| The well designed and well manufactured Hydraulic | | | | working when the machine stopped? |
| machinery is very reliable; it is going to give you a lot | | | | • Go back to the information about the |
| of years of production without giving you trouble in | | | | machine you collected before. Check the hydraulic |
| most cases. This sounds good, but reality is that | | | | schematics, trace the path from the pump to the |
| even you give your hydraulic machinery the best | | | | actuator, how many valves are there, what kind. |
| preventive maintenance, such as changing filters, oil | | | | Take into account that there are some components |
| on a regular basis, sometimes the machine is going to | | | | that are common for different movements or |
| stop Typically, it will not be in a convenient moment, | | | | actuators, like pumps, relief valves, some directional |
| it may likely occur when you need it most, when you | | | | valves, some flow controls.o At this point, after |
| cannot stop production. | | | | comparing notes you should have in your mind two |
| When you are facing a situation like this, the better | | | | or three or even more possible causes. Now is the |
| prepared you are, the faster you are going to take | | | | moment to act. Let’s say you have two |
| your machine back working. | | | | possibilities, and then you need to think in how you |
| So, what do you need to do to perform a fast | | | | are going to perform a test to disprove or confirm |
| troubleshooting in your hydraulic machine that allows | | | | one of them. To do so, you need to isolate the |
| you to come back to normal? | | | | hydraulic element and use a Flow meter with |
| I am going to discuss two different things, what to | | | | pressure gauge and load valve built in (relief valve). |
| do before, and how to initiate some easy | | | | For example: if it is a pump you are trying to |
| troubleshooting. | | | | eliminate, you connect the flow meter direct to the |
| When I say before, I mean when the machine is | | | | outlet, start the machine and check the flow, first |
| working well, and you have time to work on the | | | | without load and then with it, closing the load valve. |
| following: | | | | If the reading of the flow at max pressure (setting |
| • Learn Hydraulics. Yes, if you are not familiar | | | | of the machine) is around 90% of the flow without |
| with hydraulics, start from this point. If you want to | | | | load we can say that the pump is good, so the |
| resolve a problem fast, you need to learn how | | | | problem is caused by the other element. |
| hydraulics works. If you have some knowledge, be | | | | Off course, all of the actions I described above are |
| sure of you know how all the hydraulic components | | | | quite general, but the idea is that in order to discard |
| work, how they handle FLOW, PRESSURE and | | | | or confirm that a hydraulic element is the cause; you |
| DIRECTION. How all of them are connected to each | | | | need to follow the path from the pump to the |
| other in your machine. | | | | actuator that stopped and perform the flow and |
| • Gather as much information related to the | | | | pressure test adding an additional element like the |
| machine as you can, schematics, lists of components, | | | | relief valve after the pump, and so on until you get |
| manufacturers, catalogs, breakdowns, pressure | | | | to the cylinder. |
| settings and testing points. | | | | In brief, hydraulic troubleshooting is difficult but with |
| • Familiarize with the machine, check the | | | | the hydraulic knowledge, machine information and |
| information you have gotten out, how many | | | | equipment (flow meter) is much easier and definitely |
| actuators (cylinders and motors), pumps and | | | | much faster. The last one is relatively easy to get, |
| different valves the system have. | | | | the second one is easy depending on the |
| When the situation occurs- don’t panic, and do | | | | manufacturer, and the first one is going to take more |
| the following: | | | | time but is the most worth it. |
| • Talk to the machine operator; try to get as | | | | Note: If you do not have a Flow meter, you can use |
| much information as possible in order to get a clear | | | | a 5 gal bucket to discharge the flow with a relief |
| understanding about all the circumstances when the | | | | valve and gauge timing with a watch, for example: If |
| stop happened. Was it at the beginning of the cycle? | | | | the bucket is filled in 15 secs, the flow is 5 x 60/15 = |
| In an intermediate point? Or which actuator was | | | | 20 GPM. |