Unlike
automobiles we do not change the elevator’s hydraulic fluid every 3,000 to
5,000 miles. Often the hydraulic fluid
can be in an elevator for 20-30 years unless you have a proactive contractor to
educate the building and recommend oil care.
[Hydraulic fluid removed from a tank, note the sludge and sediment]
[After a proper tank cleaning]
[What we found on the bottom of one tank]
[What we found on the bottom of another tank]
Filtering of hydraulic
fluid & cleaning the tank – Elevator hydraulic fluid should be filtered
every 3 to 7 years dependent on usage & environment. High usage or dirty environment will cause a
buildup of sentiment from the air and break down of the pump and/or valve. When hydraulic fluid is filtered it should be
removed, the tank cleaned oil put back in.
There will be a loss of the original composition of the oil over time
which can be combated with the installation of additive to help restore some of
the fluids original characteristics.
New hydraulic fluid – Hydraulic fluid
should be replaced every 5 to 10 years, again, dependent on usage and environment.
New vs old fluid – Sometime in the last
10 years the way hydraulic fluid was produced has change, which means that new
fluid is not the same as the fluid that was produced 30 years ago. Just like most other advancements we make
things cheaper but not necessarily better.
The oil industry also changed the way they grade the composition to
compliment change in hydraulic fluid composition.
When oil gets too hot – When hydraulic fluid
gets too hot it gets burnt. Overheating or
burning creates sentiment in the oil which some people consider contamination. It is a good idea if you burn out a motor or
if you hydraulic fluid has been over heated to have it replaced. The overheating of the oil also changes the characteristics
of the fluid.
When water is
introduced to hydraulic fluid – When water is introduced to a closed system
it is very difficult to remove. There
are a variety of ways to remove the water from the system, none of them are
quick. You should always replace what
you can and put a water dissipation system in place.
Filtration bags – Some valve
manufactures make a filtration bag system to help purify hydraulic fluid. This is a great system but someone needs to
pay attention to the bag, as time goes by the bag collects debris. If the bag is left in too long, it will break
and spread all the debris it has collected as well as parts of the bag. The bag and debris will get stuck in the
valve and the elevator system will not work correctly. The issue with the bag is that it needs to be
monitored and in order to monitor it someone needs to remove the tank lid and
check it. We have walked into more than
a few buildings where a bag had been on for years and it created an issue because
no one clearly identified this as a check point. I.E. Large sign saying “check the bag” or “remove
the bag on XX/XX/XX”.
Valves – Valves can last a
very long time. Leading valve
manufacures recommend replacement of their valves after 10-15 years, again
dependent on usage and environment. Manufacturers suggest that after 3 to 5
years components need to be proactively replaced.
If
you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to
contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or
630-766-7230 ext. 107.
Also
check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.
No comments:
Post a Comment