Schumacher 92035 User manual

PLASMA CUTTER
USER’S GUIDE
GUIDE DE L’UTILISATEUR
Form 00-99-000377/1003
98026051, 98026052, 98026069, 98026070
© 2003
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SAFETYINFORMATION
The following safety information is provided as a guideline to help you operate your new cutter under
the safest possible conditions. Any equipment that uses electrical power can be potentially dangerous
to use when safety or safe handling instructions are not known or not followed. The following safety
information is provided to give you the information necessary for safe use and operation.
When a WARNING precedes a procedure step, it is an indication that the step contains a procedure
that might be injurious to a person if proper safety precautions are not heeded. When a procedure
step is preceded by a CAUTION, it is an indication that the step contains a procedure that might
damage the equipment being used. A NOTE may be used before or after a procedure step to highlight
or explain something in that step.
READ ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY before attempting to install, operate, or service
this cutter. Failure to comply with these instructions could result in personal injury and/or property
damage.
Published standards on safety are available. They are listed in ADDITIONAL SAFETY
INFORMATION at the end of this SAFETY SUMMARY. The National Electrical Code, Occupational
Safety and Health Act regulations, local industrial codes and local inspection requirements also
provide a basis for equipment installation, use, and service.
SHOCK HAZARDS
WARNING
Electric shock can kill! To reduce the risk of death or serious injury from shock, read,
understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that
anyone else who uses this welding equipment, or who is a bystander in the cutting
area understands and follows these safety instructions as well.
IMPORTANT! TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DEATH, INJURY, OR PROPERTY
DAMAGE, DO NOT ATTEMPT OPERATION of this cutting equipment until you have
read and understand the following safety summary.
• Do not, in any way, come into physical contact with any part of the plasma cutter electrical
circuit, including the work piece or any conductive material in contact with it, the ground
clamp, or any metal parts on the torch.
• Do not cut in a damp area or come in contact with a moist or wet surface.
• Do not attempt to cut if any part of clothing or body is wet.
• Do not allow the cutting equipment to come in contact with water or moisture.
• Do not drag cables, plasma torch, or power cord through or allow them to come into contact
with water or moisture.
• Do not touch cutter, attempt to turn cutteron or off if any part of the body or clothing is moist or
if you are in physical contact with water or moisture.
• Do not attempt to plug the cutter into the power source if any part of body or clothing is moist,
or if you are in physical contact with water or moisture.
• Do not connect cutter ground clamp to or cut on electrical conduit.
• Do not alter power cord or power cord plug in any way.
• Do not attempt to plug the cutter into the power source if the ground prong on power cord
plug is bent over, broken off, or missing.
• Do not allow the cutter to be connected to the power source or attempt to cut if the cutter,
cables, cutting site, or power cord are exposed to any form of atmospheric precipitation, or
salt water spray.
• Do not carry coiled cables around shoulders, or any other part of the body, when they are
plugged into the cutter.
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• Do not modify any wiring, ground connections, switches, or fuses in this cutting equipment.
• Wear welding gloves to help insulate hands from welding circuit.
• Keep all liquid containers far enough away from the cutter and work area so that if spilled, the
liquid can not possibly come in contact with any part of the cutter or electrical welding circuit.
• Replace any cracked or damaged parts that are insulated or act as insulators such as
cables, power cord, or torch IMMEDIATELY.
EMF INFORMATION
WARNING
Cutting current will cause electromagnetic fields as it flows through cables and internal wiring. There
has been and continues to be some concern and research about such fields. Until the final
conclusions of the research are reached, you may wish to minimize your exposure to electromagnetic
fields when welding or cutting.
To reduce magnetic fields in the workplace:
• Keep cables close together by twisting or taping them.
• Arrange cables to one side and away from you.
• Do not coil or drape cables around your body.
• Keep cutting power source and cables as far away from you as practical.
• Connect work clamp to workpiece as close to the cut as possible.
