Are Your Hydraulic Seals Dripping Fluid? 4 Things You Should Never Do
Posted on: 12 October 2016
Hydraulic leaks are more than a nuisance. They are huge problems that can cost you a lot of money in lost productivity and repairs. Naturally, your first instinct after finding a leak is to look for a solution that minimizes down time. However, you have to look for the right and safe solution. If you try to take a shortcut, someone could get hurt and you may have to stop production longer than you originally would have. Following are four things you should never do after finding a leaking seal.
Don't Ignore It
Any leak, regardless of how small, can be your first warning sign that big problems are on the horizon. Any leak, even a drip, can be the first sign that something is about to go wrong or that something is wrong further up the line. For this reason, you should never ignore leaks. Stop production immediately. If you continue to operate your equipment, you run the risk of having an eruption as pressurized hydraulic fluid works its way through the compromised line. Turn off your equipment, and fix the leak.
Don't Put Your Hands Near It
Do not put your hands anywhere near the leak until you have turned off your equipment. Hydraulic fluid is under extreme pressure as it works its way through the lines. The fluid is also extremely hot. If a small stream of pressurized hydraulic fluid breaks through the line while your hand is near it, you can get seriously hurt. The hydraulic fluid can burn you and may even penetrate your skin. It's not worth it. Turn off the equipment before inspecting the leak.
Don't Tighten The Nut
Sometimes leaks are caused by loose fittings. However, you should never simply tighten a fitting until you confirm that this is your issue. If you over tighten the fitting, you can ruin it. Also, you want to inspect the condition of the seal. The best thing to do is to take it all apart, inspect it, and put it back together properly.
Don't Reuse The Same Seal
Each time you take a fitting apart, you have to replace the seal. If you use the old seal, it may crack or lose its integrity when you put everything back together. They're only meant to be used once.
There are several things you should never do if your hydraulic seals are leaking fluid. Take your time to do things right, and you will be back up and running before you know it.
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