Tips And Tricks On How To Deal With Steam In Your Hydraulics

Have you ever tried troubleshooting a hydraulic issue? Or have you watched someone else try to do it? Did you find the whole experience rather complex and challenging? Whether you are a distributor, salesman, consultant, or maintenance technician, you need to follow a set of guidelines to diagnose and fix the problem. What many technicians in many plants do is follow a parts-changing process. Now, this doesn’t seem right because it’s costly in downtime and parts costs. What’s more, when the machine finally starts functioning, no one understands anything because the correct process was not followed. If you want to troubleshoot a hydraulics issue effectively, experts recommend following the steps below.

Check for Abnormal Noises

Noise is an indicator of cavitation or aeration. If the hydraulic fluid is contaminated, this causes aeration. The air inside the fluid produces a knocking sound with compression or decompression of air. If left unchecked, aeration can cause damage to the system components through the burning of seals, overheating, or loss of lubrication. According to this article, you can resolve the problem by ensuring the fluid level is low, getting the right steam trap, and ensuring the pump intake lines are in excellent shape. If you’re a technician, look out for these signs as they may ruin your hydraulic system leading to more repairs and maintenance.

Identify the Main Problem

Hydraulic issues can be divided into two main categories: volume or pressure. The latter is where the pressure fails to build high enough to run the machine efficiently. Sometimes, pressure problems can also be speed-related. If speed is the main issue, it means a volume problem is most likely recurring. This can mean only two things: the pump is not delivering the correct oil amount, or the system has a loophole. As a technician, it becomes easy to fix something once you understand what the problem is. Remember, the most challenging hydraulic issues to fix are those that happen at irregular intervals.

Collect More Information

Collecting information comes next once you have gathered all requisite information. As a hydraulics technician, start by checking for any pressure or electrical adjustments in the system. Next, inspect the system for any missing hydraulic components. For instance, if there was a recent replacement of some parts, check whether the components have the same number as the replaced components. In most cases, a different number or letter in the component means the valve is incompatible with the system and will not work. Remember, conducting those small visual checks helps you collect more information on the problem to fix it quickly.

Check the Oil Flow

If your hydraulic system has issues with oil flow, the issue likely falls into three categories – excess oil flow, too little oil flow, or no oil flow. These three issues cover a broad range of causes. Thus, a technician may need to conduct more diagnostic tests to inspect the system for further issues. For example, little oil flow in the hydraulic pump could signal a damaged motor pump or even the pump not getting enough fluid. Sometimes, it could also be an issue of an improperly assembled pump. Whatever the cause, ensure you check the oil flow first.

Allow Your Hydraulic System to Warm Up

Like your body, hydraulics need a little time to warm up before they start running and do what they do best. If your hydraulic system has a steam problem, it could be because you run the equipment cold without warm-up time. Over time, you can damage the system, and this can lead to expensive repairs. As a general rule, ensure you warm up the hydraulic system before running any equipment attachments.

Check the Schematic

Tracing a hydraulic schematic is the best troubleshooting technique for any hydraulic system. Sometimes, the valves you need to check are located in far-to-reach areas. However, following the schematic helps you establish the problem before replacing the part. Once you have the schematic, you can identify any valves that need to be energized. The next part is to verify that the system pressures are set correctly. You also want to check for the relief valve, pump compensator, and other pressure-control valves in the system.

When a hydraulic goes down, technicians will easily panic and start replacing parts to avoid downtime issues. In most cases, the problem is far from being complex. Remember, hydraulic troubleshooting is a step-by-step guideline. Skipping even a single step leaves you with more problems on your table. By following the tips listed above, you can become the best hydraulic troubleshooter in your company.