.

Keep clothing free of grease, oil,



Wear dry, insulating gloves and

protective clothing.

Wear an approved head covering to

protect the head and neck. Use aprons,

cape, sleeves, shoulder covers, and

bibs designed and approved for

welding and cutting procedures.

When welding/cutting overhead or in



ear plugs or ear muffs to keep sparks

out of ears.

Prevent accidental res. 8. Remove any

combustible material from the work area.

When possible, move the work to a

location well away from combustible

materials. If relocation is not possible,

protect the combustibles with a cover



Remove or make safe all combustible

materials for a radius of 35 feet (10

meters) around the work area. Use a



all open doorways, windows, cracks,

and other openings.



resistant screens. Protect combustible





If working on a metal wall, ceiling, etc.,

prevent ignition of combustibles on the

other side by moving the combustibles

to a safe location. If relocation of

combustibles is not possible, designate





during the cutting process and for at

least one half hour after the cutting is

completed.

Do not weld or cut on materials having

a combustible coating or combustible

internal structure, as in walls or

ceilings, without an approved method

for eliminating the hazard.

Do not dispose of hot slag in containers

holding combustible materials. Keep a



to use it.

After welding or cutting, make a

thorough examination for evidence of







weld or cut in atmospheres containing



gases, vapors, liquids, and dust.

Provide adequate ventilation in work

areas to prevent accumulation of



Do not apply heat to a container that

has held an unknown substance or a

combustible material whose contents,



Page 6 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 95136

or explosive vapors. Clean and purge

containers before applying heat. Vent

closed containers, including castings,

before preheating, welding, or cutting.

Only use compressed air to operate

the Plasma Welder/Cutter. Never use

other compressed gases. Don’t exceed

maximum PSI for this product as stated



WARNING

INHALATION HAZARD:

Welding and Plasma Cutting Produce

TOXIC FUMES.

Exposure to welding or cutting exhaust

fumes can increase the risk of developing

certain cancers, such as cancer of the larynx

and lung cancer. Also, some diseases that

may be linked to exposure to welding or

plasma cutting exhaust fumes are:



  





  



bronchitis, or pneumonia

Use natural or forced air ventilation and

wear a respirator approved by NIOSH to

protect against the fumes produced to

reduce the risk of developing the above

illnesses.

Avoid overexposure to fumes and9.

gases. Always keep your head out of

the fumes. Do not breathe the fumes.

Use enough ventilation or exhaust, or

both, to keep fumes and gases from your

breathing zone and general area.

Where ventilation is questionable,



sampling to determine the need for

corrective measures. Use mechanical

ventilation to improve air quality. If

engineering controls are not feasible,

use an approved respirator.



ventilated, or while wearing an air-

supplied respirator.

Follow OSHA guidelines for

Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL’s) for

various fumes and gases.

Follow the American Conference of

Governmental Industrial Hygienists

recommendations for Threshold Limit

Values (TLV’s) for fumes and gases.

Have a recognized specialist in

Industrial Hygiene or Environmental

Services check the operation and air

quality and make recommendations for



Always keep hoses away from welding/10.

cutting spot. Examine all hoses and

cables for cuts, burns, or worn areas

before each use. If any damaged areas

are found, replace the hoses or cables

immediately.

Read and understand all instructions11.

and safety precautions as outlined

in the manufacturer’s manual for the

material you will weld or cut.

Proper cylinder care.12. Secure cylinders

to a cart, wall, or post, to prevent them

from falling. All cylinders should be

used and stored in an upright position.

Never drop or strike a cylinder. Do not

use cylinders that have been dented.

Cylinder caps should be used when

moving or storing cylinders. Empty



areas and clearly marked “empty.”

Page 7For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 95136

Never use oil or grease on any inlet13.

connector, outlet connector, or

cylinder valves.

Use only supplied Torch on this14.

Inverter Air Plasma Cutter. Using

components from other systems may

cause personal injury and damage

components within.

This product, when used for cutting15.

and similar applications, contains or

produces a chemical known to the State

of California to cause cancer and birth

defects (or other reproductive harm).

(California Health & Safety Code §

25249.5, et seq.)

People with pacemakers should consult16.

their physician(s) before using this



proximity to a heart pacemaker could

cause interference to, or failure of the

pacemaker.

USE PROPER EXTENSION CORD.17.

Make sure your extension cord is in good

condition. When using an extension cord,

be sure to use one heavy enough to

carry the current your product will draw.

An undersized cord will cause a drop in

line voltage resulting in loss of power

and overheating. A 50 foot extension

cord must be at least 12 gauge in

diameter, and an 100 foot extension cord

must be at least 10 gauge in diameter.

If in doubt, use the next heavier gauge.

The smaller the gauge number, the

heavier the cord.

This product requires a 3-prong, 24018.

V~, twist-lock plug (not included). This



electrician.

