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Hypertherm Powermax 65, 85 and 105 consumables: which set do you need?

Short answer. A Powermax 65, 85 or 105 consumable stack is always five parts: swirl ring, electrode, nozzle, retaining cap and shield (or a deflector instead of the shield). The nozzle is chosen by amperage, the shield by torch type and amperage, and the retaining cap splits at 105A. One electrode, Thermacut T-11883 (Hypertherm 220842), covers the entire 45–105A range.

Thermacut replacement consumables for the Hypertherm Powermax 65, Powermax 85 and Powermax 105 fit both the Duramax hand torch and the Duramax machine torch. There are 23 parts in the range and they only work in particular combinations. Mixing parts across those combinations is the most common cause of poor cut quality and short consumable life.

Use the selector to get the exact matched set for your machine and job, or jump to the configuration table, the mixing rules or the FAQ.

The most common sets, by machine and amperage:

  • 65A shielded cutting, hand torch — shield T-11406, retaining cap T-11423, nozzle T-11377, swirl ring T-11861, electrode T-11883.
  • 85A shielded cutting, hand torch — shield T-11406, retaining cap T-11423, nozzle T-11405, swirl ring T-11861, electrode T-11883.
  • 105A shielded cutting, hand torch — shield T-11841, retaining cap T-11422, nozzle T-11840, swirl ring T-11930, electrode T-11883.
  • 45A FineCut, machine torch — deflector T-12013, retaining cap T-11423, nozzle T-11845, swirl ring T-12015, electrode T-11883.

For machine-torch sets, swap the shield for the machine version (T-11404 at 45/65/85A, T-11842 at 105A). The full range is in the configuration table.

Every Powermax 65/85/105 consumable configuration

Each row is a complete, working set. Read across to get all five parts.

Job Amps Torch Shield / deflector Retaining cap Nozzle Swirl ring Electrode Ohmic option
Cutting, shielded 45A Hand T-11406 T-11423 T-11378 T-11861 T-11883 machine torch only
Cutting, shielded 45A Machine T-11404 T-11423 T-11378 T-11861 T-11883 T-11931
Cutting, shielded 65A Hand T-11406 T-11423 T-11377 T-11861 T-11883 machine torch only
Cutting, shielded 65A Machine T-11404 T-11423 T-11377 T-11861 T-11883 T-11931
Cutting, shielded 85A Hand T-11406 T-11423 T-11405 T-11861 T-11883 machine torch only
Cutting, shielded 85A Machine T-11404 T-11423 T-11405 T-11861 T-11883 T-11931
Cutting, shielded 105A Hand T-11841 T-11422 T-11840 T-11930 T-11883 machine torch only
Cutting, shielded 105A Machine T-11842 T-11422 T-11840 T-11930 T-11883 T-11932
Cutting, unshielded 45A Hand or machine T-11407 (deflector) T-11423 T-11378 T-11861 T-11883 not available
Cutting, unshielded 65A Hand or machine T-11407 (deflector) T-11423 T-11377 T-11861 T-11883 not available
Cutting, unshielded 85A Hand or machine T-11407 (deflector) T-11423 T-11405 T-11861 T-11883 not available
Gouging 65A Hand or machine T-12022 T-11423 T-12021 T-11861 T-11883 not available
Gouging 105A Hand or machine T-12022 T-11422 T-12023 T-11930 T-11883 not available
FineCut (thin sheet) 45A Hand or machine T-12013 (deflector) T-11423 T-11845 T-12015 T-11883 T-12014 + T-11931

Ohmic parts are for CNC tables that find the plate electrically. Hand-torch users never need them, and there is no ohmic option for gouging.

Can you mix Thermacut and genuine Hypertherm consumables?

Yes — within defined groups. Thermacut specifies three groups that must stay together as a set. Keep any one group all-Thermacut and the remaining consumables in the stack can be genuine Hypertherm OEM parts.

