The performance of machinery depends on the integrity of the hydraulic hoses. These supply the lubricant that keeps the moving parts from overheating or rubbing against each other. Over time, hydraulic hoses develop leaks and other defects that affect their effectiveness. Such defects have to be repaired quickly so that the machine's performance isn't adversely affected. This article discusses some tips that you should keep in mind when conducting hydraulic hose repairs.

Use A Sheet Of Paper To Identify Tiny Leaks

If you see signs of a pin-hole leak (such as an oily machine part) but you cannot locate where the leak is, use a sheet of paper to find out where hydraulic fluid is flowing out of the hose. Just place the sheet of paper close the different parts of the hoses. The source of the leak will immediately become evident when you see the sheet of paper becoming wet from the leaking fluid. This tip will save you lots of time that would have been lost to examining the entire hose visually for the leak.

Mark The Leaking Hose Once You Find It

Hoses normally run together so it is very easy to forget which one you identified as the leaking one. This is particularly possible since it may be hard to start working on the repairs after conducting an inspection to identify the leak. You may need to get your toolkit from the tool room. You may find it hard to identify the leaking hose from the several identical hoses on your equipment if you had not used a sticker or marker to differentiate the leaking hose from the others. Avoid the double work of repeating the identification check by marking or tagging the leaking hose as soon as you find it.

Treat All Injuries Immediately

It is advisable that you seek immediate medical attention if you are injured while conducting hydraulic hose repairs. This is because even the tiniest injury to your hand can result into the injection of hydraulic fluid into your tissues. That injection of fluid can cause extensive tissue damage so seek medical advice to protect yourself from such an outcome.

Hydraulic hose repairs should be left to trained personnel who understand the sensitivity of hoses in machinery. This is because any error made can result in catastrophic failure of the machine, resulting in injuries or death of personnel. The tips above can be of great help in avoiding such mishaps from happening. For more information, contact a company like Hydraulink.