The most common problem I see when I visit customers with struggling equipment is in the oil. Just like the oil in your car, hydraulic oil is absolutely critical for your system to run properly. I often share four easy things you can do to improve the life of your equipment & save yourself a lot of stress.
#1- Change filter elements after startup
- No matter how clean, no matter how much you minimize water and air contamination, metal on metal contact is inevitable during system start-up because of pump and motor tolerances. This contact creates metal parts that bounce along hoses, valves, reservoirs, and other pumps/motors spreading their damage throughout the system.
#2 – Continue to change oil on regular intervals
- Taking 10 minutes to change elements on a regular basis can save your system from catastrophic failure. “I haven’t changed the filter since I got the unit” or “I change the filter when I change the oil” or “We get our hoses pigged before we put them on, why do I need a filter?” are the nightmares you don’t want to have.
#3 – Check oil particle count for signs of component degradation
- If you have multiple systems pulling from a common reservoir, checking particle counts periodically will give you a heads up before the system overheats if you need to change the filter element or add a kidney loop filter for additional oil protection.
#4 – CHANGE your oil
- Oil doesn’t last forever (remember your car). High heat hydrostatic systems can degrade oil much more quickly than a low pressure, low cycle industrial press. Unlike your car, hours of service doesn’t always provide the correct measure necessary to change. Be aware of your type of application & be ready to change oil 3-4xs more often in difficult applications.
More questions on oil or filtration? Ask me – at Hydraquip we understand your system and we’re ready to help.
Dalton Hamilton