In chapter 13 of The Hydraulic Maintenance Handbook, I discuss the principle of engineering out issues that have the potential to cause recurring maintenance problems. Since maintenance occurs after the event, that is, after the machine is designed and built, this strategy is very much a retrospective one. Which means it’s desirable and preferable not to engineer in such … Read more
Tag Archives: hydraulic tank
Why The Hydraulic Tank is NOT an Oil Cooler
During a recent conversation I had with a member who builds hydraulic power units, this observation was made: “Oil coolers are generally resisted by customers because of initial cost and maintenance, so fitting a bigger reservoir, when possible, is often the preferred solution.”
I recall coming across the very same resistance when I was building hydraulic power units for end-user … Read more
Another Reason Why Pump Suction Strainers Shouldn’t Be Installed
I recently came across an article describing a failure that occurred on a hydraulic machine during the last northern winter. The extreme cold had caused the water present in the hydraulic oil to freeze on the surface of the installed suction strainer. When the hydraulic system was started the ice-clogged suction strainer imploded and the resulting debris destroyed the hydraulic … Read more