Troubleshooting Tips for Hydraulic Hand Pumps

Hydraulic systems are employed in a variety of applications and sectors, including autos, farm equipment, construction, and oil refining. Hydraulic hand pumps and motors are important components of every hydraulic system. These critical components guarantee that the hydraulic fluid flows through the system and delivers the necessary performance to fulfill the task at hand.

However, with time, you may notice a drop in the pump’s performance. When this occurs, it is critical to identify and treat the reason before it causes any damage to other elements and components in your hydraulic system.

Common Causes of Hydraulic Hand Pump Failure 

To determine the cause of pump failure and hydraulic difficulties, you must first understand how the system is meant to function and perform at optimal efficiency. Having this understanding is essential for recognizing when things aren’t operating properly.

Even if you don’t completely understand how the hydraulic system functions, you can keep an eye out for some frequent hydraulic problems:

Power Outage – When the system loses power, it is unable to fulfill the tasks for which it was designed. You must determine and repair the cause of the system’s power loss.

Overheating: This can occur for a variety of causes, including the hydraulic fluid not being cooled, fluid leaks, or relief valves that are jammed closed, preventing the fluid from being recycled.

Aeration of l – If air enters the hydraulic oil and system, it can create a variety of issues, ranging from power loss to damage to hydraulic hand pumps.

Over-Pressurization – When the system generates too much pressure, it can cause major difficulties, such as system failure.

Oil contamination – If dirt, dust, debris, or other particles enter the oil, they can cause damage to the pump and system. While certain pollutants are widespread, your system’s filters should be able to eliminate the majority of particles.

Implosion – This occurs when there are air bubbles in the fluid. As they pass through the pump, they collapse, releasing air and increasing pressure inside the system, causing shock waves that might harm the pump.

Improper Fluid Viscosity – Each system will need a certain sort of fluid to perform properly. If you utilize improper fluid, viscosity difficulties might arise, causing a variety of problems. Viscosity difficulties may occur when the fluid is not changed on a regular basis.

Aging – The age of the hydraulic hand pump, motor, and other elements and components can cause system issues and failures. Everything ultimately wears out and has to be replaced.

Water in the Fluid – If water enters the fluid, it can disrupt system functions.

Hydraulic Hand Pump Troubleshooting Checklist

Once you’ve determined where the problem is originating from, you may take action to correct and resolve it. If the problem is with the pump, use this troubleshooting checklist to narrow down the reason.

  • Make sure the pump is getting fluid.
  • Review the manual directional control valve settings.
  • Inspect the pump coupling for evidence of damage.
  • Inspect the fluid input pipe for leaks or damage.
  • Make sure the hydraulic motor is not running in reverse.
  • Review the manual pump relief valve settings.         
  • Check to ensure that the electrical wiring connections are proper.

After determining the cause of the pump issue and resolving it, do certain system tests to ensure that the problem has been resolved.

Solutions for Hydraulic Hand Pump

Please bear in mind that in order to successfully identify and handle the problem, you need to have a broad understanding of hydraulic systems, fluid dynamics, and other fundamental hydraulic principles.

For example, if the system overheats, it might be due to a fluid leak. As the fluid leaks out, the pressure drops which causes the system to generate greater heat near the breach.

If you used an infrared thermal scanner, you could determine which area of the system was the warmest and therefore likely pinpoint the source of the leak. In a fully operating system, the pump casing is often the hottest component.

Even the most experienced maintenance professionals may struggle to troubleshoot and diagnose hydraulic pump issues. There is considerably more to troubleshooting and resolving problems than what we have discussed here.

If you have tried our suggestions and are still unable to locate the source of the hydraulic hand pump problem, or if you have additional hydraulic issues, please contact us at Orione Hydraulics Pvt. Ltd.!