Slaving power supplies

[matttargett4]

Hi,

I guess this one is for jim really but im interested to hear any thoughts. On larger transformer based plasma systems of several hundred amps sometimes more than one transformer is used and only one hf start box, torch etc is used, is this kind of arrangement possible with all transfomrer based systems?
I have a max100 and was offered one without a torch for cheap, i know i would have to buy a torch which would probably make me very poor but is it possible??

I guess these systems fire one supply as normal and when the arc is established it engages the main arc on the other transformer??

Matt

[jimcolt]

Slaving plasma power supplies was relatively simple with older technology systems....prior to the closed loop pulse width modulated power supplies that Hypertherm introduced in about 1986.

The Max100 has a pulse width modulated current control, and if you slaved two of these power supplies your would have to break into the current control feedback circuitry and make some modifications so that one power source would not produce more current than the other.

It is not recommended to parallel any Hypertherm power supply that is not designed to do this. We currently have one system, the HPR800xd which parallels two 400 Amp power supplies to provide up to 800 Amps for cutting over 6" thick materials....it uses a fairly complex microprocessor based current control system to coordinate output power of each power supply.

Jim Colt