A hydraulic cylinder is the backbone of any hydraulic system. The purpose of a hydraulic cylinder is to provide linear force by guiding the piston as it pushes the hydraulic fluid. Thus, if your hydraulic cylinder has an issue, it will affect the overall performance of your hydraulic system.
Nonetheless, hydraulic cylinders are prone to wear and tear and can also incur damages. However, detecting if your hydraulic cylinder has an issue can be challenging. As a result, you should familiarize yourself with the various signs that indicate your hydraulic cylinder needs repairs.
So, here are three telltale signs that signify your hydraulic cylinder needs repair.
1. Fluid Leaks
A hydraulic cylinder should enable the piston to push the fluid through without any fluid loss. However, if your hydraulic cylinder has suffered any external damage or the seals and valves have worn out, it may cause the fluid to leak.
Neglecting hydraulic cylinder leaks can compromise the efficiency of your hydraulic system by reducing the linear force produced. As a result, your hydraulic system may use more power to compensate for the force lost due to the leak.
Hydraulic cylinder leaks are easy to detect because you will notice the presence of fluid in the exterior walls of the hydraulic cylinder. Thus, if you see fluid anywhere outside the hydraulic cylinder, you should call a hydraulic cylinder repair contractor to fix the leaks.
2. Strange Sounds
A hydraulic cylinder should only produce a smooth humming sound as the piston moves through it. However, if you come across knocking or banging sounds from the hydraulic cylinder, aeration might be the cause.
Aeration refers to the development of air bubbles in the fluid. As the air bubbles get compressed in the hydraulic cylinder, they pop, causing a banging or knocking sound.
Nonetheless, a hydraulic cylinder should be airtight. Hence, if you encounter aeration, the hydraulic cylinder seals or casing are allowing air to enter. Thus, you need to call a hydraulic cylinder repair contractor to assess and fix the issue.
3. Actuator Slows Down
A hydraulic actuator is a component that controls the movement of the piston through the hydraulic cylinder. Unless you change the actuator settings, it will provide a consistent range of motion to the piston. Therefore, if you notice that the actuator is randomly slowing down, there may be an issue in the hydraulic cylinder.
In most cases, an actuator will slow down if the piston encounters excess friction inside the hydraulic cylinder. However, a piston should move smoothly inside a hydraulic cylinder. Hence, if the piston encounters resistance in the hydraulic cylinder, it can only mean that the hydraulic cylinder walls are restricting its motion.
Thus, you should have a hydraulic cylinder repair contractor check if the internal walls of the hydraulic cylinder have an issue.
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