I’ve been finishing up my 5 pro assembly and I just connected my 80mm Carbide spindle. I connected the lines and filled the chiller but when I turned on the chiller it is throwing a E0 error. I checked for kinks but don’t see any. I have tried moving the coolant lines around but nothing seems to resolve the fault.
I have filled the chiller with 2.3 gallons, ~9 liters, of 50/50 Peak Sierra antifreeze concentrate- Propylene Glycol. I got this at Napa and they said it was equivalent to the ethylene glycol, which I could not find anywhere.
Any advice? I’m eager to start cutting and this is holding me back.
Just check your reservoir every once in a while. The Anti Freeze has anti fungal additives to keep from growing algae in the system. Most modern antifreeze has other additives to help with wear and tear. I would change it at least yearly. The chiller is not a car so better to be safe than sorry.
A quick google search says (according to AI) for E0 code.
A “E0” code on a spindle chiller typically indicates a general system failure or a problem with the basic power supply to the chiller unit; essentially, it’s a catch-all error code signaling that the chiller isn’t functioning properly due to a fundamental issue, often related to power or communication with its internal components.
What to check when you see a “E0” code:
Power supply:
Ensure the chiller is properly plugged in and receiving power. Check for any blown fuses or faulty power cords.
Power switch:
Verify that the power switch on the chiller is turned on.
Control panel:
Look for any error messages on the control panel that might provide more specific information about the issue.
Communication issues:
If your chiller is connected to a larger machine control system, check for any communication errors between the two devices.
Sensor faults:
Sometimes, a faulty temperature sensor can trigger a general error code like “E0”.
Next steps:
Consult your chiller manual:
Refer to the specific instructions provided by the manufacturer for troubleshooting steps related to the “E0” error code.
Contact technical support:
If you are unable to identify the cause of the error, reach out to the chiller manufacturer’s technical support team for assistance.
I ran a few tests to see if I could identify the problem.
First I tested the chiller and both lines for problems and blockages. I did this by removing the lines at the spindle and placing a bottle to confirm coolant is being pumped when the chiller was turned on. This worked, coolant freely flowed into the bottle with no E0 alarm. I swapped the inlet and outlet lines at the chiller and repeated to ensure both lines are free of blocks and again coolant flowed with no E0 alarm.
An interesting observation is that the bottle filled but did not seem to recirculate the coolant, it kept filling. Looking at the S&A CW-3000 chiller manual I believe this makes sense as there is only a pump providing outlet from the chiller so the recirculation requires a closed system which my test does not have, as the bottle cap was off.
The second test I ran was taking the inlet line off the chiller and placing a bottle there. When I turned on the chiller no coolant came out and the E0 alarm went off.
To me this means there must be a blockage in the spindle that is not letting coolant circulate through.
Any thoughts? Anyone know if this has been a problem before with spindles?
I do not own the 80mm spindle but have a couple thoughts:
Have you checked the return flow line from the spindle to the chiller for a restriction, possibly a kinked hose?
With the supply line connected to the spindle and the return line disconnected at the spindle, will coolant flow out of the return line fitting at the top of the spindle with the pump is turned on?
I have a few ideas as well to check with the spindle. First, pull both connections from the spindle and check the inlet and outlets for blockage, and/or plug caps that might be in place during shipping in order to keep debris from getting into the lines. If nothing is obvious there, could you take an air gun and back blow the outlet port to see if something is blocking the inlet line into the spindle. It sounds like you have a blockage inside the spindle and hopefully you can reverse flush the spindle and remove it that way. I am sure the water pressure from the chiller wouldn’t have enough pressure to push blockages out, and even reversing the lines, may still not have enough pressure to force out the blockage. Just make sure that you consult the manual for any things you may want to be aware of if applying high pressure air in reverse of the line.
This system should be like a cooling system on a vehicle and the flow comes in from the bottom and fills up the body of the spindle until it reaches the top output port and then flows back to the chiller to be ran through and cooled. The pressure in a coolant system on a vehicle isn’t that high as well, its just that when the temperate gets too high, any liquid will build pressure and then release at the point where it is the weakest. You don’t have a temperature issue, you have a blockage issue it seems like. So my recommendations is to backflow the lines, and make sure they are not attached to the chiller. Run one line outside or into a rag or whatever, to capture the blockage and help with a mess and blow compressed air into the outfeed line and see what comes out.
Today I got some clear tubing and can confirm there is no blockage at the spindle. To remove variables I connected the spindle and chiller with the clear tubing instead of the opaque blue that came with it and I can see the lime green coolant flow from the chiller outlet to the inlet so there appear to be no blocks. But once the coolant hit the chiller inlet, so returned to the chiller, the E0 alarm was thrown.
To simplify things, I ran a short, 1 foot clear line from the chiller outlet to the inlet and the chiller ran with no errors.
I ran one more test with the clear tubes attached directly to the spindle, not through the drag chain, but had the inlet tube, return, going into a bottle. Coolant was flowing into the bottle but the E0 alarm was thrown.
Any ideas? Does this mean something is off with the flow rate? To be honest, the flow when I’ve seen looks fine.
E0 - Poor flow detected.
Ensure there are no blockages or kinks in the coolant hoses. Also ensure that your coolant is appropriately diluted. An incorrect concentration may not register on the built-in flow sensor.
I would try diluting your antifreeze with a bit more water. Sometimes when it’s too concentrated, the flow sensor doesn’t register fluid movement. Not sure how exactly it works, but it’s an issue that sometimes comes up.
It seems to be flow related. With the same coolant and a 1’ tube directly from the chiller outlet to inlet no E0 error. But with it going through the spindle directly, not through the CNC drag chain, E0 is thrown, even though I can confirm that coolant is returning to the chiller.
Do you think just trying to add more diluted water to the chiller?
Could be. With negligible restrictions, you get max theoretical flow rate and it might be enough to keep the chiller happy. But with less flow once hooked up to longer tubing it might drop the reading back into a false negative zone.
I have the 80mm spindle and I added a flow indicator (plastic fan in the flow that rotates to show the fluid moving) Amazon Alphacool 17357 $15. This is a visual indicator that fluid is moving. This solved my concern that spindle is being cooled. Good luck.
Matt
I’d just add a little water and see. If you don’t want to over-dilute your antifreeze, drain it, then just dump a gallon of distilled water in the chiller to see how it responds.
Since the chiller doesn’t seem to have a mechanical flow detector I could imagine the concentration being an issue. I’ll try diluting tomorrow. Is the recommendation a ratio 30/70 propylene glycol to water as stated in the chiller manual?
That ratio seems to lead to a freezing point above 0 Fahrenheit but a burst point closer to -18 which I imagine is the real concern.
If you want to be meticulous, I’d start at like 40/60 first, diluting only as much as is necessary to get reliable flow detection. You may end up at the chiller manual recommendation though.