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Fadal regular leak

sidetrack50

Aluminum
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Location
Indiana
OK....this is annoying, can't seem to figure out why this valve/regulator leaks air on start up and when I turn the spindle on, it leaks out of the bottom where there is a plastic screw that's hollow in the center. It leaks enough that my 60 gal 2 stage air compressor comes on. It does eventually go off but back on when I turn the spindle on. Any ideas....see picture.
leaking fadal regulator.jpg
 
Take it out and inspect it what makes it tick shouldn’t be to hard to figure that little SOB out


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Take it out and inspect it what makes it tick shouldn’t be to hard to figure that little SOB out


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LoL....I think you are right I was looking for an easy way out, I'm new to the machine so don't know any of its quirks.
 
There might be a float on the end of it that is sticking up when the pressure goes down


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Its called a WATTS FLUIDAIR.....Qube Coalescing Filter, 1/4" Ports, Metal W/O Sight Gauge, 40 Micron, Auto Drain, only $155watts fluidair.jpgwatts fluidair part #.jpg
 
Its plugged up with shit.
Take it apart, and gently clean everything. Over the years, they tend to gum up.
Had the same issue on a spindle purge filter on a Studer universal grinder.
 
Its plugged up with shit.
Take it apart, and gently clean everything. Over the years, they tend to gum up.
Had the same issue on a spindle purge filter on a Studer universal grinder.

I took it apart and was surprised to see how clean it was inside, I'll look it over real good to see if something is sticking or worn out.
watts fluidair apart.jpg
 
If it is working fine I suspect that your air pressure is set too low and it is actually doing it's job (draining water out when it is at low pressure). What do you have your compressor set to?
Does that Fadal use air cooling around the spindle? Could be that it is dropping too low when that happens.
 
it is actually doing it's job (draining water out when it is at low pressure).

That's not how there supposed to work, they will leak if the pressure is too low, but there's a float inside, when the bowl fills with water the float will rise and open the valve at the bottom, even when the air pressure is 80-100psi.
 
That's not how there supposed to work, they will leak if the pressure is too low, but there's a float inside, when the bowl fills with water the float will rise and open the valve at the bottom, even when the air pressure is 80-100psi.

Good to know, thanks.
But if you don't leave your compressor on 24/7 (like at night) and air gradually leaks out of the system does it not anyway drain when it "leaks" because of the low air pressure when it reaches there and when you turn it on again in the morning?
 
Good to know, thanks.
But if you don't leave your compressor on 24/7 (like at night) and air gradually leaks out of the system does it not anyway drain when it "leaks" because of the low air pressure when it reaches there and when you turn it on again in the morning?

yes it will leak if the pressure falls below a certain pressure. Mine will leak when the compressor is building pressure, after about a minute it will seal.
 
If it is working fine I suspect that your air pressure is set too low and it is actually doing it's job (draining water out when it is at low pressure). What do you have your compressor set to?
Does that Fadal use air cooling around the spindle? Could be that it is dropping too low when that happens.

I have 60 gal 2 stage air compressor set at 100lbs at the mill, it starts leaking as soon as I turn the machine on and last for about 3 to 4 minutes and also when I turn the spindle on....eventually shuts off. This regulator is connected to the Bijur air/oil lube unit

Bijur air oil lube unit.jpgair regulator.jpg
 
Or you could do like HAAS does and plumb the blow gun to that port so every time you use the blow gun you drain the resivor


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Took the regulator completely apart, nothing really corroded, cleaned it oiled the o-rigs put back together and same problem, I did notice it also leaks from the top of the machine at the Parker flow generator. (I guess that's what it is)

regulator taken apart.jpg
second leak.jpg
parker flow generator.jpg
 
Some filter regulators will open the drain when the pressure goes off, some will stay closed. When you buy them you want to specify the type of drain you want.

I prefer the normally open ones- the normally closed style will collect water and sit half full until the level is high enough to activate the float.

The normally open style tend to stay empty unless you are making a lot of water in your air. They will leak air until the air pressure is high enough to overcome the spring that holds the drain open. If you have a small amount of water that collects during the day, but not enough to activate the drain, it will get drained out overnite so you start every day with no water in the bowl.

I have shutoffs on my air receivers so I can hold air overnite. When I start the day I open the valves and pressurize the air lines. The FRL's on the machines will discharge air for a short time, then they close and stay closed for the rest of the day.

They all do the same thing, so the manufacturer doesn't really matter. I like the SMC products, I use the 3/8" port 125PSI versions. SMC AW40-NO3D-Z-B $80.50 ea.
 
I guess I'm not really sure what my issue is, air leaks on start up and when spindle is turned on, also the tool changer stops in the up position every time I try to change a tool.
 
I guess I'm not really sure what my issue is, air leaks on start up and when spindle is turned on, also the tool changer stops in the up position every time I try to change a tool.
You can check the fittings on that Bijur, but a little air leaking on startup isn't a big deal. That Bijur looks like it is there to meter oil into the spindle air. My Haas does that too. Straight way oil on each axis, and oil/air injection at 6PSI to the spindle. I don't know what's normal for Fadal, but in general, it's not unusual to see that kind of arrangement.

It's not uncommon for spindles to use air when they are running. Some machines use more than others. My Chevalier spindle exhales for about 30 seconds after M30.

That filter is just a filter only- it doesn't regulate the pressure. If there is no other regulator where the air comes into the machine, it's getting the 100psi that your compressor is putting out. Most mills will have a filter regulator and (sometimes) lubricator where the air comes in.

It's not a good idea to have unfiltered, unregulated air to the machine. If you don't have a filter regulator now, you should put one on.

The tool changer is another issue. If you want help with that you're going to need to provide more information. Year and model of machine, type of tool changer, exact behavior, alarms, etc. I'm not a Fadal guy, but there are several knowledgeable Fadal people here that will help you.
 
I guess I'm not really sure what my issue is, air leaks on start up and when spindle is turned on, also the tool changer stops in the up position every time I try to change a tool.

Does the carousel move? I mean spin.. And I'm assuming you mean, it dumps one tool off in the carousel, then goes up, and hangs...
But does the carousel spin after the head goes up?
 








 
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