What To Know Before You Buy A Hydraulic Tank
You may know it as a hydraulic tank, hydraulic oil reservoir, hydraulic fluid tank or another variation. Regardless what you call them, hydraulic tanks are one of the most important parts of any hydraulic system. Take a moment to learn these critical factors about hydraulic tanks to save yourself time, frustration and unnecessary expenses down the road.
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When it comes to building a hydraulic reservoir, tank manufacturers can cut corners in many ways without you knowing it. Unless you’re an expert, all hydraulic tanks probably look pretty much the same. In fact on the outside they do! It’s what’s inside and how they’re built that counts. Spend your money wisely. Before buying a hydraulic tank for your system, ask these pointed questions:
Do you pressure test each hydraulic reservoir you build?
Most hydraulic tank manufacturers don’t take the time to pressure test each and every tank they build. Instead they randomly take some off the line for testing. You have no way of knowing if the one they ship to you is the one with a pinhole that missed the test. Testing each and every hydraulic tank is the only way to ensure that none will leak – no exceptions.
Do your hydraulic tanks include anti-vortex?
One of the most important components in the entire hydraulic system is anti-vortex. Suction at the pump inlet creates a vigorous swirling action just like water draining from a sink. The vortex introduces unwanted air into the hydraulic fluid and that’s a serious problem. Never presume anti-vortex comes standard with each hydraulic tank. If it doesn’t include it, don’t buy it.
Do your hydraulic oil tanks include diffusers?
Put simply - it must have diffusers. Some hydraulic tank manufacturers may cut corners by excluding diffusers from their hydraulic fluid tank. Diffusers should not be left out. They improve cooling by distributing the heat in the hydraulic oil reservoir. They also separate entrained air from the fluid and help to prevent contaminating particles from reentering the system.
What welding method do you use?
The strength of hydraulic tanks and their associated parts are heavily dependent on proper welding techniques. Constant vibration of heavy hoses connected to the flanges in hydraulic tanks can cause metal fatigue and eventual failure. If you are getting an aluminum hydraulic reservoir insist that they use TIG welding on the flanges. It is much stronger than MIG welds. You can identify a TIG weld by its “stacked dime” appearance. To get more details and weld photos of an actual hydraulic reservoir tank, download our free guide, "10 Things To Know Before Buying A Hydraulic Oil Reservoir"
The guide is packed with further information about what to look for in hydraulic tanks. It puts you in a position of knowledge when purchasing hydraulic reservoirs from hydraulic oil tank manufacturers.