Running a production operation takes a lot of your time and tons of commitment. On any given day, you are likely being pulled in a dozen different directions—managing a team, delegating tasks, authorizing orders and much more. So it’s not surprising that some things get pushed to the side for later attention or are accidentally overlooked. A hydraulic leak can fall into either category, but it’s a problem that requires swift action to prevent further damage to machines and high repair costs.
The thing about hydraulic leaks is that it can be a challenge finding the source of the oil leak. There will be a growing puddle of oil on the ground below the machine in question, yet you can’t seem to pinpoint which pipe or hose the leak is originating from. With everything all wet and oily and no obvious starting point for the leak, what can you do?
Here’s how learning the right skills and practicing preventative hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota can help locate leaks in your hydraulic system.
Let’s say you’re either a hydraulic equipment user or a worker at a professional hydraulic repair company. The first thing you’d do to find the leak is to visually scan the machine and surrounding areas for oil and anything that appears to be out of place. The machine’s oil level indicator will be low, but unable to show you the location of the leak.
Start by taking fluorescent oil dye and put it into the reservoir. Most companies that manufacture these types of dyes make them for locating refrigerant leaks in coolant lines, but some are safe to use in hydraulic oil—check the label or talk to the manufacturer before using in a hydraulic system. On average, you’ll need one ounce of dye for every four gallons of oil.
Watch the dye and it will seem like nothing is happening; however, the oil will glow a bright orange color under ultraviolet light. This is easiest to see when wearing filtered goggles, because they enhance the visibility of fluorescent materials. Most any ultraviolet light source, like an ultraviolet lamp or a UV flashlight, will help you see the dye doing its job.
For an easier time assessing the oil and dye, and to get the best visual, it’s recommended that you use both the filtered goggles and an ultraviolet light in your hunt to locate the leak. A handheld UV light allows for easy maneuvering as you look around the hydraulic machine’s lines, pipes and hoses with the goal of finding where the oil is escaping from. You should also have rags on hand to wipe oil off of fittings so you can see better and ensure you can correctly identify the origin of the leak.
After repairs have been made, clean the entire area affected by the leak with a solvent to remove oil and dyed oil. Check everything again with a UV light and goggles.
If you are in need of hydraulic system repairs or hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota, don’t hesitate to call the experts at M & M Hydraulic Company!
No matter how well you care for and maintain your hydraulic systems, leaks can still occur due to age or heavy, continuous use. Most machine operators will know to repair or replace a busted hose immediately, but when it comes to minor leaks, they may wonder whether it’s worth the time, effort and money to fix it now, or if they wait to see if the issue stabilizes. Why do they think this way? Because even the smallest leak will take away from production time. The long and the short of it is that hydraulic systems are not supposed to leak—not even a little.
Leaks need fixing, and like any repair, they will have some costs. Here’s a good question to ask a professional hydraulic service in Minnesota: What is the actual cost of hydraulic leaks? Let’s take a look at some of the primary costs that are involved with a minor leak.
Replacement oil
Topping the list of costs is replacement hydraulic oil. Every lost drop adds up—consider that on average you are losing one drop of oil per second. Over a single day, you could lose more than a gallon of hydraulic oil, or more than 35 gallons in a month, and over 425 gallons a year (this is just for replacement oil)! The average price per gallon of hydraulic oil is about $10, depending on the area you live in, the amount of oil you need to replace and whether you need specialty oil.
Environmental concerns
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has strict standards and policies in place to hold facilities and business owners responsible for oil leaks. The EPA is not likely to be forgiving on such matters. In fact, their policies and fines can only get tougher and heavier. This is all the more reason to check regularly for hydraulic leaks, seek professional hydraulic machine maintenance and make repairs as soon as a problem is discovered.
Hydraulic contamination
Something to take into consideration is hydraulic machine contamination. If oil can leak out of a machine, what’s to prevent airborne contaminants, water and harmful particles from getting inside? But while not all contaminants can be traced back to hydraulic oil leaks, a high percentage of hydraulic failures do indeed occur because of contaminants in the oil.
Cleanup costs
A leaky hydraulic system will cause an oily mess until the leak is discovered and fixed; there’s a mess even after the leak has been stopped. Unfortunately, between routine cleanup and final cleanup, the costs are often left out of the equation, leading to added expenses. The cleanup costs includes devotion to cleanup and the money needed to buy cleanup equipment, like detergents and absorbent cleaning pads.
To learn more about the importance of fixing minor hydraulic leaks, or to schedule any type of hydraulic service in Minnesota, call the experienced team at M & M Hydraulic Company today. We are your go-to local hydraulic repair experts who are ready to help with hydraulic repairs and replacement parts!
