How to Select Hydraulic Oil ?

Hydraulic Oil or fluid is the main source of generating power or force in a hydraulic system. To maximize performance of a system, hydraulic oil is needed and it is very essential to select the right kind of oil. The right specification of oil is important for increase productivity and reducing downtime in any hydraulic applications. According to various research studies, the majority of problems in hydraulic machines is due to the improper hydraulic oils conditions. That is why when using any hydraulic system the user must select the appropriate oil in the first place. 

Selection Factors

• The first factor the user should check is the OEM manual. He should also check the specific lubrication rules or standards and other specifications.
• The most critical and expensive part of a hydraulic system is the pump. The operators need to find the maximum viscosity or thickness of the oil when the machine starts and how long it will run considering seasonal and other influences as well.
• It is to be noted that higher the thickness , more is the money spent on the machine as too much of extra force is required to pump the oil around the system. High viscosity oil creates more problems during winters. There is also chances of the pump getting damaged due to high viscosity. Other risks involved are cavitation and filter damage, leading to expensive downtime.
• On the other hand, there is risk involved in low oil viscosity as well. It can lead to the formation of insufficient lubrication film between the moving parts, which results in accelerated wear. This usually happens in areas of highly load contacts and can lead to severe failure in the performance of the system. Increased wear and tear of the hydraulic system can lead to problems like leakage, system noise during operation.
• It is thus advisable to always to check the OEM guidelines to find the correct viscosity of a hydraulic oil for use in a particular application.
• Once you select the correct viscosity oil, the next factor to consider is the actual temperatures in which the system will operate.
• Most hydraulic machines have wide operating temperatures depending on location, season , application area. All these play a vital role on the hydraulic oil viscosity and its lubrication properties. One of the effective method to find out any change in temperature is to check local weather reports over the past 1 year and also the highs and lows of summer and winter temperature. If you know the whole temperature range to which a hydraulic oil will operate, you can easily choose the oil to optimize performance. Once the temperature range is known, operators can then look to match it against the most appropriate oil.