One of the questions I am often asked is “What should the oil temperature in my hydraulic system be?”. The short answer to this question is 100°F to 120°F. When most people think about the effects of oil temperature in a hydraulic system, the immediate thought is on the subject of excessive oil temperature, and […]

Air bleed valves can be used anywhere in a hydraulic system when it is necessary to remove trapped air. However, they are most often used to remove air from the outlet side of a hydraulic pump. When used in this manner, they are sometimes referred to as “startup” valves. The use of a properly installed […]

When servicing and troubleshooting hydraulic equipment, we all make mistakes. After all, we are human. These mistakes can cost us in many ways and almost always result from a lack of competent training. Working around hydraulic machines can be a complex exercise, as it involves a great deal of science. To avoid these common mistakes, […]

There is a common misconception that the maximum pressure in a hydraulic system using a pressure compensating pump is limited to the pump compensator setting. However, the compensator pressure setting merely determines the pressure at the outlet of the pump itself. Many people do not realize that the pressure at different points in a hydraulic […]

Excessive heat can affect a hydraulic system in many ways. Generally, oil temperatures in excess of 140°F (60°C) will cause the oil to rapidly degrade. Other effects include accelerated wear of system components and damage to bearings and seals. Therefore, high oil temperature is a major concern. A properly sized and located heat exchanger in […]

Although cavitation can occur anywhere in a hydraulic system, it commonly occurs within the suction line of a pump. This will cause excessive noise in the pump – generally a high pitched “whining” sound. However, this excessive noise is only the tip of the iceberg! The real result of this phenomenon is severe pump damage […]

When most people think of preventive maintenance and reliability procedures for a hydraulic system, regularly changing filters and checking the oil level are the only things considered. When the machine fails, there is often very little information about the system to refer to when troubleshooting. However, proper reliability checks should be done with the system […]