About Pacemakers:
Pacemaker wearers consult your doctor first. If cleared by your doctor, then following the above
procedures is recommended.
FLASH HAZARDS
WARNING
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND BURN SKIN! To reduce risk of injury from arc
rays, read, understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make
certain that anyone else that uses this cutting equipment, or is a bystander in the
cutting area, understands and follows these safety instructions as well.
• Do not look at an electric arc without proper protection. A cutting arc is
extremely bright and intense and, with inadequate or no eye protection, the
retina can be burned, leaving a permanent dark spot in the field of vision. A shield or helmet
with a number 8-shade filter lens (minimum) must be used.
• Do not strike a cutting arc until all bystanders and you (the welder) have welding shields
and/or helmets in place.
• Do not wear a cracked or broken helmet and replace any cracked or broken filter lenses
IMMEDIATELY.
• Provide bystanders with shields or helmets fitted with a number 8-shade filter lens.
• Wear protective clothing. The intense light of the cutting arc can burn the skin in much the
same way as the sun, even through lightweight clothing. Wear dark clothing of heavy
material. The shirt worn should be long sleeved and the collar kept buttoned to protect chest
and neck.
• Protect against REFLECTED ARC RAYS. Arc rays can be reflected off shiny surfaces such
as a glossy painted surface, aluminum, stainless steel, and glass. It is possible for your eyes
to be injured by reflected arc rays even when wearing a protective helmet or shield. If cutting
with a reflective surface behind you, arc rays can bounce off the surface, then off the filter
lens on the inside of your helmet or shield, then into your eyes. If a reflective background
exists in your cutting area, either remove it or cover it with something nonflammable and non-
reflective. Reflected arc rays can also cause skin burn in addition to eye injury.
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FIRE HAZARDS
WARNING
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE DEATH, INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE!
To reduce risk of death, injury, or property damage from fire or explosion, read,
understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that
anyone else that uses this cutting equipment, or is a bystander in the cutting area,
understands and follows these safety instructions as well. REMEMBER! Plasma arc
cutting by nature produces sparks, hot spatter, molten metal drops, hot slag, and hot
metal parts that can start fires, burn skin, and damage eyes.
• Do not wear gloves or other clothing that contain oil, grease, or other flammable substances.
• Do not wear flammable hair preparations.
• Do not cut in an area until it is checked and cleared of combustible and/or flammable
materials. BE AWARE that sparks and slag can fly 35 feet and can pass through small cracks
and openings. If work and combustibles cannot be separated by a minimum of 35 feet,
protect against ignition with suitable, snug-fitting, fire resistant, covers or shields.
• Do not cut on walls until checking for and removing combustibles touching the other side of
the walls.
• Do not weld, cut, or perform other such work on used barrels, drums, tanks, or other
containers that had contained a flammable or toxic substance. The techniques for removing
flammable substances and vapors, to make a used container safe for welding or cutting, are
quite complex and require special education and training.
• Do not strike an arc on a compressed gas or air cylinder or other pressure vessel. Doing so
will create a brittle area that can result in a violent rupture immediately or at a later time as a
result of rough handling.
• Do not weld or cut in an area where the air may contain flammable dust (such as grain dust),
gas, or liquid vapors (such as gasoline).
• Do not handle hot metal, such as the workpiece or electrode stubs, with bare hands.
• Wear leather gloves, heavy long sleeve shirt, cuffless trousers, high-topped shoes, helmet,
and cap. As necessary, use additional protective clothing such as leather jacket or sleeves,
fire resistant leggings, or apron. Hot sparks or metal can lodge in rolled up sleeves, trouser
cuffs, or pockets. Sleeves and collars should be kept buttoned and pockets eliminated from
the shirtfront.
• Have fire-extinguishing equipment handy for immediate use! A portable chemical fire
extinguisher, type ABC, is recommended.
• Wear earplugs when cutting overhead to prevent spatter or slag from falling into ear.
