What does Kaeser warning 0013 W (change air filter) mean?
Short answer: Air filter clogged. If your Kaeser Sigma Control 2 is showing 0013 W — Air filter Δp ↑ - Change air filter!, the controller has logged a specific, documented condition. This page covers what it means, what causes it, what you can safely fix yourself, and when — and why — it takes a technician.
What exactly is the machine telling you?
Pressure drop across the intake air filter is too high — the filter element is clogged.
Which machines show this?
the wide range of current-generation Kaeser rotary screw compressors — ASD, BSD, CSD, DSD, ESD and related series — built since roughly 2011 with the Sigma Control 2, the industrial-PC controller with a text display and RFID access. It reports faults as a four-digit number plus a letter: 'A' messages are alarms that shut the machine down, 'W' messages are warnings or service reminders it keeps running through, with arrows marking whether the value went over or under its limit — so 0015 A is the airend-overheat shutdown while 0013 W just asks for an air filter. Practical tip: the same subsystem often has a W and an A code (0004 W before 0022 A on the separator); acting on the W message is how you avoid the A shutdown.
What causes it?
- Intake air filter element clogged — high pressure drop across it
- Dusty intake air loading the filter early
Can you fix it yourself?
Yes — this is routine in-house maintenance: fit a genuine element and check the intake area for dust sources.
Step by step — what to try, in order:
- Replace the air filter element with a genuine part at the next opportunity.
- Check that the intake area is clean and not drawing in dusty air.
When do you need a technician — and why?
Only a warning that persists with a new filter installed needs service, to check the differential-pressure monitoring rather than the filter itself.
If it does come to a service call and you're in Nashville, TN or Birmingham, AL, we maintain independently compiled lists of local companies that service industrial air compressors — real businesses with verified contact information, none of whom paid to be listed.
Related questions
What does 0013 W — Air filter Δp ↑ - Change air filter! mean on a Kaeser Sigma Control 2?
Air filter clogged. Pressure drop across the intake air filter is too high — the filter element is clogged.
Can I fix 0013 W — Air filter Δp ↑ - Change air filter! on a Kaeser Sigma Control 2 myself?
Yes — this is routine in-house maintenance: fit a genuine element and check the intake area for dust sources.
When does 0013 W — Air filter Δp ↑ - Change air filter! on a Kaeser Sigma Control 2 need a technician?
Only a warning that persists with a new filter installed needs service, to check the differential-pressure monitoring rather than the filter itself. Routine DIY item; call service only if the warning persists with a new filter installed.
Verified against service documentation: Kaeser Sigma Control 2 documentation for 0013 W — Air filter Δp ↑ - Change air filter! (airsolcan.com)