Types, Causes, and Dangers of the Hydraulic Leakage

Hydraulic leaks happen often and should be addressed as soon as possible.  Even a small hydraulic leak can reduce equipment efficiency, increasing costs and potential workplace dangers. Aside from an expensive waste of hydraulic oil, leaks also lead to hydraulic fluid contamination, which wears out the equipment and reduces its lifespan. These leaks can occur externally or internally and create a host of problems if not repaired promptly.

External and Internal Fluid Leaks

While the most obvious signs of hydraulic leaks include visible puddles or oil leaking from external seals, internal fluid leaks are harder to detect. If left unaddressed, external and internal hydraulic leaks can damage your equipment and reduce efficiency.

Causes of Hydraulic Leakage

Indications of leaks go beyond puddles or leaky seals. The warning signs may be indirectly noticeable through odd equipment functionality and reduced efficiency. They occur when seals and gaskets break down over time, if the hydraulic cylinder is improperly adjusted, or if the wrong type of fluid was used. As we'll explain below, this easily leads to even more issues down the line.

Dangers of Leaking Hydraulic Fluid

From decreased performance and increased costs to faster component wear, hydraulic leaks lead to numerous issues, even severe injuries. If you notice any of the following, have your equipment inspected by your local hydraulic cylinder repair expert.

Oil Consumption Increase

Leaking hydraulics wastes oil, exposing your equipment to damage and driving up costs. It also damages the environment, though it's completely avoidable. To save time and money in the long run, consider increased oil consumption a sign that you might have a hydraulic leak. Finding and repairing the source of the leak will immediately start saving you money and preserving the lifespan of your equipment over the long run.

Reduced Machinery Efficiency

Most often, hydraulic leaks cause a gradual decline in efficiency, not a sudden, total malfunction. Still, the gradual inefficiency causes slower cycle times, which reduces work efficiency. Projects will take longer to complete, leading to ineffective use of resources and labor.

Risk of Malfunctioning Machine Components

Hydraulic contamination is the cause of 80% of equipment failures due to leaks allowing dirt, water, and air to enter the cylinder. These equipment failures vastly increase wear, eventually leading to major equipment malfunction – and not just to the hydraulics.

Severe Damage to the Environment

When improperly sealed, hydraulic equipment leaks millions of gallons of oil into soil and water. The publication Machinery Lubrication calculated that a leak of a single drop per second wastes 420 gallons of oil per year. It's the responsibility of the equipment operators to ensure minimal impact by keeping their hydraulic cylinders in proper working order.

Wasted Costs

While hydraulic oil must be routinely replaced, standard maintenance costs rise dramatically if there is a leak. Roughly multiply the number of hydraulic cylinders in your operation-wide equipment with the figure above, and you'll have some sense of the potential expense of even small leaks.

Risk to Personnel Safety

Most importantly, hydraulic leaks increase the chance of workplace injury. Severe leaks can cause equipment malfunction at the riskiest moment of a procedure, and even small leaks increase slip and fire hazards. Employees are put at risk of injury and lost wages, leading to production interruptions, compensation costs, and possibly even lawsuits.

TEXAS HYDRAULIC & EQUIPMENT – YOUR COMMUNITY HYDRAULIC PUMP EXPERTS

Texas Hydraulic & Equipment has been serving the Dallas-Ft for over a half-century. Worth area's hydraulic installation and repair needs. Our long-time industry experts have extensive experience working on every type of hydraulic cylinder and liftgate technology for some of the world's largest trucking and construction companies.

To have your cylinders inspected and repaired, don't hesitate to book an appointment or contact us with any questions.

Image Credit / Shutterstock / Irene Miller