Hydraulic systems are complex and rely on regular maintenance to continue operating successfully. Because the systems rely on oil or an oil-like substance to run, it is extremely important that the oil in your hydraulic system is well-maintained and consistently cleaned. Dirty or degraded oil can cause your system to fail, and may result in costly replacement or repair expenses that can affect the health of your business.
Obtaining hydraulic services in Minnesota is the best way to ensure that your system is being properly maintained, and that its oil is in tip-top shape. Regularly scheduling maintenance appointments with a trusted provider of hydraulic system repair can help you minimize your repair and replacement expenses, and ensure that your productivity levels remain high.
The process of maintaining hydraulic oil is involved and can be relatively challenging. Here are just some of the steps involved with successful hydraulic oil maintenance:
Read the manual: The best way to ensure that your system is properly maintained is to simply read the manufacturer’s recommendations. Reading your system’s manual will help you ensure that your system is being cared for as it was intended to be.
Gather the supplies: Before beginning the process of maintaining your system’s oil, you should first gather all of the necessary supplies. Typically, this will include a new filter, fresh fluid and any tools that you may need to open up your system’s fluid reservoir.
Observe safety precautions: There are a number of safety precautions that you should observe any time you are opening up your hydraulic system. The oil is not only naturally corrosive—it’s also extremely hot! Be sure to keep your team safe.
Change the filters: You should change all of the filters built into your hydraulic system any time that you are performing fluid maintenance. The filters can accumulate gunk, debris and burnt oil that may cause your system to operate less effectively.
Take a fluid sampleA small amount of fluid should be taken from the hydraulic system during maintenance for examination and testing. You should be able to determine the overall health of your system by the fluid’s color and relative viscosity.
Filter your fluid: You should put your fluid through an extensive filtration process to clean it of any burnt oil, paint residue or other types of gunk that may have formed. During the filtration process, continue cleaning out your system’s reservoir.
Since 1976, M & M Hydraulic Company has been the most trusted provider of hydraulic services in Minnesota. We are known for our attention to detail and dedication to client satisfaction. You can count on us to provide you with high-quality hydraulic system maintenance and repairs. Our helpful technicians are here to ensure that your business has the tools it needs to continue operating successfully throughout the year, and we are dedicated to keeping your doors open no matter what.
If you are experiencing trouble with your hydraulic system or simply want to schedule a preventative maintenance appointment, reach out to one of our helpful associates today!
Hydraulic systems are used in a number of industrial applications because they allow workers to leverage a substantially higher amount of power than would otherwise be possible. Hydraulic systems work by transferring force applied at one point to another place using a fluid that cannot be compressed. Typically, an oil-like fluid is put inside of a pipe connecting two pistons. The oil in the pipe allows force applied to one piston to be seamlessly transferred to the second piston. Keeping the oil-filled pipe clean is an extremely important part of keeping your hydraulic system running smoothly and effectively.
If you rely on hydraulic systems to perform your daily duties, you should seek out regular hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota. Without professional maintenance services and regular cleanings, your expensive hydraulic systems may need to be replaced prematurely. Ensure that you are making the most of your hydraulic system by having it routinely cleaned.
Each time that a hydraulic system is cleaned, great care must be taken to ensure that no contaminants enter the delicate machinery that makes hydraulic action possible. The best way to clean your system is to take it in for professional assistance during an appointment for hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota. Here are some of the steps involved with cleaning a hydraulics system:
Drain the system: While the fluid is at operating temperature, you should begin draining all of it out of your hydraulics system. Be sure to double check all lines and cylinders for any fluid accumulation that may have occurred. Ensure that the system is fluid-free.
Clean the reservoir: Ensure that the fluid reservoir is completely cleaned out by taking a lint-free rag and removing all evidence of sludge and other types of deposits. Don’t forget to remove any softened or loose paint that may have begun to peel.
Fill with a flushing fluid: Fill the reservoir completely with a lower viscosity fluid than what you would typically use to operate your system. Continue flushing the fluid through the system until the desired level of cleanliness is reached throughout the system.
Replace the filters: While the flushing fluid is as hot as possible, drain it completely out of your hydraulics system. Once this is complete, replace all of the system’s filters, and clean the reservoir once more with a fresh, lint-free cloth. Be sure to clean completely.
The best way to reliably clean your hydraulic system is to schedule an appointment for hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota. With professional assistance, you can rest easy knowing that your system has been properly cleaned.
