Hydraulic Contamination

No matter what your industry is contamination is a major issue. Even the smallest hydraulic failure can be very costly in terms of lost productivity, change-out times and repairs.

Q. What is Hydraulic Contamination?

A. Any foreign matter that is found in hydraulic fluid.

The majority of Hydraulic Fluid Contamination cannot be seen with the naked eye. However contamination can severely damage any hydraulic system. Fluid contamination can be anything from small metal particles such as rust to other chemicals, oxidation of the oil and water.

Since a hydraulic system is basically a closed system contamination can come from anywhere like a leaky cylinder; a pump wearing down; old oil etc. So undertaking a repair on a system that is contaminated can be downright frustrating.

Many companies do not take the time to properly track down the route cause of the system failure; they simply throw parts at it for it to work only for the system to break down again. It is so important to determine where the contamination started in order to properly repair a hydraulic system.

Here is how to properly determine if there is contamination and track the issue back to where it started:

• Take a sample from the system reservoir

• Take samples from other locations (this right here will help track down the source)

Note: Once the samples are taken make sure they are properly labeled for the system they came from and where in the system they came from. Then the samples need to be sent into a lab to determine the contamination and where it is from.

After you get the results back from the lab you can then repair or replace what failed; in addition the fluid in the system will need to be filtered not just replaced. You may be asking why not just replace it, why do I need to have it filtered? The answer is simple: once the system is contaminated you need to filter the contamination out of the system to ensure that it won't affect other parts.

We can help with this! We can take fluid samples for you and filter your system. We can also provide you with a filtration system that you can have on site to filter all your machines. Even if a system is working, consistent filtration will help keep contaminates from breaking down your hydraulic system and ultimately save you money. Contact us today to see how we can help!