I added a thermostat alarm to my setup, well a long long time ago. I just realized i never wrote about it.
It goes back to the if it’s not cool it’s not cooling logic and i have it set for 35°C (95°F). (This unit doesn’t come in freedom units).
I have the alarm input set for general spindle alarm.
Pair this with spindle flow contol and you’ll never worry if your coolant is too warm or if your pump is on.
More information if requested.
Freedom units???
This sounds like a good idea. I manage a CNC router at a makerspace with a water cooled spindle. We have the chiller set to automatically start, but I often wonder if any of my users woud notice if it didn’t come on for some reason. This would help protect against that kind of error. Where did you put the temperature sensor? Directly on the spindle?
I don’t have a chiller, and this specific upgrade wouldn’t be for you.
I put the thermometer in the bucket with a jst extension wire to reach to answer your question. I already had an external power suppy, so i tapped into that. I used this video for inspiration for both the flow alarm, and temperature alarm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owozf51QM3k
The good thing for you, is that there is already built in alarms into the chiller.
Get this, Chiller Alarm Cable – PwnCNC and the chiller alarm inlet, and you should be good to go. Obviously I would experiment with what it can and cannot do in tests before putting into production, but I believe it’ll address your concerns. While the chiller would alarm, theres nothing telling the machine and it’ll just keep going. Hooking the two together would stop the machine, so there wouldn’t be damage
Use promo code CHRISS to save a few bucks.
The chiller does raise an alarm if you block off its tubing. However, what it can’t do is raise an alarm if it isn’t turned on. As I mentioned, ours turns on automatically when you turn on the VFD. However, if somebody bumped the off/on switch on the panel there would be no alarm and I’m not sure most of my users would notice. An overheating sensor directly attached to the spindle might do that. Maybe clamping this sensor tightly against the body of the spindle would work. Or maybe a flow alarm of some kind would be a better solution. I’m still thinking about it.
Aforementioned chiller alarm would transfer a chiller alarm to masso and put the system in a hold state.
If you can opt for the pulse alarm, Itll (masso) will alarm when chiller isn’t running
After running my cnc for about 6 hours off and on in 7 min spurts my alarm went off, mind you I’m in AZ but i have a mini split in my shop.
I’m glad it went off because i wasn’t paying attention and over time it could have burned up. If you use a pump and bucket, i couldn’t recommend it more.
