Systems and methods for coolant drawback

A liquid cooling system for cooling a plurality of welding electrodes on a welding apparatus, the system comprising:

• a supply path;
• a return path;
• a first electrode coolant path between the supply path and the return path, the first electrode coolant path configured to cool a first welding electrode by liquid coolant flowing from the supply path through the first electrode coolant path to the return path, the first electrode coolant path having a first supply-side segment between the supply path and the first welding electrode, the first electrode coolant path having a first return-side segment between the first welding electrode and the return path;
• a second electrode coolant path between the supply path and the return path, the second electrode coolant path configured to cool a second welding electrode by liquid coolant flowing from the supply path through the second electrode coolant path to the return path, the second electrode coolant path having a second supply-side segment between the supply path and the second welding electrode, the second electrode coolant path having a second return-side segment between the second welding electrode and the return path;
• a first y-connector coupling the supply path to the first supply-side segment and to the second supply-side segment;
• a second y-connector coupling the first return-side segment and the second return-side segment to the return path;
• three or more valves configured to stop or reduce the flow of liquid coolant from the supply path through at least one of the first electrode coolant path or the second electrode coolant path and configured to stop or reduce backflow of liquid coolant from the return path through at least one of the first electrode coolant path or the second electrode coolant path when the first welding electrode or the second welding electrode is at least partially detached, at least one valve of the three or more valves being coupled in one of the first electrode coolant path or the second electrode coolant path;
• a first drawback apparatus configured to generate a suction force sufficient to draw at least a portion of the liquid coolant away from a gap formed when at least one of the first welding electrode or the second welding electrode has at least partially detached;
• and
• a controller configured to cause the first drawback apparatus to initiate generating the suction force upon detecting that the at least one of the first welding electrode or the second welding electrode has at least partially detached.