EWM 230 tetrix CK Worldwide error messsage

Jim Davey · 2025-10-25T20:33:46+0100

That might be the problem. The CK20 has quite a small diameter hose pack and very narrow coolant pathways in the head. I’ve even seen this issue present itself with the higher duty CK230 which is still a 20 style torch with bigger hose bores and larger coolant passages in the neck and head.
It would be worth you measuring the coolant flow (just disconnect the red hose and point it into a measuring jug, run the pump for 15 seconds and make a note of how many millilitres of fluid you captured. Times the result by 4 and you have an litre per minute figure to work with. Best o get with a 25’ CK230 is about 0.9 lpm, I’d not be suprise if you got half that.
The lowest you can set threshold for the coolant flow monitor error warning is 0.5lpm. You realistically have a couple of options, get a torch with better flow capacity (WP20 style torches are woeful in this regard) or turn the coolant flow monitor off altogether and rely on coolant temperature monitoring instead (which you can set lower for extra safety (default setting is 70 degrees)
I did have the coolant sensor replaced under warranty on one of my machines that was showing a flow fault even though I set the mon flow to 0.5lpm and measured a steady flow of 0.9lpm down the red return hose. It is possible you have a faulty flow sensor (as far as I can see it is a sealed unit, so no way to adjust or calibrate it) and I don’t know how accurate they actually are.
Anyway hope this helps, if you need any more assistance I can be contacted via email at jim.davey@rhdaveywelding.co.uk

Thanks

Jim Davey · 2025-10-25T20:34:43+0100

Sorry, I typed out the above reply earlier but didn’t get around to posting it.

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-25T23:14:03+0100

I will change it to 5lpm pm tomorrow, then check the flow both ways. It should be fine. It was a new torch that came with the machine. I have used CK torches for 20 years, and I have had no problems

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-25T23:20:28+0100

Jim Davey said:
That might be the problem. The CK20 has quite a small diameter hose pack and very narrow coolant pathways in the head. I’ve even seen this issue present itself with the higher duty CK230 which is still a 20 style torch with bigger hose bores and larger coolant passages in the neck and head.
It would be worth you measuring the coolant flow (just disconnect the red hose and point it into a measuring jug, run the pump for 15 seconds and make a note of how many millilitres of fluid you captured. Times the result by 4 and you have an litre per minute figure to work with. Best o get with a 25’ CK230 is about 0.9 lpm, I’d not be suprise if you got half that.
The lowest you can set threshold for the coolant flow monitor error warning is 0.5lpm. You realistically have a couple of options, get a torch with better flow capacity (WP20 style torches are woeful in this regard) or turn the coolant flow monitor off altogether and rely on coolant temperature monitoring instead (which you can set lower for extra safety (default setting is 70 degrees)
I did have the coolant sensor replaced under warranty on one of my machines that was showing a flow fault even though I set the mon flow to 0.5lpm and measured a steady flow of 0.9lpm down the red return hose. It is possible you have a faulty flow sensor (as far as I can see it is a sealed unit, so no way to adjust or calibrate it) and I don’t know how accurate they actually are.
Anyway hope this helps, if you need any more assistance I can be contacted via email at jim.davey@rhdaveywelding.co.uk

Thanks

Thanks, Jim. I did a flow test earlier, and it was 0.6lpm. Should I change the flow monitor to 5lpm and make the max temp 80 instead of 70 degrees? it looks like the torch needs changed.

Jim Davey · 2025-10-26T00:55:49+0100

Torch will be fine. All of the 20 ones flow badly. If anything set the flow rate to 0.5 and the temp to 60. If it still throws up flow errors you can turn the coolant monitor off but it’s up to you. I think you’ll be chasing your tail on this unless you change to a different style of torch completely but I wouldn’t worry yourself, you can easily hear the pump on these machines and you’ll know if it stops.

trigger3 · 2025-10-26T03:41:30+0000

ive ck20 flex on my fronius that does 1L minute which seems normal and it works fine. maybe its your machine is faulty and not the torch ?

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-26T06:33:59+0000

trigger3 said:
ive ck20 flex on my fronius that does 1L minute which seems normal and it works fine. maybe its your machine is faulty and not the torch ?

I have watched the video on YouTube, Smallgarge Workshop, he has several EWM machines. He uses the exact same torch as I do; he doesn't have any problems. EWM are on about sending me a complete new machine. It has done this from new, and yes, I have reported this. They claim it should switch itself off with the problem. It doesn't. I can still weld.

hotponyshoes · 2025-10-26T09:00:00+0000

They don't switch off with Amber warnings.
And I think it's only the welding machine itself that stops on a red warning, I don't think red warnings from the cooler turn the welder off although there may be options for this in the setup menu?

tom2207 · 2025-10-26T09:09:53+0000

Lorch T300 said:
I have watched the video on YouTube, Smallgarge Workshop, he has several EWM machines. He uses the exact same torch as I do; he doesn't have any problems. EWM are on about sending me a complete new machine. It has done this from new, and yes, I have reported this. They claim it should switch itself off with the problem. It doesn't. I can still weld.

he welds small things a lot of the time I think ,,, nuts and bolts and the likes ,,, so maybe not generating a lot of torch head heat

Jim Davey · 2025-10-26T09:20:11+0000

Lorch T300 said:
Changed the flow rate to 1.2lm, tried a test on AC 170amps, the machine stopped after 15 seconds, red light now was amber when error, message shows low coolant, which is in correct, I seem to have made it worse. I think EWM need it back.

