Koolance ALR-4600 User's Manual

General Precaution

Please read this manual carefully before beginning the installation of your Koolance system.

About Signs

Throughout this document, critical information is highlighted in gray-colored boxes. The following symbols are intended to help prevent any situation which may cause personal injury and/or damage to equipment:

• ⚠️ WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in personal injury or be life-threatening.

• ⚠️ CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in damage to equipment or property.

• ? PROHIBITED: Indicates a prohibited action.

Prohibited Use

This product is designed, developed and manufactured as contemplated for general use, including without limitation: general office use, personal use and household use, but is not designed, developed and manufactured as contemplated for use accompanying fatal risks or dangers that, unless extremely high safety is secured, could lead directly to death, personal injury, severe physical damage or other loss, including without limitation: nuclear power core control, airplane control, air traffic control, mass transport operation control, life support, or weapon launching control. If these products are used in such hazardous environments, Koolance Incorporated does not warrant them.

Trademarks

The Koolance name and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Koolance, Inc. Other company and product names used in this publication are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Copyright

All rights reserved. Copyright (C) Koolance Incorporated.

Product Diagram

The Koolance ALR-4600 features several key components:

• Main Reservoir Fill Port
• Secondary Reservoir Fill Port
• Reservoir Light Button
• Control Buttons
• Power Button
• Display Panel
• Liquid Inlet/Outlet
• Power Input (100-240V AC)
• 0-5V Output
• Thermocouple Terminals
• Trigger Relay Terminals
• USB Port
• Reservoir Drain

Positioning the System

This product can operate in one of three orientations. A minimum airflow clearance of 4 inches (102mm) should be provided on two sides of the unit for optimal performance. When operating horizontally, the unit should be rack mounted for airflow, rather than placed onto a flat surface.

The display panel can be adjusted for these orientations by gently pulling it forward while rotating.

Two ear brackets are included for mounting to a 19-inch equipment rack. The chassis has four M4 tapped holes on each side for attaching compatible sliding rack rails (not included). These components may block access to the main coolant fill port; it is recommended to attach them later after coolant is added to the system.

For vertical operation, two bracket feet are included to attach below the unit. A handle strap is also included, which can be installed on the top side of the chassis.

Tube Fittings

Tube fittings are purchased separately. The inlet and outlet fitting threads are 3/8-inch NPT. Thread tape (PTFE) is required to seal them properly. After wrapping with tape, tighten fittings by hand, then finish with a wrench for the last 1-2 rotations.

Tubing should be cut to the appropriate lengths. You will need to connect two segments to the rear fittings. Each tubing connection uses a threaded compression nut or clamp. Place this on the tubing before attaching to the fitting.

To attach tubing, squeeze the tube while pushing it firmly over the fitting until it completely covers the fitting. Dipping the end of the tubing in warm water can make this step easier.

Tighten the connection by sliding the compression nut down over the fitting and screwing securely. For spring clamps, use pliers to move the clamp into the proper position before releasing it.

Coolant Filling and Power On

⚠️ WARNING: Most coolants are electrically conductive. Use caution when filling the system, and keep all liquids away from electronics and power cables. Unplug the cooling system's AC power cable from the wall outlet whenever filling or draining the coolant.

⚠️ CAUTION: The cooling system's pump can not be run dry for any period of time. Do not power on the unit without sufficient coolant in the reservoir. This condition can cause pump damage and is not covered under the product warranty.

Once all external components (such as cold plates and manifolds) have been properly connected with tubing, the coolant can be added.

The main fill port is located above the reservoir when the unit is oriented vertically. Remove the large reservoir cap by hand or with a hex wrench.

A large funnel is recommended for filling. Coolant should be filled to about 1/2-inch (13mm) from the top of the reservoir. Never completely fill or “top-off” the reservoir, as an air gap is needed to accommodate thermal expansion of the liquid.

Slowly fill the system with coolant. To maintain the product warranty, use only Koolance approved coolant. Many alternative liquids and additives can cause permanent damage to the system through chemical reaction, corrosion, biological growth, high thermal expansion, or viscosity changes.

