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Here are some important points to consider in designing and using your Hydraulic System:
1. Do not undersize the reservoir. The excess reserve oil dissipates the heat and will prolong the life of the pump. We suggest that 5 to 15 gallons of excess oil in the reservoir will offer substantial benefits in a cooler running system.
2. Air entrainment must be avoided in any hydraulic system. To avoid air bubbles in the oil:
3. Allow the reservoir to breathe. Adding an auxiliary ¾" vent on larger systems ensures good air exchange.
4. Support valves and hoses that are connected to the reservoir. If the overhanging weight of fixtures and piping causes the fitting to flex, the area around the fitting will fatigue and fail.
5. Do not over-tighten aluminum connections. See notes below on using aluminum fittings.
6. Do not engage cast iron fittings with the aluminum threads on the reservoir. The threads on cast iron fittings are rough and will tear the soft aluminum threads.
7. Replace that damaged or missing breather cap. Never stuff a rag in the filler or breather port to substitute for a cap.
8. When topping up or filling the reservoir, use only clean oil of the grade recommended by the pump manufacturer.
9. Do not split a fuel tank into part hydraulic and part diesel fuel. Most shops doing this work do not have access to the O.E.M. tank heads, so they cut a flat plate and weld it in place. The chances of fuel leaking into the hydraulic system, and vice-versa, is so great that some trailer owners will not allow their trailers to be connected to this setup.
If Propower is asked to combine a tank and reservoir, we will insist on a double wall at the separation. Each section of the tank will be individually pressure tested. The double walls are about one inch apart. The space between the double wall will be vented to the bottom of the combined tank. If a leak occurs at this 1/8th inch opening, it will drip on the ground indicating the tank's seals are defective. As a very temporary measure, this hole can be plugged with a small sheet metal screw until the tank can be replaced.
10. Please...do not rework a fuel tank and expect it to perform as a hydraulic reservoir. Most "Have I got a tank for you!" conversions that we have seen have never had the ports baffled internally because the tank would have to be split to work on the interior. Some were not set up to breathe properly. Some did not have magnetic plugs installed. Some were so dirty inside that the whole system was contaminated with sludge from the Diesel fuel and with weld spatter and filings from the added ports. Some still had the "Diesel Only" filler caps in place!
ALUMINUM FITTING CONNECTIONS & INSTALLATION RECOMMENDATIONS:
Wetline Reservoirs are made primarily from Aluminum because it is light, it resists corrosion, and it can be polished to a mirror finish. However, it is a very soft metal and requires special care to give optimum performance.
HANDLING:
Use care. Even rubbing your finger on a polished aluminum surface can cause fine scratches.
METAL FATIGUE:
Aluminum will not tolerate flexing. Mount the reservoir on a rigid surface, or use a spring mounting kit.
For example: Picture a six-foot long pipe screwed into a tank fitting. Now, move that pipe up and down repeatedly. You will find that the aluminum will fracture on the periphery of the weld. If the fitting is reinforced internally, an oil-can dent will appear a little way from the fitting and a crack will eventually appear in the center of that dent. This will happen on steel surfaces as well, but it will require flexing over a longer period of time to accomplish the same failure.
When installing your fittings into a fuel or hydraulic reservoir, please support your plumbing. Anchor the plumbing to the same surface as the reservoir so that they move in unison.
THREADED WELD FLANGE CONNECTIONS:
When making a connection to a reservoir, be certain the first threads are engaged properly. Forcing the connection increases the likelihood of thread damage due to the softness of aluminum.
When connecting steel to aluminum fittings use only the highest quality connectors. Cast iron threads are rough, and will tear the aluminum.
Remember that you are making a connection with tapered threads. Guard against over-tightening. Excessive pressure exerted when making a connection can result in thread damage and will make disassembly more difficult. Upon disassembly, the connector can tear out threads if a quality, anti-seize, sealing compound is not used.
TO SUMMARIZE:
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