I think you may be misunderstanding the flow rate monitor. The pump only goes at one speed. The flow rate is the minimum flow the set will allow before going into error mode to save the torch. The set has a powerful pump and an efficient radiator/fan setup so even at 0.5 lpm you’ll be getting good cooling. If you set the flow sensor higher than the flow you have the set will stop almost immediately as you w seen, so you need to set it the same or lower.
Set it to minimum and maybe set the temperature threshold a little lower for safety. If you have concerns you could ask your dealer to fit a new flow sensor to see if it improves things. (I’ve had to do one already and I’ve only sold 9-10 of these units so far)
They do seem to read a little lower than the actual flow rate from what I’ve seen up till now.

hotponyshoes · 2025-10-26T09:32:54+0000

Jim Davey said:
I think you may be misunderstanding the flow rate monitor. The pump only goes at one speed. The flow rate is the minimum flow the set will allow before going into error mode to save the torch. The set has a powerful pump and an efficient radiator/fan setup so even at 0.5 lpm you’ll be getting good cooling. If you set the flow sensor higher than the flow you have the set will stop almost immediately as you w seen, so you need to set it the same or lower.
Set it to minimum and maybe set the temperature threshold a little lower for safety. If you have concerns you could ask your dealer to fit a new flow sensor to see if it improves things. (I’ve had to do one already and I’ve only sold 9-10 of these units so far)
They do seem to read a little lower than the actual flow rate from what I’ve seen up till now.

He's measured his actual flow return at 0.6lpm so I'd say his sensor is working pretty well?

If it's flowing 0.6 under test conditions I'd not be surprised if it dropped below this in use due to bending and raising the torch etc.
Setting the alarm to 0.5 might be enough to sort it but I have no idea what the response time of the alarm is?

As you say, temperature is of more concern than flow rate although you need flow to do the actual cooling. If you have long enough torch leads you could run the risk of cooking the torch before the temp sensor (all the way back at the cooler) reports its too hot..

As I mentioned earlier, I'd expect CK publish the minimum requirement for cooling somewhere?

Nederlands · 2025-10-26T09:50:32+0000

hotponyshoes said:
As I mentioned earlier, I'd expect CK publish the minimum requirement for cooling somewhere?

Found 1 lpm on the ck site

600ml would be to low then

@Jim Davey
Ck says max 50 degrees if i read it correct.

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-26T09:57:30+0000

hotponyshoes said:
They don't switch off with Amber warnings.
And I think it's only the welding machine itself that stops on a red warning, I don't think red warnings from the cooler turn the welder off although there may be options for this in the setup menu?

I now this, shows how much the service department knows at EWM. Cheers Dave

Jim Davey · 2025-10-26T12:26:01+0000

Don’t forget, it’s only a 230 amp set that isn’t 230 amps at 100% duty cycle. That means the potential output of the machine is well within the duty of even the lowest specification 20 style torch. As long as it’s not blocked (hoses can get squashed in the handle as they are very cramped in a narrow handle) then you’ll have no torch overheating issues.

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-26T14:26:15+0000

hotponyshoes said:
I don't think you can change the flow rate.
Just the flow rate alarm.

Standard alarm is set at 0.6lpm which coincidentally is about what you are measuring. I think you are close to the limit which is why you ge the amber alert.

You have still got 0.6lpm of flow but you have now set the alarm to 1.2lpm so it's going Red stright away.

Adjust it the other way. I think 0.5lpm is the minimum though and see if that helps.

I'd want at least 1lpm flowing through a wp20 torch though (unless ck say less is ok?) so I'd still be trying to check if the torch is blocked/kinked/restricted somehow

We have a winner, set the flow rate to 0.5lpm and burned several rods at 170 amps on AC, We are still blue! Many thanks to

hotponyshoes and Jim Davey and anyone else with positive advice, you would think EWM Morpeth would know about this. I checked which torch i have on my Kemppi 300, same as I have on the EWM. The Kemppi is around ten years old and is amazing.

Lets get some work done, thanks again
Dave

Nederlands · 2025-10-26T15:02:40+0000

The first post to this topic,
I advised to adjust lower.......

trigger3 · 2025-10-26T16:10:54+0000

what is the water temp after you weld for a bit ?

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-26T16:26:11+0000

Nederlands said:
The first post to this topic,
I advised to adjust lower.......

Yes, you did. I didn't know how to then. Many thanks for the answer to my problem in the first reply

Lorch T300 · 2025-10-26T16:27:22+0000

trigger3 said:
what is the water temp after you weld for a bit ?

No idea, how am I supposed to know that? The machine doesn't have anything on the home screen regarding temperature.

trigger3 · 2025-10-26T16:41:31+0000

just dip one of these in the water tank

EWM 230 tetrix CK Worldwide error messsage

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hotponyshoes and Jim Davey and anyone else with positive advice, you would think EWM Morpeth would know about this. I checked which torch i have on my Kemppi 300, same as I have on the EWM. The Kemppi is around ten years old and is amazing.​

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hotponyshoes and Jim Davey and anyone else with positive advice, you would think EWM Morpeth would know about this. I checked which torch i have on my Kemppi 300, same as I have on the EWM. The Kemppi is around ten years old and is amazing.