Awl --
Inyone have this problem, when the coolant level drops about 3-5" from the screens? Really a pita... fadal 3016.
Part of the problem is inherent in the reservoir tank design, in that the plate that holds the pump is simply bent over the sides of the tank, so any internal splashed coolant can easily wend its way out.
Funny, tho, that this splashing occurs at what seems to me to be such a moderate drop in coolant level.
Other leak problems:
The center casting, below the Z business, has its own drain, which can become clogged as well. I re-plumbed this with smoother fittings, and a straighter, more direct drain hose to the tank. No more problems.
Also, the g-d caulking at the front SS plate below the doors is going, another messy pita. I rigged a piece of 2" sloped angle iron along the front, to catch the myriad of drops, and drain them into a can. At full tilt, over 8 hours, these drops could fill somewhere between a quart and a gallon jug.
It's not immediately clear where the caulking has gone bad, and regardless, it's pretty inaccessible, without undoing the front Y slides or sumpn.
Next time I move the machine, I might have an 7 ft x 7 ft sheetmetal (or mebbe from 1/8 sheet) pan made, and have the rigger drop the fadal in the center of this pan. With it's own mini submersible sump pump. goodgawd....
Finally, above and beyond all this, it is striking to me how much coolant is lost just during operation. Having fixed all these leaks (or at least being able to recover that which leaks), it seems that the tank level can drop 2" a day. Mebbe more. And that's with *my* sissy-assed machining.
Now, with a tank area of 50 x 18, each inch of coolant level is 900 cu in, which equates to 3.9 gal (231 cu in/gal). wow....
It seems that this consumption is both water and soluble oil, as filling up the tank with just water results in a substantial dilution.
Where does the coolant go? Certainly some clings to chips, but I'll bet most is evaporation, which makes sense, cuz after a while I can smell something in the air, AND the cutters are certainly generating boucou heat.
Breathe deep.....
If the evaporative losses are really that much, this suggests a greenie-thingy: hermetically sealed enclosures, so's vapor can be recaptured? goodgawd, the price of cnc just went up....