Electrode + swirl ring

The Thermacut electrode, swirl ring and swirl ring holder must be used as a set. Used as a set, they are interchangeable with OEM shield, nozzle and retaining cap.

45/65/85A: shield + nozzle

The Thermacut 45/65/85A shield and nozzle must be used as a pair. Used as a pair, they are interchangeable with OEM retaining cap, electrode and swirl ring.

105A: shield + nozzle + retaining cap

At 105A the shield, nozzle and retaining cap must be used as a set of three. Used as a set, they are interchangeable with OEM electrode and swirl ring.

What you cannot do is split a group — running a Thermacut 85A nozzle behind a genuine Hypertherm shield, for example, puts two different gas-flow designs in series. The Thermacut nozzle uses a patented elliptical profile that works with its matching shield and retaining cap to focus the arc and shield it with gas; break the pair and you lose both the cut quality and the consumable life the design is built for.

Why the electrode and swirl ring are sold as a set

Thermacut uses a two-piece swirl ring with a built-in spring holder. The front piece directs the final stream of plasma gas; the rear piece contains the spring mechanism that holds the one-piece electrode under consistent pressure for electrical and heat transfer. The two parts are designed against each other, which is why they are only sold and used as a set.

The black swirl ring spring holder is included free with electrode packs, at a ratio of 5 electrodes to 1 holder. Hypertherm 220842 electrodes are only available in the 5-piece set, 220842x5.

The configuration map

Every numbered part is clickable — hover to identify it, click to open its product page. Choose a configuration in the selector above and press Show on diagram to see your set highlighted in place.

Thermacut consumable configuration diagram for Hypertherm Powermax 65, 85 and 105 — shielded, unshielded, gouging and FineCut part combinations for the Duramax hand and machine torch

Hover or tap any part on the diagram to see what it is.

How the consumable stack fits together

Five parts sit in front of the torch, and they only work as a matched set. In order, from the torch body outwards:

1. Swirl ring

Spins the plasma gas so the arc stays tight and stable. Sits deepest in the torch. Wears slowly, but a cracked one ruins everything downstream.

2. Electrode

Carries the arc. The hafnium insert pits as it wears. One part — T-11883 — covers 45A to 105A.

3. Nozzle

Sets the orifice the arc squeezes through. This is the amperage-specific part. Wrong nozzle, wrong cut.

4. Retaining cap

Clamps the stack together. One cap for 45/65/85A, a different one for 105A, plus ohmic versions of both.

5. Shield or deflector

Takes the spatter. A shield lets you drag on the plate; a deflector does not, but gives better access and visibility.

Change the electrode and nozzle together. A worn electrode pushes the arc off-centre and takes the new nozzle with it inside a few cuts.

Shielded or unshielded cutting?

Shielded is the default, and what most operators should run. The shield contacts the workpiece, so you can rest the torch on the plate and drag it — no standoff to hold, straighter cuts freehand, and the consumables are protected from spatter.

Unshielded swaps the shield for deflector T-11407. You get into tight corners and can see the cut line, at the cost of holding a standoff by hand. Available at 45, 65 and 85A.

Gouging uses a different set

Gouging washes metal out rather than severing it — chasing out a bad weld, back-gouging a root run, removing a defect. It runs a wider, shallower-angled nozzle and its own shield, T-12022, which covers 65A through 105A. A cutting nozzle used for gouging will double-arc and destroy itself.

FineCut, for thin sheet

On thin gauge sheet — roughly 3 mm and under — a standard 45A nozzle puts more heat into the material than the job needs, giving a wide kerf, dross along the underside and buckled panels. The FineCut set runs at 45A on any Powermax in this range and narrows the arc: nozzle T-11845 with swirl ring T-12015. The standard swirl rings T-11861 and T-11930 will physically fit a FineCut stack, but Thermacut specifies T-12015 (220947-UR) for best cut quality.

Ohmic height sensing — do you need it?

