WorldWide Drilling Resource

12 FEBRUARY 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Hydraulic Training by J. Eric Freimuth Hydraulic Training Associates Troubleshooting Tips Part 6 Many of the major hydraulic com- ponents are not visible from a single vantage point and time can be lost sim- ply in becoming familiar with the hydraulic system. This time is better spent review- ing the circuit diagram and relating the trouble symptoms to components which could be at fault. Often, the troubleshoot- er is under pressure to arrive at a solu- tion. Operators who work daily on the equipment are a great source of informa- tion. They have an intimate understanding of how it should work and are usually the first to discern when a problem occurs. Gauges and flow meters installed in a system will be great assistants when checking what existing pressure and flow is. Assuring they are working correctly and are not themselves broken, is vital. A good starting point in the trouble- shooting process is to obtain a circuit diagram. Reviewing the circuit provides the opportunity to visualize how the in- dividual hydraulic components relate to both machine performance and the inter- relationship of one component to another. It is much easier and more rewarding to have a general overview of the hy- draulic system by looking at a drawing. Self-confidence gained by keeping a clear mind and approaching a solution in a logical fashion contributes to an early and successful conclusion. Unfor- tunately, in many manufacturing facilities and with most pieces of heavy equip- ment in the field, it is unusual for the circuit diagrams to be readily available at the machine. More than likely, they are stored someplace else and are dif- ficult if not impossible to find. Add to this knowledge the mental discipline to think first before acting. In addition to determining what is at fault, consideration must also be given to why the problem occurred and what should be done to keep it from happen- ing prematurely again. As you have seen, systems come in varied configurations and range from the simplest to the most complex. Eric Eric Freimuth may be contacted via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com 4< /*2'3* "& > > > > ,'< ? /2+ '6* /3+6 /3+6 ')1/3- " " !8=2+ /7843 4* 4* ')1/3- !+8 5)7 !8'3*'6* $'2:+ 9((+6 6':+2 $'2:+ 9((+6 !+'87 9((+6 $'2:+ 37+687 #6+8.'3+ $'2:+ 37+687 $'2:+ !56/3- ! ! $'2:+ 4:+6 '71+8 ? !;/:+2 ')1/3- ? !+6/+7 ? !+6/+7 ? !+6/+7 ? !+6/+7 ? !+6/+7 ? !+6/+7 < /3+6 < /3+6 < /3+6 < /3+6 < /3+6 6/)+7 !9(0+)8 "4 .'3-+ %/8.498 48/)+ !@ @ < < < < < An average of 100K injuries and 150- 200 deaths at construction sites each year are fall-related.