How To Detect Leaks in Your Hydraulic System

Hydraulic leaks are a big problem. They contaminate your machinery and cost you lots of time, energy, and money. The worst part is that these leaks often have no visual indicators, and when operators notice a problem, it becomes infinitely more costly and difficult to fix. This means that learning how to detect leaks in your hydraulic system is critical for maintaining profits and equipment performance.

Flow Meters

Ultrasonic detection and temperature measurement can help you determine the approximate location of an internal leakage, but it cannot quantify the leakage. Knowing the amount of lost fluid is a critical part of determining exactly where the leak is coming from and how severe the problem is. A flow meter is the only reliable tool to tell you the amount of fluid lost in a specific time frame. Therefore, you should install flow meters throughout the hydraulic system, typically near case drains and pumps, to detect the leak location more accurately. While you should handle all leaks as soon as possible, you should approach a slow drip versus a pour very differently.

Oil Colors

Using hydraulic oil with a distinctive color can help staff locate where a leak is coming from much faster, regardless of their experience with the machine. When determining the right hydraulic fluid to use, consider using fluids with different colors. However, this isn’t always an option, especially if you don’t want to change your oil type. Instead, you can also use hydraulic oil dyes that won’t affect the performance of your oil. But be warned, you can’t use regular dye, such as food dye, on your hydraulic fluids. Food dye formulations are water soluble and will likely boil off and catch in the filter.

Fluorescent Detection

Fluorescent detection is another way to dye your hydraulic oil and is perfect for very small leaks or leaks that are difficult to find. Fluorescent dye is sensitive to black lights, and when a black light shines on it, it’ll glow a bright green or yellow. Simply add the dye to your hydraulic reservoir and run the machine as normal. The darker your oil is, the more fluorescent dye you’ll need.

Now that you know how to detect leaks in your hydraulic system, it’s important to train your staff on how to notice leaks as well. When everyone is on the same page, it becomes much easier to spot leaks early and take care of them before they grow into major problems.