One of our members wrote to me regarding the following problem:
“We have a hydraulic system that operates two cylinders. The maintenance staff recently reported that the pump (piston-type) had failed – for reasons unknown at this time. The tank, valves and cylinders were cleaned and a replacement pump installed. The new pump is delivering a maximum pressure of 1,000 PSI and appears to be creating heat. Can you suggest some tips to find a solution to this problem?”
In any troubleshooting situation, no matter how simple or complex the hydraulic system, always start with the easy things first. This ensures that the obvious is never overlooked. In order for the ‘easy things’ to be obvious, the fundamental laws of hydraulics must be kept in mind:
–Hydraulic pumps create flow – not pressure.
–Resistance to flow creates pressure.
–Flow determines actuator speed.
–Pressure determines actuator force.
–Fluid under pressure takes the path of least resistance.
–When a fluid (liquid) moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure (pressure drop) without performing useful work, heat is generated.
Theory is great, but it always makes more sense when put into practice. So let’s apply these fundamental laws to the above situation in a way that ensures the easy things are not overlooked.
“The new pump is delivering a maximum pressure of 1,000 PSI…”
We know that a hydraulic pump can only produce flow (pressure is created by resistance to flow). It follows that if the pump can’t get oil it can’t produce flow. So check that the reservoir is filled with oil to the correct level, the breather is not clogged, the suction strainer or filter (if fitted) is not clogged, the pump intake isolation valve is fully open and the pump intake line is otherwise unrestricted.
If the pump is producing flow, then an absence of pressure indicates an absence of resistance to flow. Knowing this, and that fluid under pressure always takes the path of least resistance, the task now is to find the point at which pump flow is escaping from the circuit. If you’re skilled in reading and interpreting hydraulic symbols, the system’s schematic diagram (if available) can be useful in identifying possible locations.
“The new pump appears to be creating heat.”
Because heat is generated when there is a pressure drop without useful work, using an infrared thermometer or thermal imaging camera to check the temperature of individual components will identify the hottest part of the system – and the probable location of the internal leakage. Note that in a properly functioning system fitted with a piston pump, it is not unusual for the pump case to be the hottest part of the circuit. These checks should take less than 10 minutes.
Bottom line: not having a solid understanding of the fundamental laws of hydraulics and not following due process based on principles can result in costly troubleshooting mistakes. And to discover six other costly mistakes you want to be sure to avoid with your hydraulic equipment, get “Six Costly Mistakes Most Hydraulics Users Make… And How You Can Avoid Them!” available for FREE download here.