Spirit II User’s Manual
Section 1: Safety
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non-U.S. persons or transferred by any means to any location outside the United States contrary to the requirements of the EAR.
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Never change torch consumable parts unless the system is switched off at the wall
disconnect.
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Do not attempt to remove any parts from beneath the torch when cutting.
Remember that the workpiece forms the current path back to the power supply.
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Never bypass the safety interlock devices.
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Before removing any of the covers, switch the system off at the wall disconnect.
Wait at least five (5) minutes before removing any cover. This will give the
capacitors inside the unit time to discharge. See Section 6 for additional safety
precautions.
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Never operate the system without all of the covers in place. See Section 6 for
additional safety precautions.
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Preventive maintenance should be performed daily to avoid possible safety hazards.
Fire Prevention
When using the Spirit system, it is necessary to exercise good judgment. While cutting,
the arc produces sparks that could cause a fire if they fall on flammable materials.
Make sure that all flammable materials are a suitable distance away from the cutting
area. All flammable liquids should be at least 40 feet away from the cutting area,
preferably stored in a metal cabinet. Plasma cutting should never be attempted on
containers that contain flammable materials. Make sure that fire extinguishers are
readily accessible in the cutting area.
Make sure that the cutting area is properly ventilated when using oxygen as a cutting
gas.
Explosion Prevention
The Spirit system uses compressed gases. Use proper techniques when handling
compressed gas cylinders and other compressed gas equipment. Observe the
following guidelines to protect against explosion:
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Never operate the system in the presence of explosive gases or other explosive
materials.
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Never cut pressurized cylinders or any closed container.
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When using a water table and cutting aluminum under water or with water touching
the underside of the aluminum plate, hydrogen gas is produced. This hydrogen gas
may collect under the plate and explode during the cutting process. Make sure the
water table is properly aerated to help prevent the accumulation of hydrogen gas.
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Handle all gas cylinders in accordance with safety standards published by the U.S.
Compressed Gas Association (CGA), American Welding Society (AWS), Canadian
Standards Association (CSA), or other local or national codes.
