Lotos LT5000D Plasma cutter deal from Amazon

[Mark @ Everlast]

Several things:

1) No air dryer means you will chew through consumables faster than bad Mexican food will run through your system.
2) A non pilot arc Plasma cutter has to be nearly dragged to stay lit, at least on these cheap lotos type units.
3) If your air pressure drops because you don't have a large enough compressor, then the unit may have a feature which will stop the arc to prevent damage to the torch or overheating of it. If the compressor is marginal, then the brief second or two that it takes to build extra pressure between refires may have been enough to reset it to cut.

 

[cobracnvt]

What air dryers do you recommend?

 

[hutchman]

What air dryers do you recommend?

I think the better question is how much $$$ do you want to spend? I bought the cheap desiccant dryers but quickly found that if you are doing a lot of cutting where the air compressor is pretty much running all the time to keep up ... it heats up everything and really causes a condensation problem. I recently cut about 25-30ft. and had to change my desiccant dryer twice during that time.

So $60-150 will get you a dryer like:

Campbell Hausfeld Desiccant Dryer-PA208503AV - The Home Depot

... and if you order a bunch of indicating (changes color when it soaks up moisture) desiccant you can just keep changing it until you run out and then put all your saturated desiccant in the oven and dry it out again and then repeat. Make sure you put your 'fresh out of the oven' desiccant in an air tight container. I recently had some in the oven and told the wife to take it out as I had to go somewhere and she just pulled it out and left it on top of the stove and by the time I got back that evening it soaked up the humidity in the air and needed to be recharged again!

If you have $$$ and don't want to fool with the above headache ... be prepared to fork out $400-1,000+ for a refrigerated dryer! One that looks like Compressed Air Dryer - Save on this Compressed Air Dryer

Indicating desiccant like this:
Amazon.com: 1 Gallon Blue Silica Gel Replacement Desiccant Beads: Automotive

 

[cobracnvt]

I think the better question is how much $$$ do you want to spend? I bought the cheap desiccant dryers but quickly found that if you are doing a lot of cutting where the air compressor is pretty much running all the time to keep up ... it heats up everything and really causes a condensation problem. I recently cut about 25-30ft. and had to change my desiccant dryer twice during that time. So $60-150 will get you a dryer like: Campbell Hausfeld Desiccant Dryer-PA208503AV - The Home Depot ... and if you order a bunch of indicating (changes color when it soaks up moisture) desiccant you can just keep changing it until you run out and then put all your saturated desiccant in the oven and dry it out again and then repeat. Make sure you put your 'fresh out of the oven' desiccant in an air tight container. I recently had some in the oven and told the wife to take it out as I had to go somewhere and she just pulled it out and left it on top of the stove and by the time I got back that evening it soaked up the humidity in the air and needed to be recharged again! If you have $$$ and don't want to fool with the above headache ... be prepared to fork out $400-1,000+ for a refrigerated dryer! One that looks like Compressed Air Dryer - Save on this Compressed Air Dryer Indicating desiccant like this: Amazon.com: 1 Gallon Blue Silica Gel Replacement Desiccant Beads: Automotive

Thank you, good info.

 

[hutchman]

Thank you, good info.

For my current setup .... I have this at compressor 3/8" Desiccant Dryer with Oil Removal Filter (caution, this will more than likely need mods to work right ... the service indicator leaks!)

At the end of the line before my plasma I have this one Inline Desiccant Dryer/Filter

 

[sd455dan]

almost bought the LT5000d that was mentioned earlier, but really wanted pilot arc and missed the order date on New Egg and then the combo model- LTPDC2000d came down in price on Amazon prime from a high of almost $800 to $399.99-
Looks like it has the same ratings for plasma cut function as the LT5000D model, but also includes the dc 200 amp tig and 200 amp stick welder and has the pilot arc

I must be nuts- (especially since the company cut the warranty down to 1 year on these units from 3... not a great sign)

buying a combo unit but sold my old Lincoln tombstone 225 buzz box years ago ( reliable as an anvil) after buying a mig and always wanted a tig for finer welding of steel and would have been nice to have a stick welder several times after all, but really need a plasma cutter So going to give this a try,

will not hold it against other more expensive (quality) plasma cutters, if this unit is not up to the task or fails prematurely- its price is bordering to low to be a usable plasma cutter-let alone welder.

as pointed out previously


(I always say...if money (or the lack of it) is your primary purchase criteria for a plasma...then go ahead and buy a low cost import. Just don't let it's performance and reliability form your opinion of all plasma cutters!)

no doubt Good advice

that being said

does anyone have a Lotos LTPDC2000D the non pilot arc CT520d or even the LTP5000D?

and if so- has it been an OK unit and not had a major problem?

 

[katoomed00]

I've owned a Lotos 3 in 1 unit over 3 yrs. now (purchased on Ebay), and all I can say best machine for the money. The duty cycle is what I look for in a welder and I never been able to over heat it while stick welding. The plasma cutter is really nice to have, It will cut 3/8" plate like butter and looks like I used a utility knife when cutting aluminum. I have not used the Tig welder yet, only because I haven't had a need for it yet. The capability of going from 110v to 220v is a really nice feature. But what impressed me the most is how light it weighs for a 200amp welder.

 

[sd455dan]

Good to hear katoomed00, that will be great if stick welder performs well also.

the LTPDC2000d showed up ( amazon overnight for $21) and I got it wired for the plug style i have for 240vac and also installed the connections for the plasma cutter

Started with some .030 and it did fine and also some .065 also good, then some .125 rectangular steel and it did a good job to.
I do really like the pilot arc feature -

Thanks to those that suggested it.

So far so good :thumbsup:
in the morning will pick up some 6013 rod and give it a test.
fingers crossed

 

[dntfxr]

Good to hear katoomed00, that will be great if stick welder performs well also.

the LTPDC2000d showed up ( amazon overnight for $21) and I got it wired for the plug style i have for 240vac and also installed the connections for the plasma cutter

Started with some .030 and it did fine and also some .065 also good, then some .125 rectangular steel and it did a good job to.
I do really like the pilot arc feature -

Thanks to those that suggested it.

So far so good :thumbsup:
in the morning will pick up some 6013 rod and give it a test.
fingers crossed

I'm thinking hard on that LTPDC2000D combo unit. As you mentioned it's actually on sale cheaper than the regular plasma only model but has all the same specs and hardware. I've been looking for a cheap plasma and the other features would be nice in case I needed to bring it with me to work. My old Miller HF Dialarc isn't so portable lol. Any updates on its performance?

 

[dntfxr]

Good to hear katoomed00, that will be great if stick welder performs well also.

the LTPDC2000d showed up ( amazon overnight for $21) and I got it wired for the plug style i have for 240vac and also installed the connections for the plasma cutter

Started with some .030 and it did fine and also some .065 also good, then some .125 rectangular steel and it did a good job to.
I do really like the pilot arc feature -

Thanks to those that suggested it.

So far so good :thumbsup:
in the morning will pick up some 6013 rod and give it a test.
fingers crossed

I'm thinking hard on that LTPDC2000D combo unit. As you mentioned it's actually on sale cheaper than the regular plasma only model but has all the same specs and hardware. I've been looking for a cheap plasma and the other features would be nice in case I needed to bring it with me to work. My old Miller HF Dialarc isn't so portable lol. Any updates on its performance?