• Make sure cutting area has a good, solid, safe floor, preferably concrete or masonry, not tiled,
carpeted, or made of any other flammable material.
• Protect flammable walls, ceilings, and floors with heat resistant covers or shields.
• Check cutting area to make sure it is free of sparks, glowing metal or slag, and flames before
leaving the cutting area.
FUME HAZARDS
WARNING
FUMES, GASSES, AND VAPORS CAN CAUSE DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS, AND
DEATH! To reduce risk of discomfort, illness, or death, read, understand, and follow
the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that anyone else that uses
this cutting equipment or is a bystander in the cutting area, understands and follows
these safety instructions as well.
• Do not cut in an area until it is checked for adequate ventilation as described
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in ANSI standard #Z49.1. If ventilation is not adequate to exchange all fumes and gasses
generated during the cutting process with fresh air, do not cut unless you and all bystanders
are wearing air-supplied respirators.
• Do not heat or cut metals coated with, or that contain, materials that produce toxic fumes
(such as galvanized steel), unless the coating is removed. Make certain the area is well
ventilated, and the operator and all bystanders are wearing air-supplied respirators.
• Do not weld, cut, or heat lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, or similar metals without
seeking professional advice and inspection of the ventilation of the welding area. These
metals produce EXTREMELY TOXIC fumes that can cause discomfort, illness, and death.
• Do not weld or cut in areas that are near chlorinated solvents. Vapors from chlorinated
hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, can be decomposed by the
heat of an electric arc or its ultraviolet radiation. These actions can cause PHOSGENE, a
HIGHLY TOXIC gas to form, along with other lung and eye-irritating gasses. Do not weld or
cut where these solvent vapors can be drawn into the work area or where the ultraviolet
radiation can penetrate to areas containing even very small amounts of these vapors.
• Do not weld or cut in a confined area unless it is being ventilated or the operator (and anyone
else in the area) is wearing an air-supplied respirator.
• Stop cutting if you develop momentary eye, nose, or throat irritation as this indicates
inadequate ventilation. Stop work and take necessary steps to improve ventilation in the
area. Do not resume cutting if physical discomfort persists.
COMPRESSED GASSES AND AIR EQUIPMENT HAZARDS
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS
AND AIR CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS
INJURY OR DEATH! To reduce risk of injury or death from compressed gas
or air and equipment hazards, read understand and follow the following safety
instructions. In addition, make certain that anyone else who uses this cutting
equipment or a bystander in the cutting area understands and follows these
safety instructions as well.
• Do not use flammable gasses with plasma cutters. Only compressed air is suitable for plasma
cutting.
• Do not attempt to make regulator repairs. Send faulty regulators to manufacturer’s designated
repair center for repair.
• Do not attempt to lubricate a regulator.
• Always immediately remove a faulty regulator from service, for repair, if any of the following
conditions exist: a.) Air leaks externally. b. Delivery pressure continues to rise with down
stream valve closed, c.) The gauge pointer does not move off the stop pin when pressurized
or fails to return to the stop pin after pressure is released.
HOT SLAG/MOLTEN METAL HAZARDS
WARNING
PLASMA ARC CUTTING CAN CAUSE SERIOUS BURNS FROM HOT SLAG OR
MOLTEN METAL! To reduce risk of injury from serious burns caused by flying or
dripping hot slag or molten metal, read understand and follow the following safety
instructions. In addition, make certain that anyone else who uses this cutting equipment
or a bystander in the cutting area understands and follows these safety instructions as
well.
• Wear leather welding gloves, a heavy long sleeve shirt, cuffless trousers, high topped shoes,
a helmet and cap when cutting. As necessary, use additional protective clothing such as
leather jacket or sleeves, fire resistant leggings, or apron. Hot slag or molten metal can lodge
in rolled up sleeves, or trouser cuffs, and into pockets. Sleeves and collars should be kept
buttoned and pockets eliminated from the shirt front.
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