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Answers to common questions about the torch consumables and small parts used on a light-duty hand plasma cutter.
The electrode and nozzle are normally the first parts to wear, and the cut tells you. Signs include more dross on the underside of the cut, a wider or more bevelled edge, an arc that is harder to start, or a pit in the electrode tip. The nozzle needs replacing if the centre hole is no longer round, is nicked, or looks eroded, or if the gas holes are blocked.The maker's manual shows what end-of-life looks like for your torch, so check it rather than waiting for the arc to fail. A badly worn electrode can damage the nozzle and torch.
Worn electrodes shed molten material that is blown into the nozzle, so a nozzle fitted behind a worn electrode is usually damaged too. Makers' guidance is that when the electrode is changed for emitter wear, the nozzle should be changed at the same time.Fitting a fresh electrode behind a worn nozzle, or the other way round, often gives poor cut quality and shortens the life of the new part. Check the manual for how your torch handles this, and do not refit parts that you have already judged worn.
No. On many hand torches the arc starts the moment the trigger is pulled, and touching the consumables with power connected can cause an electric shock or burns. The maker's manual normally tells you to switch the power supply off, and to disconnect it from the mains supply for maintenance, before removing the cap.Some torches also have a torch-lock position, but follow the manual and do not rely on it alone. Parts can be very hot after cutting, so let them cool or wear suitable gloves. Your risk assessment and the maker's instructions set the full routine.
Several things shorten consumable life. The commonest are moisture or oil in the air supply, running the torch at a current above what the parts are rated for, and the wrong cutting height or travel speed. Poor earthing, a damaged nozzle or loose parts in the stack can also cause rapid wear, and so can many starts and pierces on thicker plate.Life varies with the work, so judge it against your own normal. If parts that usually last well suddenly fail early, check the air supply first, then the setup and the condition of the whole stack, and refer to the maker's manual.