Chicago Electric 97994 Installation manual

INVERTER PLASMA CUTTER

Model

97994

SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Distributed exclusively by Harbor Freight Tools®.

3491 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93011

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

FreightTools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing improvements,

actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.

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

Page 2SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

CONTENTS

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INFORMATION............................3

GENERAL SAFETY RULES ..............3

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES ...............5

SPECIFICATIONS.......................... 8

DUTY CYCLE .....................................8

UNPACKING..................................9

INITIAL SET UP INSTRUCTIONS. 9

ASSEMBLY.........................................9

CONTROLS & INDICATORS.....10

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ....10

WORK PIECE AND WORK AREA

SET UP ..........................................11

GENERAL OPERATING

INSTRUCTIONS ............................11

PLASMA CUTTING TECHNIQUE13

HOW PLASMA CUTTERS

WORK........................................13

MAINTENANCE AND

SERVICING ...............................14

CLEANING, MAINTENANCE, AND

LUBRICATION...............................14

NOZZLE CARE.................................15

TROUBLESHOOTING.................16

CUTTING ARC NOT STABLE. ...16

PLASMA CUTTER DOES

NOT FUNCTION WHEN

SWITCHED ON. .......................16

WEAK ARC STRENGTH ............16

ARC DOES NOT IGNITE............16

GAS DOES NOT FLOW..............16

PARTS LIST AND ASSEMBLY

DIAGRAM..................................17

LIMITED 1 YEAR / 90 DAY

WARRANTY .............................. 18

PLEASE READ THE

FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.......18

Page 3SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

SAVE THIS MANUAL

Keep this manual for the safety warn-

ings and precautions, assembly, operat-

ing, 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 provid-

ed 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.

General Safety Rules

WARNING! Read all instructions

Failure to follow all instructions

listed below may result in

electric shock, re, and/or

serious injury.

Work area safety1.

Keep work area clean and well lit.a. Cluttered or dark areas invite acci-

dents.

Do not operate plasma cutters inb. explosive atmospheres, such as in

the presence of ammable liquids,

gases or dust. Plasma cutters cre-

ate sparks which may ignite the dust

or fumes.

Keep children and bystanders awayc. while operating a plasma cutter.

Distractions can cause you to lose

control.

Electrical safety2.

Avoid body contact with groundeda. surfaces such as pipes, radiators,

ranges and refrigerators. There is

an increased risk of electric shock if

your body is grounded.

Do not expose plasma cutters to rainb. or wet conditions. Water entering a

plasma cutter will increase the risk of

electric shock.

Page 4SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Do not abuse the Power Cord (32).c. Never use the Cord for pulling or

unplugging the plasma cutter. Keep

Cord away from heat, oil, sharp

edges or moving parts. Damaged or

entangled Cords increase the risk of

electric shock.

When operating a plasma cutter out-d. doors, use an extension cord suit-

able for outdoor use. Use of a cord

suitable for outdoor use reduces the

risk of electric shock.

Personal safety3.

Stay alert, watch what you are doinga. and use common sense when oper-

ating a plasma cutter. Do not use a

plasma cutter while you are tired or

under the inuence of drugs, alcohol

or medication. A moment of inatten-

tion while operating plasma cutters

may result in serious personal injury.

Use safety equipment. Always wear b. eye protection. Safety equipment

such as arc shaded, impact safety

full face shield, dust mask or respi-

rator, heavy-duty work gloves, non-

skid safety shoes, or hearing protec-

tion used for appropriate conditions

will reduce personal injuries.

Avoid accidental starting. Ensurec. the Power Switch (11) is in the off-

position before plugging in. Plug-

ging in plasma cutters that have the

Switch on invites accidents.

Do not overreach. Keep proper foot-d. ing and balance at all times. This

enables better control of the plasma

cutter in unexpected situations.

Plasma cutter use and care4.

Use the correct plasma cutter fora. your application. The correct plasma

cutter will do the job better and safer

at the rate for which it was designed.

Do not use the plasma cutter if theb. Power Switch (11) does not turn it on

and off. Any plasma cutter that can-

not be controlled with the Switch is

dangerous and must be repaired.