Replace the fill port cap on the reservoir, ensuring the rubber o-ring remains on the cap. Hand tightening is recommended to avoid damaging the reservoir threads; do not overtighten.

This product has a secondary fill port, which can be used when the fans are oriented below the unit. A small funnel is included for this port. This fill port may be convenient for replenishing coolant after the system has already been rack mounted.

After filling, plug the power cable back into the wall outlet and power on the cooling system. Coolant should begin flowing through the tubing, and the reservoir level will quickly decrease. Unplug the AC cable from the wall outlet before adding more coolant.

This process can take several minutes. To help eliminate large air pockets, some components on the tubing may need to be temporarily lifted or tilted.

Draining

A maintenance drain is located on the rear of the unit to release the coolant. Before opening the drain plug, ensure that one of the reservoir fill ports is facing upright. While draining, this fill port can be opened to allow air into the top of the reservoir.

USB and 0-5V

This product supports the Koolance System Monitor (KSM) software application for control and logging over the USB port. It is recommended to use the included USB cable, which is shielded. The latest version of KSM can be downloaded from: https://koolance.com/software

A 0-5V differential voltage output is provided for industrial process monitoring. The output is based on the difference between the user's set point and the internal liquid temperature. The graph shows this relationship, with 0V representing a difference of -0.5°C and 5V representing a difference of +0.5°C.

Display Panel

The Koolance display panel allows monitoring and control of the cooling system's functions. Five buttons are used: directional arrows to navigate or change settings, and a center button to select or exit.

Navigation:

• Exit Menu/Return to Main Screen: Hold [Select/Exit] for 2 seconds. The display also returns to the main screen automatically after 10 seconds of inactivity.
• Toggle Display Units (°C/LPM vs. °F/GPM): From the main screen, hold [Select/Exit] for 3 seconds.
• Reset All Settings: Hold [Navigate Down/Decrease] + [Navigate Up/Increase] for 3 seconds. This will reset all cooling system settings to their default values.

Main Menu

To enter the main menu, briefly press [Select/Enter]. The selected option will begin flashing. Use [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to navigate this menu:

• COOLING MODE: Temperature setpoint adjustment
• FAN RAMP: Hysteresis adjustment
• PUMP: Pump speed settings
• ALARM: Audio alarm settings
• RELAY: Relay trigger output settings
• DISPLAY: Main screen display settings

In the main menu, press [Select/Enter] to enter one of the above categories. Otherwise, press [Navigate Left/Back] to exit.

External Sensors

The reservoir contains an internal liquid temperature sensor. For monitoring or setpoint control based on an external sensor, rear terminals are provided for up to two K-type thermocouples (not included). These can be connected to the terminals labeled "CH1" (channel 1) and "CH2" (channel 2).

Cooling Mode

⚠️ CAUTION: To avoid permanent damage to the pump and other cooling system components, do not allow the liquid temperature to exceed 60°C (140°F) by setpoint or other methods. This is the maximum temperature supported by the cooling system.

Under this menu, you can adjust the active temperature setpoint the system will try to maintain. Alternatively, the radiator fans can be set to a fixed speed level. There are four cooling modes to select from. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to scroll among them:

• LIQ TEMP: Liquid Temperature (range -30 to 60°C)
• CH1 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 1, if attached (range: -20 to 120°C)
• CH2 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 2, if attached (range: -20 to 120°C)
• FAN PWR: Static fan power setting (range: 0 to 100%)

The cooling mode selected in this menu is what the system will follow; only one can be active. Press [Select/Enter] to adjust the selected value using [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease]. Below are some examples:

• LIQ TEMP= 35°C: Maintain coolant at 35°C.
• CH1 TEMP= 50°C: Maintain thermocouple channel 1 at 50°C, if attached.
• CH2 TEMP= -5°C: Maintain thermocouple channel 2 at -5°C, if attached. (This is not a sub-ambient system. Without external assistance, this temperature may not be reached.)
• FAN PWR= 45%: Keep fans at 45% power, regardless of temperature.

Press [Navigate Left/Back] again to exit configuration of the cooling mode. Press [Navigate Right] to return to the previous menu.

