Number 2: Counting down the five most common Powermax fault codes, 0-12

Simply stated, a 0-12 fault means there’s something wrong with your gas pressure. It’s either too low, too high, or unstable. The Powermax65, Powermax85, Powermax105, and Powermax125 use an electronic regulator to set pressure levels and direct flow. If the gas pressure isn’t between 85 and 135 psi when flowing, you’ll get a 0-12 code in the lower-left corner of the LCD screen on your Powermax.

Troubleshooting will normally help you figure out exactly what is wrong with the gas pressure. The best place to start is by placing an inline pressure gauge on the gas inlet found on the back of your Powermax. This will help you quickly figure out if the input gas supply is stable during both static conditions and when the arc is cutting. If the gas is not stable, fix the issue and see if this clears the fault code.

If your issue still isn’t fixed, the next thing you’ll want to do is confirm that the torch lead is not pinched, bent, or caught on something in your shop. Also check for leaks. Again, if you find a problem, try and fix it to see if that clears the code. If the code still isn’t cleared, switch the LCD status screen from the operator mode to the service mode display.

Getting to the service mode display is easy. Look at the front of your system and press the two buttons underneath the LCD display at the exact same time until you see the screen change. This should take about two seconds.  

The photo below shows the service mode display/status screen. To find the live or active fault on this screen, look for the letter ‘F’ on the left, fifth-row down from the top. You’ll notice that the fault codes are longer. There is an additional dash and one more number added to the fault code’s length. A 0-12 can become a 0-12-0, 0-12-1, 0-12-2, or a 0-12-3. 

Here's how to decode those numbers. If you see a zero at the end (0-12-0) then that tells you your input gas pressure is too low. You could see this even if you got a good input pressure reading earlier. If that’s the case, then the likely culprit is a bad pressure sensor. Test 10 in your service manual will help you figure out if you need to replace it. A one at the end (0-12-1) means your output pressure is too low. A two (0-12-2) means your output pressure it too high. A three (0-12-3) means your output pressure is all over the place, moving up and down.

If you get any of these codes, you’ll want to test your gas levels. There is a chance that the gas subsystem isn’t working properly, and you need to replace the valve or DSP board. Again a Test 10 can help you confirm that.

Next Friday is the last installment in this countdown series. Check back then to learn which fault code is number one on the list. While you await Friday’s post, you can look back at Number 3, Number 4, and Number 5.