Disconnect the Power Cord (32)c. from the power source before mak-

ing any adjustments, changing ac-

cessories, or storing plasma cutters.

Such preventive safety measures

reduce the risk of starting the plasma

cutter accidentally.

Store idle plasma cutters out of thed. reach of children and do not allow

persons unfamiliar with the plasma

cutter or these instructions to oper-

ate the plasma cutter. Plasma cut-

ters are dangerous in the hands of

untrained users.

Maintain plasma cutters. Check fore. misalignment or binding of moving

parts, breakage of parts and any

other condition that may affect the

plasma cutter’s operation. If dam-

aged, have the plasma cutter re-

paired before use. Many accidents

are caused by poorly maintained

plasma cutters.

Use the plasma cutter and accesso-f. ries in accordance with these in-

structions and in the manner intend-

ed for the particular type of plasma

cutter, taking into account the work-

ing conditions and the work to be

performed. Use of the plasma cutter

for operations different from those

intended could result in a hazardous

situation.

Page 5SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Service5.

Have your plasma cutter serviced bya.

a qualied repair person using only

identical replacement parts. This will

ensure that the safety of the plasma

cutter is maintained.

Specic Safety Rules

Maintain labels and nameplates on1. the Inverter Plasma Cutter. These

carry important safety information. If

unreadable or missing, contact Har-

bor Freight Tools for a replacement.

Avoid electric shock. Do not per-2. mit electrically live parts, cables, or

electrodes to contact skin, clothing, or

gloves. Wear ANSI-approved protec-

tive clothing. This unit draws enough

current to cause serious injury or

death. Do not use the Plasma Cut-

ter unless you are insulated from the

ground and the work piece.

Avoid eye and body damage. Arc3. rays and infrared radiation can injure

eyes and burn skin. Wear ANSI-ap-

proved eye and body protection. Do

not allow viewing by visitors without

proper eye and body protection. Use

a Face Shield with arc shaded lter

plate.

This Plasma cutter requires a dedi-4. cated 20 A circuit and NEMA type

5-20R receptacle.

Move ammable and explosive mate-5. rial at least 35 feet from the cutting

arc to prevent sparks or molten metal

from starting a re. Keep a type ABC

re extinguisher within easy reach.

Thoroughly clean the object being cut

of any paint, grease, or other foreign

material.

Avoid unintentional starting. Prepare6. to begin work before turning on the

Inverter Plasma Cutter.

Do not leave the Plasma Cutter unat-7. tended when it is plugged into an

electrical outlet. Turn off the plasma

cutter, and unplug it from its electrical

outlet before leaving.

Use clamps (not included) or other8. practical ways to secure and support

the work piece to a stable platform.

Holding the work by hand or against

your body is unstable and may lead

to loss of control.

This product is not a toy. Keep it out9. of reach of children.

Industrial applications must follow10. OSHA guidelines.

People with pacemakers should11. consult their physician(s) before use.

Electromagnetic elds in close prox-

imity to heart pacemaker could cause

pacemaker interference or pacemak-

er failure. In addition, people with

pacemakers should:

• Avoid operating alone.

• Do not use with Power Switch

locked on.

• Properly maintain and inspect to

avoid electrical shock.

• Any Power Cord must be prop-

erly grounded. Ground Fault Circuit

Interrupter (GFCI) should also be

implemented – it prevents sustained

electrical shock.

This product, when used for welding,12. plasma cutting, soldering, or similar

applications, produces chemicals

known to the State of California to

cause cancer and birth defects (or

other reproductive harm).

Page 6SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

(California Health & Safety Code §

25249.5, et seq.)

13. Prevent eye injury and

burns. Wearing and using

ANSI-approved personal

safety clothing and safety

devices reduce the risk for injury.

Wear ANSI-approved safety impact• eye goggles underneath welding

eye protection featuring at least a

Number 10 shade lens rating.

Leather leggings, re resistant • shoes 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,•

solvents, or any ammable sub-

stances. 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 conned spaces, wear ame

resistant ear plugs or ear muffs to

keep sparks out of ears.