For more than four decades, M & M Hydraulic Company has been the premier source of hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota. You can count on us to deliver prompt and professional services to all of the hydraulic systems that you regularly rely on. We are proud to be the Upper Midwest’s foremost authority on hydraulic and pneumatic maintenance and repair. If your system is in need of repair or routine cleaning and maintenance, contact one of our helpful service representatives today to learn more about our extensive service offerings.
You properly maintain all aspects of your car to ensure that it runs smooth at all times, right? You hopefully check and change the oil before it starts to get old. You make sure your tires are inflated. You may even take it in to a mechanic periodically to have an expert give it a checkup. The list of preventative maintenance tasks you perform your car goes on and on. You do these tasks to ensure it’s running smoothly and so that you don’t need to take it in for emergency repairs.
In this way, your hydraulic systems are a lot like your car—they need to have regular preventative hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota to ensure that they work properly and don’t require expensive repairs. Here are some key maintenance tips and procedures to keep in mind:
Keep contaminants out of the system: Nothing causes a hydraulic system breakdown faster than dirt and grime accumulation. Thoroughly clean the area around the dipstick as often as you can, and always keep fluid containers sealed when you’re not using them. When you need to add fluid, make sure you pour the fluid directly from the container into the system.
Change the fluid and filter every 50 hours: Your hydraulic system is just like your car—it needs regular fluid changes to keep it working properly. Fluid changes not only ensure that the system will operate smoothly; it’ll also decrease the chances of the fluid becoming contaminated with particles and breaking down.
Check the fluid temperature during operation: The last thing you want is for your system to overheat while you’re using it. To make sure that doesn’t happen, you should always keep an eye on the temperature gauges to make sure the fluid temperature is at a safe level.
Check the oil before each use: This is the easiest task of all. Before you use your equipment, take a second to make sure that the oil level is correct and that the oil doesn’t look foamy or milky. Strange looking oil could be an indication of an air leak, which could be an expensive repair if it’s left untreated.
Listen for pump problems: If you hear strange noises or rattles while your system is in operation, you could have a serious problem with your hydraulic system. A pump problem will not only be expensive; it’ll also keep you out of business for a period of time. Using your ears to hear problems in the system before they get worse is a great form of preventative hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota.
Keep cylinders and motors clean: Just like your hydraulic fluid system, the cylinders and motors in your machine need to be kept clean at all times. It only takes a little bit of dirt to damage your system.
As the old saying goes, prevention is the best cure—it’s true for our bodies, our cars and our hydraulic systems! Before you need an expensive cure in the form of repairs to your hydraulic system, contact M & M Hydraulic Company today for preventative hydraulic maintenance in Minnesota.
A hydraulic system that is contaminated can severely hamper your company’s productivity. In fact, up to 80 percent of hydraulic system failures are actually related to contamination somewhere within the system. This means that constantly monitoring your system to make sure that it is free of contamination is imperative, and a provider of professional hydraulic services in Minnesota is here to help you do just that. Here are a few things that you should be paying attention to in order to make sure that your equipment is operating as efficiently as possible at all times.
Efficient filtration system
In order to create a filtration system that can truly be effective for your machinery, the most sensitive component of your hydraulic system should be addressed first. Even if the rest of your system is operating smoothly, if the filtration in any one specific area is lagging, it can bring the filtration of the entire piece of equipment down, and your system could quickly be clogged with harmful contaminants.
Once effective filtration is in place for the neediest parts of your system, you then have to make sure that the rest of the system’s cycle requirements are taken into account. Anticipated pressure drops and filter capacity are chief amongst the items to monitor when selecting the correct filtration equipment, as well as the filter’s placement for optimal operation. All of these components working together can help keep the amount of contamination in your hydraulic system low, allowing you to keep your machinery running to maximize production time.
Cleanliness and maintenance
One of the best ways to keep the amount of contaminants within your hydraulic system low is to make sure that your equipment undergoes routine maintenance. Continuing to operate a system that is functioning abnormally is one of the quickest ways to introduce harmful substances into your equipment, so making sure that your system remains clean and well maintained is key.
If your equipment continually has to work harder because it is not clean or lacks sufficient lubrication, your system will be susceptible to premature wear. This will eventually lead to downtime that is caused by costly and untimely repairs, which can cause your business even more problems than the repairs themselves. Spending money up front on routine maintenance is the most cost-effective solution, and if you are able to avoid even one hour of downtime, any costs will have been well worth it.
For help with routine maintenance and making sure that you are getting the absolute best out of your equipment, give us a call at M & M Hydraulic Company. Our team has been serving as the premier hydraulic services experts in the Midwest for over 40 years, providing hydraulic services in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. We are ready to use our expertise to help your machine shop reach optimal productivity, so give us a call today to learn more about how our services can help your company. We look forward to working with you!
