Hydraulic systems do all the heavy lifting on heavy equipment. From compactors and cranes to the humble forklift. They all rely on hydraulics for their operations.
 
What is a Hydraulic System? 
A hydraulic system uses incompressible fluid to move heavy objects. A small force applied at one point of an incompressible fluid can be used to exert a much larger force at a second point in the fluid using Pascal’s principle.

Benefits of Hydraulic System

The three major benefits of hydraulics:

Reliability
Hydraulics operate without fail as long as the system is closed and impurities are kept out of the fluid. Failures are rare, unlike in other systems.

Power Density
Hydraulics can be used to move massive objects with a seemingly very small force.

Versatile Control
Modern hydraulic systems can be manipulated in all manner of ways. A forklift, for example, is a very simple implementation of hydraulics. It lifts goods and puts them down. A crane is a more complex implementation. It can lift a container weighing thousands of pounds off a ship, swivel around and put down that container somewhere else.

How Hydraulic Systems Work

Modern-day hydraulic systems function through the use of cylinders, tubes, and hydraulic power units.

Hydraulic Cylinders Systems 

This is the most basic kind of hydraulic system. It uses two cylinders, one large and one small, on opposite ends. A downward force is applied to the small cylinder. This force is transmitted through the fluid and induces an upward force on the larger cylinder.

Hydraulic Systems With Hydraulic Power Units

Heavy equipment relies on hydraulic power units instead of cylinders. Power in HPUs is still transmitted through the fluid but this fluid is pressurized by the use of pumps. HPUs require less space and can output far more power than cylinder-based systems.

How Heavy Equipment Hydraulic Systems Operate

A hydraulic power unit consists of a motor, pump, and fluid reservoir. The pump pressurizes the hydraulic fluid while the motor moves it around the tubes
 
Hydraulics are used in: 
​

• Cranes
• Moving loader buckets
• The tracks of tracked backhoes
• Raising and lowering the beds of dump trucks
• Compactors
• Jacks
• Plows

Hydraulic System Issues

Hydraulic failures often stem from issues in the hydraulic power unit.:

• The motor
• The pump
• The reservoir

Signs of a malfunctioning hydraulic system are:

• Erroneous hydraulic pressure displays
• Overheating
• Strange noises
• Poor and slow operation
• Oil flow rate problems

Call us when you spot any of these signs. Small problems left unresolved tend to turn into big ones.

Unusual Operation Noise

​The source of strange noises can indicate the cause of a problem: 

• Noisy pump - There’s air in the system.
• Noisy motor - The motor is damaged.
• Noisy relief valves - The poppets are worn.

Hydraulic Failure/Sluggish Operation

Don’t wait for your hydraulic systems to fail completely before calling us. Sluggish operation should alert you to the fact that something is wrong. The sooner you get it checked the better.

Inadequate Hydraulic Pressures

A malfunctioning pump won’t be able to sufficiently pressurize your hydraulic fluid. This in turn leaves your equipment woefully underpowered.

Hydraulic Oil Flow Problems

These are can be diagnosed by: 

• A high oil flow rate
• A low flow rate
• No oil flow at all

 
Such signs indicate issues with the pump often occasioned by: 

• Malfunctioning motors
• Hydraulic fluid failing to reach the pump
• Damage
• Poor construction
• Sheared couplings
• Reverse rotation of the pump
• Hydraulic oil bypasses the pump entirely.

Excessive Heat

Overheating is a bad sign in any system. Hydraulic systems overheat because of impurities in the hydraulic fluid. The fluid needs to be pure and incompressible for optimum function.
 
Impurities place an excessive strain on the system and overheating is just a symptom. Left unaddressed, total and catastrophic failure is guaranteed.

Click here to get in touch with us today for all of your hydraulic system maintenance and repair needs.

​Contact​

Click Here to contact us. We install, service, and repair HVAC systems on all kinds of buildings and machinery.  

Heavy Equipment Repair Services Charleston

Phone: 843-905-2441
Email: info@heavyequipmentrepairscharleston.com