Fan Ramp

The hysteresis can be changed in this menu, which adjusts the temperature difference (setpoint vs. actual) over which the fan speed ramp is applied. To avoid temperature instability, the default setting of ±0.5°C is recommended in most cases.

Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to adjust the flashing value, or press [Navigate Left/Back] to return to the previous menu.

FAN RAMP TEMP +/- 0.5°C: Apply the fan power ramp across a temperature delta of ±0.5°C (range: ±0.5 to 10°C).

Pump

The pump speed can be manually set from 1-10 (lowest to highest). Though not recommended, it can also be disabled by lowering the value until “OFF” is displayed.

PUMP PWR (1-10): 7 : Pump Speed Level

The pump speed level will flash. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to adjust. Press [Navigate Left/Back] to return to the previous menu.

Alarm

This menu configures the audio alarm, which is a repeating beep while the offending sensor flashes on the display. There are seven simultaneously active options. Upon entering the alarm menu, the last edited line will flash. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to change it. Press [Select/Enter] to edit the value, and [Navigate Left/Back] again to return to the previous menu. To disable an alarm, increase or decrease the value until “--” is displayed.

• LIQ TEMP: Liquid Temperature (range: 0 to 99°C)
• CH1 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 1, if attached (range: 0 to 119°C)
• CH2 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 2, if attached (range: 0 to 119°C)
• FAN: Fan Speed (range: 100-10,000RPM)
• PUMP: Pump Speed (range: 100-10,000RPM)
• FLOW: Coolant Flow Rate (range: 0.1 to 20.0LPM)
• LEVEL: Low Coolant Level in Reservoir (ON, or OFF to disable)

Relay

Terminals are provided for a configurable output relay. If triggered, the offending sensor will also flash on the display. The relay wires can be connected for a normally-closed (NC) or normally-open (NO) signal, as labeled.

There are seven simultaneously active options. Upon entering the relay menu, the last edited value will flash. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] or [Navigate Down/Decrease] to adjust this value. Press [Select/Enter] to edit the value, and [Navigate Left/Back] again to return to the previous menu. To disable the relay, increase or decrease its setting to “--”.

• LIQ TEMP: Liquid Temperature (range: 0 to 99°C)
• CH1 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 1, if attached (range: 0 to 119°C)
• CH2 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 2, if attached (range: 0 to 119°C)
• FAN: Fan Speed (range: 100-10,000RPM)
• PUMP: Pump Speed (range: 100-10,000RPM)
• FLOW: Coolant Flow Rate (range: 0.1 to 20.0LPM)
• LEVEL: Low Coolant Level in Reservoir (ON, or OFF to disable)

Display Settings

The display settings configure which values you wish to appear on the main screen display:

• DISPLAY MODE: FIXED or CYCLIC.
• FIXED: Show two fixed values. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to change between options. Press [Select/Enter] to configure the selection, or [Navigate Left/Back] to exit. If "FIXED" is selected, two lines will be shown:
• FAN SET 45% : (Field varies) Display line 1
• CH1 TEMP 54.1°C : (Field varies) Display line 2
• The first line will flash. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to change what this line will display:
• FAN SET: Current cooling mode and setpoint
• LIQ TEMP: Reservoir liquid temperature
• CH1 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 1 (if connected)
• CH2 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 2 (if connected)
• FAN: Radiator fan RPM
• PUMP: Pump impeller RPM
• FLOW: Liquid flow rate through the unit
• Press [Navigate Right] to move to line 2, and similarly use [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to choose what will be displayed on the second line. Press [Navigate Left/Back] again to exit.
• CYCLIC: Multiple values will be rotated through the front display. Press [Navigate Up/Increase] and [Navigate Down/Decrease] to navigate to other lines. Press [Select/Enter] to enable or disable each value. Values marked with * will be rotated on the main screen:
• *FAN SET: Current cooling mode and setpoint
• *LIQ TEMP: Reservoir liquid temperature
• CH1 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 1 (if connected)
• CH2 TEMP: Thermocouple Channel 2 (if connected)
• FAN: Radiator fan RPM
• *PUMP: Pump impeller RPM
• *FLOW: Liquid flow rate through the unit
• Press [Navigate Left/Back] to return to the previous menu, or press [Navigate Right] to exit.