Only on a CNC table. Ohmic caps and shields let the machine find the plate electrically by touching off it, instead of relying on a mechanical switch. Hand-torch users never need them, and there is no ohmic option in the gouging line.

When to change each consumable

Part What you see What it does to the cut
Electrode Pit worn into the hafnium centre. Replace at roughly 1 mm depth — check your Powermax operator manual for the exact figure. Arc wanders off centre, hard starting, eventually the arc attacks the copper and can damage the torch.
Nozzle Orifice gone oval or oversized, or visibly gouged. Bevel on a cut that used to come out square, wider kerf, more dross.
Shield Spatter build-up that will not clean off, or a distorted orifice. Arc deflection, poor drag quality, spatter blown back into the nozzle.
Swirl ring Cracks or blocked gas holes. Check every few electrode changes. Unstable, wandering arc — and it destroys the parts downstream of it.
Retaining cap Damaged thread, or it no longer clamps square. Misaligned stack, gas leaks, inconsistent cut.

Change the electrode and nozzle as a pair. Replacing one without the other wastes the new part, because a worn electrode immediately damages a fresh nozzle.

Buying a set rather than singles

We stock ready-made consumable kits: hand torch kit, 85A, machine torch kit for CNC, 65A CNC machine kit, FineCut consumable kit and hand gouging kit.

Not sure how far gone your current set is? See when to replace a plasma electrode.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix Thermacut consumables with genuine Hypertherm parts?

Yes, within defined groups. Thermacut specifies three sets that must stay together: the electrode and swirl ring; the 45/65/85A shield and nozzle; and at 105A the shield, nozzle and retaining cap. Keep any one of those groups all-Thermacut and the remaining consumables in the stack can be genuine Hypertherm OEM. What you cannot do is split a group.

Which electrode fits the Powermax 65, 85 and 105?

One electrode covers the whole range: Thermacut T-11883, Hypertherm reference 220842. It is only sold in the 5-piece set 220842x5, and each pack includes the black swirl ring spring holder free of charge at a ratio of 5 electrodes to 1 holder.

What is the difference between the 45/65/85A and the 105A retaining cap?

They are different parts and are not interchangeable. Use T-11423 (Hypertherm 220854-UR) up to 85A, or its ohmic version T-11931. At 105A you must use T-11422, or the ohmic T-11932. Fitting the 45/65/85A cap on a 105A stack is one of the most common ordering mistakes.

Do hand torches and machine torches use different consumables?

Only the shield differs. At 45/65/85A the hand torch uses shield T-11406 and the machine torch T-11404; at 105A it is T-11841 for hand and T-11842 for machine. The nozzle, retaining cap, swirl ring and electrode are the same for both.

Which nozzle do I need for my amperage?

The nozzle is the amperage-specific part. Use T-11378 at 45A, T-11377 at 65A, T-11405 at 85A and T-11840 at 105A for standard cutting. Gouging and FineCut use their own nozzles: T-12021 for 65/85A gouging, T-12023 for 105A gouging and T-11845 for 45A FineCut.

What is FineCut and when should I use it?

FineCut is a dedicated 45A configuration for thin gauge sheet, roughly 3 mm and under. It narrows the arc to give a tighter kerf with less dross and far less heat distortion than a standard 45A nozzle. It runs at 45A on any Powermax 65, 85 or 105. The set is nozzle T-11845 with swirl ring T-12015.

Can I use cutting consumables for gouging?

No. Gouging needs its own shield (T-12022, which covers 65A to 105A) and its own wider, shallower-angled nozzle. A cutting nozzle used for gouging will double-arc and destroy itself.

What is ohmic height sensing and do I need it?

Ohmic sensing lets a CNC table find the plate electrically by touching off it, rather than using a mechanical switch. You only need it on a machine torch on a CNC table. Hand-torch users never need ohmic parts, and there is no ohmic option in the gouging line.

How often should I change the electrode and nozzle?

