4 Things You Should Check If Hydraulic Hoses Keep Failing
Hydraulic hoses usually last for a long time if they are used under the conditions that they were designed to withstand. However, you may be experiencing frequent hydraulic hose failures in your construction equipment and you don't know what could be causing those failures. This article discusses some of the issues that you should investigate in case you have been experiencing frequent hydraulic hose failures in your construction equipment.
The Routing
The hydraulic hose failures that you may be experiencing could be because the hoses were routed wrongly during their installation. This is because the hoses could be subjected to abrasive forces due to that improper routing. For instance, the hose may be in contact with a moving component that gradually causes the protective casing of the hose to wear out. This can cause the hose to start leaking prematurely.
Pressure Surges
Relief valves usually protect hydraulic hoses from the pressure surges that occur within the system from time to time. However, some pressure surges are beyond what the relief valves can handle. Such pressure surges can strain the hoses excessively. The hose may not last long in case it keeps being subjected to those pressure surges. You need to identify the peak surge levels that regularly occur within your hydraulic equipment. Replace the worn hoses with hoses that have a higher-pressure rating so that the surges don't exceed the pressure rating of the hoses.
Adverse Ambient Temperatures
Hydraulic hoses are also affected by the ambient temperature in the equipment where they were installed. The hoses may fail if they keep being subjected to ambient temperatures that are outside their safe operating range. For instance, poorly maintained hydraulic equipment may overheat. Such excessive heat is likely to wear out the external casing of the hydraulic hoses.
You need to check the ambient temperature around the hydraulic hoses. Buy hoses with a higher ambient temperature rating in case it is not possible to create temperature conditions that favour your current hydraulic hoses.
Improper Fittings
The hydraulic hoses may also be failing frequently because the fittings used with those hoses are the wrong ones. Fittings may be reusable or crimped. Crosscheck the manufacturer's guidelines and confirm that you are using the right type of hydraulic hose fittings.
You should never replace hydraulic hoses until you have isolated why those hoses failed. Consult hose suppliers for help in case you are unable to confirm what caused the hydraulic hoses on your equipment to fail prematurely.