WorldWide Drilling Resource

23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MARCH 2014 Hydraulic Training by J. Eric Freimuth Hydraulic Training Associates Troubleshooting Tips Part 7 To demonstrate the pitfalls of “act first, then think”, it is quite common to blame the pump first. Something has gone wrong, and the pump seems to be the logical selection for investiga- tion. Common sense seems to say if an actuator slows down or stops, then it must be the pump. If the trou- bleshooter bends to the temptation of replacing the pump with no additional thought applied, then we are into the traditional “hit and miss” mode of trou- bleshooting. (Although you might get lucky.) This mode, in the majority of cir- cumstances, leads to a long and costly process of locating the fault in solving the problem. This led me to write an article for the Fluid Power Journal in 2004. I bor- rowed the acronym from a famous TV series, but it worked so well. CSI of Troubleshooting When a crime has been commit- ted, the police send out investigators to solve how it was done. They need to have a good understanding of what could be expected, possible scenarios of what happened, and if it could have been prevented. They must be trained and come ready with tools that will help them in the investigation, as well as the discipline in not jumping to conclusions until all the facts have been gathered. Troubleshooting problems in our hydraulic systems should be looked at in the same fashion. Here are some basic pieces of information to take with you to every hydraulic crime scene: 1. Know the fundamentals of hy- draulics. 2. Know the basic components used. 3. Understand the operation of the system. 4. Listen to what is being said about the problem and write it down. 5. Examine the system schematic and isolate components that re- late to the symptoms described. 6. Check pressure settings after the repair or replacement of com- ponents, before the start-up. 7. Replace filters and oil before start-up. 8. Isolate what may have caused the problem and what can be done to prevent causing a premature re- occurrence. 9. Make a record of what was done and components replaced for future information. 10. Plan another examination short- ly after repairs for follow up. Know the components in the sys- tem, know the basics of hydraulics, think before you act, and examine the schematic to isolate the components relating to the symptoms before you remove parts. Follow these steps and you will be successful in your trouble- shooting. Eric Eric Freimuth may be contacted via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com (via Facebook) Thank you Ronnie and Jan for being such troopers and being at the Minnesota Water Well Association Show! We loved having you in Alexandria, MN, again and being part of our show! We are hoping for warmer temps next year, some- thing at least ABOVE zero the en- tire time you’re with us!!! WWDR is a great asset to the industry. Dave Schulenberg Executive Director Minnesota Water Well Assoc.