Change them together. Replace the electrode when the pit worn into the hafnium centre reaches roughly 1 mm deep (check your Powermax operator manual for the exact figure), and the nozzle when its orifice goes oval or oversized. A worn electrode pushes the arc off-centre and will damage a fresh nozzle within a few cuts, so replacing one without the other wastes the new part.

Why are the electrode and swirl ring sold as a set?

Thermacut uses a two-piece swirl ring with a built-in spring holder. The front piece directs the final stream of plasma gas and the rear piece contains the spring that holds the one-piece electrode under consistent pressure for electrical and heat transfer. The two parts are designed against each other, so they are only used as a set.

What is the difference between shielded and unshielded cutting?

A shield contacts the workpiece, so you can drag the torch along the plate without holding a standoff, and the consumables are protected from spatter. Unshielded cutting replaces the shield with deflector T-11407, which gives better access into corners and a clearer view of the cut line, but you must maintain the standoff by hand. Unshielded is available at 45, 65 and 85A.

Thermacut to Hypertherm cross-reference

All 23 replacement parts for the Powermax 65, 85 and 105 with the Duramax hand and machine torch, cross-referenced to their Hypertherm part number.

Item Thermacut part Hypertherm ref. Description Std. pkg. Set rule
1 T-11406 220818-UR Shield 45/65/85A, Hand 1 a
2 T-11404 220817-UR Shield 45/65/85A, Machine 1 a
3 T-11407 220955 Deflector 45/65/85/105A (listed under a kit page) 1 —
4 T-12022 220798-UR Shield 65/85/105A, Gouging 1 ab
5 T-11841 220992-UR Shield 105A, Hand 1 b
6 T-11842 220993-UR Shield 105A, Machine 1 b
7 T-12013 220931 Deflector 45A, FineCut (listed under a kit page) 1 —
8 T-12014 220948 Shield 45A, Ohmic, FineCut 1 —
9 T-11423 220854-UR Retaining Cap 45/65/85A 1 d
10 T-11931 220953-UR Retaining Cap 45/65/85A, Ohmic 1 d
11 T-11422 T-11422 Retaining Cap 105A 1 b
12 T-11932 T-11932 Retaining Cap 105A, Ohmic 1 b
13 T-11378 220941-UR Nozzle 45A 5 a
14 T-11377 220819-UR Nozzle 65A 5 a
15 T-11405 220816-UR Nozzle 85A 5 a
16 T-12021 220797-UR Nozzle 65/85A, Gouging 5 a
17 T-12023 220991-UR Nozzle 105A, Gouging (listed under a kit page) 5 b
18 T-11840 220990-UR Nozzle 105A 5 b
19 T-11845 220930 Nozzle 45A, FineCut 5 —
20 T-11861 220857-UR Swirl Ring 10–85A 1 c
21 T-11930 220994-UR Swirl Ring 105A 1 c
22 T-12015 220947-UR Swirl Ring 45A, FineCut 1 c
23 T-11883 220842x5 Electrode 45–105A (pkg. 5 pcs.) 5 c

Set-matching notes

aShield and nozzle must be used as a pair. Used as a pair, they are interchangeable with genuine OEM retaining cap, electrode and swirl ring.
bShield, retaining cap and nozzle must be used as a set. Used as a set, they are interchangeable with genuine OEM electrode and swirl ring.
cElectrode and swirl ring must be used as a set. Used as a set, they are interchangeable with genuine OEM shield, nozzle and retaining cap. Electrodes ship with the swirl ring spring holder (black part), 5 electrodes to 1 holder.
dRetaining cap rated up to 85A. For 105A use T-11422 or T-11932 — a different retaining cap is required for 105A than for 45/65/85A.

Thermacut® is in no way affiliated with Hypertherm®. Hypertherm®, Powermax® and Duramax® are trademarks of Hypertherm Inc. Thermacut® and The Cutting Company® are registered trademarks of Thermacut, k.s. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Part data from the Thermacut replacement parts leaflet for Powermax 65/85/105, Duramax hand and machine torch.