Pit & Quarry, February 2010
Pit Stop compartments consult your OEMs recommendations Hydraulic oil Think zinc and water dispersancy As you evaluate hydraulic oils for your construction equipment there are two key factors to consider zinc content and water dispersancy Zinc is an anti wear agent Its added to hydraulic fluid to help reduce friction and prevent premature wear of pumps motors and valves The zinc level in a typical industrial hydraulic fluid is between 300 and 500 parts per million Premium fluids contain as much as Routine maintenance procedures include sampling engine coolant as seen here 1200 parts per million Using hydraulic oils with less zinc will result in faster wear more downtime and higher repair costs The other factor to keep in mind is water dispersancy Industrial hydraulic fluids are usually formulated to separate water from oil Thats a desired characteristic in stationary applications But separated water can cause big problems in mobile equipment if its suddenly drawn through the system from the tank as the machine moves Furthermore if ambient temperatures are below freezing separated water can turn into ice and cause severe damage When emulsifiers are added to hydraulic fluid the water in the oil is dispersed and theres less risk of water related damage So make sure you choose a product that contains emulsifier additives And dont buy oils that claim to separate shed or release water One more thing When you put hydraulic fluid in your machine filter it first even if the oil is brand new New oil should be filtered to achieve a machine operating cleanliness level of ISO 18 15 Reused oil should be analyzed for wear particles and then filtered to achieve a machine operating cleanliness level of ISO 18 15 If any hydraulic components 44 PIT QUARRY February 2010 www pitandquarry com
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