14. Prevent accidental res.

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 pos-

sible, protect the combustibles with

a cover made of re resistant mate-

rial.

Remove or make safe all combus-• tible materials for a radius of 35 feet

(10 meters) around the work area.

Use a re resistant material to cover

or block all open doorways, win-

dows, cracks, and other openings.

Enclose the work area with por-•

table re resistant screens. Protect

combustible walls, ceilings, oors,

etc., from sparks and heat with re

resistant covers.

If working on a metal wall, ceiling,• etc., prevent ignition of combus-

tibles on the other side by moving

the combustibles to a safe loca-

tion. If relocation of combustibles

is not possible, designate someone

to serve as a re watch, equipped

with a re extinguisher, during the

cutting process and for at least one

half hour after the cutting is com-

pleted.

Do not weld or cut on materials• having a combustible coating or

combustible internal structure, as

in walls or ceilings, without an ap-

proved method for eliminating the

hazard.

Do not dispose of hot slag in con-• tainers holding combustible materi-

als. Keep a re extinguisher nearby

and know how to use it.

After cutting, make a thorough•

examination for evidence of re. Be

aware that easily-visible smoke or

ame may not be present for some

time after the re has started. Do

not weld or cut in atmospheres

containing dangerously reactive or

ammable gases, vapors, liquids,

and dust. Provide adequate ven-

tilation in work areas to prevent

accumulation of ammable gases,

Page 7SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

vapors, and dust. Do not apply

heat to a container that has held an

unknown substance or a combus-

tible material whose contents, when

heated, can produce ammable or

explosive vapors. Clean and purge

containers before applying heat.

Vent closed containers, including

castings, before preheating, weld-

ing, or cutting.

Do not touch live electrical parts.14. Wear dry, insulating gloves. Do not

touch electrode or conductor tong

with bare hand. Do not wear wet or

damaged gloves.

Protect yourself from electric shock.15. Do not use outdoors. Insulate your-

self from the work piece and ground.

Use nonammable, dry insulating

material if possible, or use dry rubber

mats, dry wood or plywood, or other

dry insulating material big enough to

cover your full area of contact with

the work or ground.

Ensure that the unit is placed on a16. stable location before use. If this unit

falls while plugged in, severe injury,

electric shock, or re may result.

Never remove the grounding prong17. or modify the Power Cord Plug in any

way. Do not use adapter plugs with

this product.

Avoid overexposure to fumes and18. 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, •

have a qualied technician take

an air 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.

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:

• Early onset of Parkinson’s Disease

• Heart disease • Ulcers

• Damage to the reproductive organs

• Inammation of the small intestine or

stomach • Kidney damage

• Respiratory diseases such as

emphysema, 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.

Follow OSHA guidelines for Permis-• sible Exposure Limits (PEL’s) for

various fumes and gases.

Follow the American Conference• of Governmental Industrial Hygien-

ists recommendations for Threshold

Limit Values (TLV’s) for fumes and

gases.

Page 8SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Have a recognized specialist in• Industrial Hygiene or Environmental

Services check the operation and

air quality and make recommenda-

tions for the specic welding or cut-

ting situation.

Live torch when Trigger is pressed.19. Keep Torch away from people and

ammables before touching Trigger.

Turn off, unplug, and discharge20. electrode to ground before perform-

ing any inspection, maintenance, or

cleaning.

Use only compressed air at between21. 30 and 35 PSI. Never use oxygen,

carbon dioxide, combustible gases

or any bottled gas as an air source

for the Plasma Cutter. Such gases

are capable of explosion and serious

injury to people.

The brass components of this product22. contain lead, a chemical known to

the State of California to cause birth

defects (or other reproductive harm).

(California Health & Safety code §

25249.5, et seq.)

The warnings, precautions, and in-23. structions discussed in this instruction

manual cannot cover all possible con-

ditions and situations that may occur.

It must be understood by the operator

that common sense and caution are

factors which cannot be built into this

product, but must be supplied by the

operator.

SAVE THESE

INSTRUCTIONS.

