I. Core Consequences: From Equipment Damage to Safety Accidents
1. Permanent Damage to Key Electronic Components: Overheating can cause core components such as the rectifier bridge, IGBT modules, and control chips to burn out due to excessive temperature. For example, if an IGBT module operates above 85℃ for an extended period, its lifespan will decrease exponentially, eventually leading to complete failure of the welding machine.
2. Accelerated Aging of Insulation Materials, Causing Short Circuit Risk: High temperatures accelerate the embrittlement and cracking of wire sheaths and transformer winding insulation. In the event of a short circuit, this can not only burn out the equipment but also cause electric shock.
3. Unstable Output Performance, Affecting Welding Quality: Under overheating conditions, the welding machine will automatically reduce its operating rate as a self-protection mechanism, resulting in insufficient or fluctuating current output. This can cause uneven heating of electrofusion fittings, incomplete welds, leaks, and other quality problems, creating long-term operational hazards for the pipeline.
4. Frequent Overheat Protection Triggers, Interrupting Construction: When the temperature reaches the preset threshold, the system will forcibly cut off the power or alarm and shut down (displaying "OH"), causing repeated interruptions to welding operations and severely impacting construction efficiency.
5. Fire Risk: If the cooling system completely fails, the local temperature can rise to dark red (approximately 500℃). Splattered high-temperature molten beads or overheated cable joints can easily ignite surrounding combustibles, especially in confined spaces or flammable environments where the risk is extremely high.
6. Operator Safety Threatened: Overheating of the casing can cause burns to operators; if the insulation is damaged, the casing may become electrified, potentially causing electric shock.
II. How to Avoid the Chain Reaction of Overheating?
1. Strengthen Heat Dissipation Management: Regularly clean fans and vents to ensure air circulation.
2. Control Continuous Working Time: Follow the duty cycle and stop the machine for cooling for 5–10 minutes every 30 minutes of operation.
3. Use high-quality connecting cables: Employ ≥4mm² copper core cables to reduce voltage drop and heat generation.
4. Real-time temperature monitoring: Use an infrared thermometer to inspect critical components such as the transformer and heat sink; immediately shut down the system upon detecting any abnormalities.
5. Verify the effectiveness of protection functions: Ensure that the "OH" overheat protection is not disabled and can respond normally.
