How many organizations accept Hydraulic Leaks because they do not understand how hydraulic leaks is a major source of contamination to any hydraulic system. Use this Tool Box Talk to educate your maintenance staff.

1. Tool Box Talk – Resolving Hydraulic Leaks
“Zero Leaks – Contamination Is Your Enemy”
General Rules That Must Be Followed Warning: Intermix/Interchange with Other
Manufacturers’ Components. This practice can be
These tips are not an option if you want to stop hydraulic dangerous. Leak‐tight seals that will withstand high
failures – yes, they can be eliminated or reduced pressure, vibration, vacuum, and temperature changes
drastically. depend on close tolerances and consistent, exacting
quality control in conjunction with good design
1. Never install a hose without having flushed out the
principles. The critical interaction of precision parts is
inside with clean fluid. Clean: Fluid must contain
essential for reliability and safety.
less than the largest micron rating allowed for any
component in the system. – The Swagelok Company
2. When installing a new hose to replace a leaking
one, change all leaking hoses at the same time. Hydraulic Hose Most Common Failure Modes
3. When a hose has wear due to an “operator”, it is
not an operator problem but a maintenance Wear – In pump bearings, close tolerance parts in
problem that needs to be solved with one of the hydraulic components
following:
Leakage – Causes contamination of the hydraulic fluid;
a. Rerouting of hoses
oil comes out and contamination goes in, causing
b. Protecting hoses using hose covers for abrasive
equipment not to function properly and ultimately
environments
failure.
4. Ensure maintenance techs are trained in and use
effective procedures. • Leakage of hydraulic fluid from hydraulic fittings
5. Only a small portion of maintenance techs should o Not following hose fitting or hose
possess the knowledge of troubleshooting manufacturer’s recommended installation best
hydraulics systems, unless a troubleshooting guide practices
is developed and taught to everyone; however, o Fittings may even need to be torqued or the
anyone who touches a hydraulic system, from use of a gage may be required
adding oil to changing hose, must be trained to a • Leakage of hydraulic fluid hoses, not the fittings:
specification and standard. Here are some of the o Hoses are not routed most effectively or
areas they must be trained on: protected using a protective sleeve
a. Hydraulic Fluid Contamination Methods
b. Proper Installation of Hydraulic Fluid Safety is an issue as well because oil on the floor could
c. Storage of Hydraulic Fluid cause someone to fall or the oil used may be bad for a
d. Micron Level Required for Equipment person’s health.
e. Proper Installation of Hydraulic Hose – this is
based on the hose and fitting manufacturers Warning: Do not just buy what is available; purchase a
f. If required: Proper Manufacture of a Hydraulic solution not a product.
Hose
NOTE: This is not an operator problem; it is a
NOTE: One Micron is so small one cannot see it. Most maintenance strategy issue.
hydraulic systems today must maintain their fluid at less
than 10 micron absolute. 25 microns is the size of a white
blood cell in our bodies.
If you have questions or need any type of assistance, GPAllied
4200 Faber Place
please email: rsmith@gpallied.com Charleston, SC 29405
Office (843) 414‐5760
Fax (843) 414‐5779