Troubleshooting

Below is a list of operational issues and their most common solutions:

1. No visible signs of liquid movement after filling and powering on:
   Make sure the pump has not been disabled (see "PUMP"). Check the flow rate and pump RPM values on the display (see "DISPLAY"). If the reservoir was recently filled and there is no flow rate value ("0 LPM"), but the pump RPM is higher than 0, it may not have finished priming. Open an upward-facing reservoir fill port, and try increasing or decreasing the pump speed to help push out the air. If necessary, the cooling system can be temporarily tilted to assist with priming after closing its reservoir fill port.
2. Alarm sounds for an unknown reason:
   The offending sensor and value will flash in the front display whenever an alarm sounds. Check if the corresponding alarm or relay trigger is configured as desired (see "ALARM" and "RELAY"). The alarm and relay settings can be defaulted by holding [Navigate Down/Decrease] + [Navigate Up/Increase] for 3 seconds. This will also reset all other cooling system settings to their default values.
3. Alarm sounds and "TOO HOT" flashes:
   The maximum liquid temperature of 60°C (140°F) has been reached. Turn off the cooling system and allow it to cool-down before diagnosing the problem.
4. System appears to be leaking fluid or water:
   Check that all fittings are properly installed and tightened. This product uses NPT 3/8-inch threaded fittings. Thread tape is required to seal the fittings, which should be wrapped in the appropriate direction and amount on the thread.
5. Front display is not responding to button presses:
   Reset all system settings by holding [Navigate Down/Decrease] + [Navigate Up/Increase] for 3 seconds. After a reset, all configuration settings (setpoint, alarm, etc.) must be adjusted again.
6. Pump is not operating at low speed settings:
   Due to variations in pumps, the motor may not always operate at the lowest speed settings. The pump should be kept at a setting which allows for the coolant to flow continuously. During power up, the pump will briefly operate at maximum speed before changing to the user's preset level.

Limited Warranty

Koolance Incorporated warrants that on the date of original purchase and for a period of one (1) year thereafter, this Product will be free from defects in material or workmanship. If, during the warranty period, this Product is found to be defective in material or workmanship, it will be exchanged or repaired at Koolance's option.

All warranty claims must be accompanied by the original proof of purchase. Koolance does not provide a warranty for products purchased from unofficial dealers or 3rd-party marketplaces. This warranty is non-transferable.

THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ACCIDENT, MISUSE OR ABUSE, LACK OF REASONABLE CARE, PHYSICAL DAMAGE, CORROSION, SHIPPING DAMAGE, MODIFICATIONS, THE AFFIXING OF ANY ATTACHMENT NOT PROVIDED WITH THE PRODUCT, OR OPERATING COMPONENTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR INTENDED SPECIFICATIONS.

Use of 3rd-party coolants or coolant additives will void this warranty. Koolance Incorporated will not pay for warranty service performed by a 3rd-party repair or diagnostic service and will not reimburse the consumer for damage resulting from warranty service performed by a 3rd-party repair service. No responsibility is assumed for any special incidental or consequential damages due to a defective Koolance product. No other warranty, written or oral, is authorized by Koolance Incorporated.

Return shipments without a valid RMA number will be refused. The product must be shipped postage prepaid to an authorized Koolance service location. It is suggested that, for your protection, you return shipments of product by insured mail, insurance prepaid. Damage occurring during shipment is not covered by this warranty. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Disclaimer

IN NO EVENT SHALL KOOLANCE INCORPORATED OR ITS EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, MANUFACTURERS, OR CONTRACTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY COMPENSATORY, INCIDENTAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF INCOME OR PROFIT, LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS, CLAIMS OF THIRD PARTIES, OR OTHER LOSSES OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS OR DAMAGE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED TO KOOLANCE INCORPORATED. IN NO EVENT SHALL KOOLANCE INCORPORATED'S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION ATTORNEY'S FEES) FOR ANY CLAIMS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS POLICY EXCEED THE COST OF GOODS PAID TO KOOLANCE INCORPORATED.