SPECIFICATIONS

Electrical

Requirements 120 V~ / 60 Hz / 19 A

Output 5-13 A

Duty Cycle 40% @ 13 A, 60% @ 10 A, 100% @ 8 A

Control Mode IGBT Inverter

Air Pressure 30~35 PSI

Maximum Cutting

Capacity

1/8” Clean Cut Steel;

3/16” Sever Cut Steel;

1/16” Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper

or Brass

Arc Striking System Pilot Start (5 Second Intervals)

LED Indicators Power On: Green LED Light

Cutting in Process: Yellow LED Light

Unit Overheating: Red LED Light

Note: This Plasma cutter requires a dedi-

cated 20 A circuit and NEMA type

5-20R receptacle.

Duty Cycle

Duty Cycle is the equipment speci-

cation which denes the number of min-

utes within a 10 minute period that a piece

of equipment can safely operate.

This Plasma Cutter has a 60% duty

cycle at 10 Amps, which means that it

may be used only 6 minutes at 10 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 the equipment,

and will void the warranty.

UNPACKING

When unpacking, check to make sure

that the item is intact and undamaged. If

any parts are missing or broken, please

call Harbor Freight Tools at the number

shown on the cover of this manual as soon

as possible.

REV 09a

Page 9SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

INITIAL SET UP

INSTRUCTIONS

Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT

SAFETY INFORMATION section

at the beginning of this manual

including all text under

subheadings therein before set

up or use of this product.

TO PREVENT

SERIOUS INJURY

FROM ACCIDENTAL

OPERATION:

Turn the Power Switch (11) of

the Plasma Cutter to its “OFF”

position and unplug the

plasma cutter from its

electrical outlet before

assembling or making any

adjustments to the plasma

cutter.

Note: For additional information regarding

the parts listed in the following pages,

refer to the Assembly Diagram near

the end of this manual.

Assembly

Remove the Regulator Nut from the1. top of the Regulator Body.

Regulator

Body

Loop

Regulator

Nut

2. Slide the Regulator Body up through

the Loop on the back of the Cutter

and attach in place with the Regula-

tor Nut as shown in the illustration

above. The Loop is keyed so that the

Regulator should only align in one

position.

Regulator

Body

connector

Air Line

3. Attach the Air Line to the connector

on the side of the Regulator Body.

The connector is designed to secure-

ly hold the line after inserting. Gently

pull on the line to ensure it is rmly

held.

REV 09a

Page 10SKU 97994 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

MALE

QUICK

RELEASE

ADAPTER

AIR PRESSURE

REGULATOR (33)

AIR

PRESSURE

GAUGE

FIGURE B

CIRCUIT

BREAKER (30)

4. A male Quick Release Adapter is

mounted on the Air Pressure Regu-

lator (33) at the rear of the Plasma

Cutter. Attach your compressor’s air

supply hose to the Quick Release

Adapter. Then, adjust your com-

pressor to deliver 30 to 35 PSI com-

pressed air. (See Figure B.)

During operation, you can regulate air5. pressure through the Plasma Cutter

by adjusting the Knob located on the

Air Pressure Regulator (33).

(See Figure B.)

CONTROLS & INDICATORS

FIGURE C

POTENTIOMETER

KNOB

(10)

POWER SWITCH

(11)

ON = GREEN LED

CUTTING = YELLOW LED

OVERHEATING = RED LED

1. Power Switch (11): Up (I) is “ON”,

down (O) is “OFF”. (See Figure C.)

Potentiometer Knob (10): Allows2. you to adjust the current from 5 to 13

Amps. (See Figure C.)

Green LED Light: When illuminated,3. means the Plasma Cutter is on.

(See Figure C.)

Yellow LED Light: When illuminated,4. means cutting is in process.

(See Figure C.)

Red LED Light: When illuminated,5. means the Plasma Cutter has be-

come overheated and the unit will

automatically shut down. Stop using

the Plasma Cutter while leaving the

Power Switch (11) ON to allow the

cooling Fan to operate. The LED

Light will turn off automatically when

the unit cools down and then you

may resume cutting. (See Figure C.)

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