through spindle coolant low pressure alarm

Have 2005 has VF-7 started giving me a low spindle coolant level alarm, looked at various things, changed all the filters (filter on the tank before the pump, the bag filter inside the aux tank, and the 25 micro filter bolted onto cabinet) to new ones, cleaned the gate screen, still getting alarm. Coolant seems frothy and not full pressure so I think there something going on not an issue with the pressure sensor. The bottom of the pump looks clean, took the cover off the gears inside look fine, not sure how much wear it would take to be considered bad pump though. Can't find any other screens or filters that would cause it not to be getting fluid on the intake. Any suggestions? Is there anything else behind the spindle covers that could be blocking flow? Bad pump? Thanks for any info.

300psi or 1,000psi system? Sounds like 1,000psi setup since you mentioned an auxiliary tank. Have you tried running it with no tool in the spindle? Have you tried running it for a short time on / off / on / off to try and prime the system? What does your refractometer say? Maybe try backwashing the hoses?

There is nothing under the spindle covers to look at. The only thing downstream of the pump other than filters and fittings is the rotary union, which normally catastrophically fail, not cause low pressure alarms but you may want to look at it / replace it anyway.

I believe 1,000 psi, yes no tool in spindle and it flows but seams weaker than normal, also when the air blows out the air sounds different, not as strong or something, tried running it to prime it, evidently the regular coolant has a hose that goes to the auxiliary tank and primes the tank, opened the auxiliary tank it the level is above the line flowing from filter and tank so I am pretty sure it is primed,

I took the spindle cover off and there was coolant inside, the rotary union was wobbly, decided to take it off and it seems the bearings are at least partially failing, it rattles when you shake it and when operating cooling is flowing out underneath the union, so not sure if that is the cause of the problem but I ordered a new Deublin 1109-010-165 rotary union from Harman $618 versus Haas at $1,595, pretty sure it needs replaced even if it isn't the root cause of the low coolant alarm. will see tomorrow if it is a fix once I get it back on

I'm floored that your rotary union lasted this long. Our 2007 with 300psi is on its 4th or 5th, but we use it a lot.

I'm also surprised you didn't damage the spindle motor if the rotary union is "wobbly". Mine "wobbled" once and made all kinds of racket as I dove for the e-stop. It took out the spindle motor (bent the shaft that goes through the motor) to the tune of $4,000 plus another rotary union.

And for future reference: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...tary-union-tsc-254275/?highlight=rotary+union

well I am not the first owner, just bought machine last fall, so who knows when it was replaced before

at any rate received new union today, just installed it and viola no coolant leaks but.....

still low coolant alarm and frothy coolant, along with a weak air noise when it blows out the coolant, maybe it did do some other damage? How would air get into the coolant past the rotary union, I am wondering if I have an air leak some where that is allowing it to get into coolant... wish i had a service rep to even call, the ones for my area do not know where WV is, tried to get them in here to inspect machine when I got it but after several weeks of being put off just decided to forget them...

Anybody have experience with the Haas 1,000psi systems?

well I thought about the only other option was the TSC pressure sensor, so I called HAAS and they seemed to think that was about the only thing it could be so I gave that a try, put new one in primed by running coolant for a few minutes and then TSC for a few minutes with no tool and same error, tried power cycling the TSC a few times and same, went around back and kicked the TSC motor in disgust and tried it again out of desperation and away she went, ran fine yesterday, must have been some air in the TSC and it finally worked its way out and all is well,


thanks to matt for the tips, maybe I got lucky with all this and found the leaking rotary coolant union and avoided a bigger mess,

railengineer said:

well I thought about the only other option was the TSC pressure sensor, so I called HAAS and they seemed to think that was about the only thing it could be so I gave that a try, put new one in primed by running coolant for a few minutes and then TSC for a few minutes with no tool and same error, tried power cycling the TSC a few times and same, went around back and kicked the TSC motor in disgust and tried it again out of desperation and away she went, ran fine yesterday, must have been some air in the TSC and it finally worked its way out and all is well,

Click to expand...

Gotta remember the BFH in the bag of tricks!