Symbology

Double Insulated

Canadian Standards Association

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

V~ Volts Alternating Current

AAmperes

n0xxxx/min. No Load Revolutions per Minute

(RPM)

REV 09j

Page 8 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 95136

SPECIFICATIONS

Rated Input 240 V~, 50/60 Hz, 19.2 A

Rated Duty Cycle

60% @ 40 A;

80% @ 34.6 A;

100% @ 31 A

Air Requirement 60-80 PSI @ 3.5 CFM

Power Switch Rocker Type

Weight 49.6 lb.

Cutting Current 15 - 40 Amps

Cutting Thickness ½” mild steel Maximum

Arc Striking System Pilot Arc

Unit Size 20” L x 8-1/8” W x 14-3/8” H

Duty Cycle

Duty Cycle is the equipment



of minutes within a 10 minute period that

a piece of equipment can safely operate.

This plasma cutter has a 60% duty

cycle at 40 Amps, which means that it

may be used only 6 minutes at 40 Amps

out of any 10 minute period, and must be

rested the remaining 4 minutes.

CAUTION: Failure to observe the duty cycle

limitations of this Plasma Cutter can

easily damage this equipment, and will

void the warranty.

UNPACKING

When unpacking, check to make sure the

following parts are included.

Inverter Plasma Cutter tool with

Cutting Torch with Power Cord

Ground Cable with Clamp

If any parts are missing or broken, please call

Harbor Freight Tools at the number on the cover

of this manual.

Preparing Your Work Area

You must have a sturdy work table that1.

is open below the area you are cutting.

Molten slag will be blown through the

work metal, and must be able to fall

away freely.

Your work table must allow the work2.



accidentally falling or moving.

3.





cutting process will eject molten metal



8-10 feet or more in any direction. Have



needed.

Page 9For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 95136

ASSEMBLY

Attaching the Electric Plug (not supplied):

1. 

the 240 V~ power cable. CAUTION:

This operation must only be done by a



2.

and White wires are both ‘HOT’ 120 V~

conductors.

Use the plug appropriate to your 2403.



is protected with an appropriate circuit

breaker.

Grounding the Tool:

Attach a ground wire of at least 14 Ga.

thickness (not supplied) to the screw

on the lower left of the back of the tool

case. Connect the other end of the wire

to an appropriate ground, such as a steel

workbench, steel building member or

grounding electrode.

Attaching the Air Supply:

WARNING: Only use dry air as the gas in

this tool. Use of any other gas, such

as oxygen, acetylene, etc. may cause

explosion.

Handle

Air pressure

regulator knob

Air input couplingAir pressure gauge

1. A male quick release adapter is mounted

on the rear of the tool. Attach your

pressurized air supply using your female

quick release adapter. Adjust your air

supply to deliver 60-80 PSI at 3.5 CFM.

During operation, you can regulate air2.

pressure through the Plasma Cutter by

adjusting the knob located on top of the

tool.

If the tool becomes over pressurized,3.

there is a pressure relief valve on the top

of the unit.

Page 10 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 95136

CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

POWER

WORKING

1 2

Torch Connector Ground Connector

1. Power Switch. Up is ON, down is OFF.

Digital Amps Meter.2. Shows actual

cutting current, which will vary during

operation.

Thermal Overload Indicator Lamp.3.

This light will come on, and the device

will shut down if the tool becomes

overheated. Stop trying to use the

cutter while leaving the power switch

ON to allow the cooling fan to operate,

and the lamp will turn off automatically

when the machine cools down. Please

pay attention to the Rated Duty Cycle

discussed on page 2.

Power ON Light.4.

Power Supply Controller.5.

Mode Selector.6. Turns the air supply ON

prior to cutting.

Working Indicator Light.7. Will be on

during cutting operation.

OPERATION

Note: Before beginning, please read and

understand all the safety precautions

starting on page 2, and especially

the section “Specic Safety Rules”

starting on page 4.

Mount the metal to be cut to the metal1.

welding-cutting table. It should be

mounted so that the cutting debris falls to



Place the Air Plasma Cutter unit no2.

closer than six feet from the workpiece to

be cut.

Connect an air hose and coupling (not3.

supplied) from the air supply tank to the

Air Input Coupling at the rear of the unit.

See photo on page 9, bottom. The air

supply must be regulated to between 60

and 80 PSI as read on the Air Pressure

Gauge. The air supply must be dry. It is



(not included) on the compressor. Do not

use an air oiler.

Connect the Torch Cable plug into the4.

twist-lock connector on the lower left unit

front. Twist to lock.

Plug in the Grounding Cable into the5.

Ground Connector on the lower right of

the unit front. Twist to lock.

Securely place the clamping end of the6.

Grounding Cable Clamp to a part of the

workpiece or metal table that is clean

of paint, oil, or dirt. Clamp as close

as possible to the workpiece without

damaging the cable during cutting.

Verify that the Power Switch is in the Off7.

(O) position, then plug the 240 V~ line

cord plug into an appropriate 240 V~

outlet.

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