How hot should Hydraulic cylinder get?

[oldnslo]

Ken,

years ago I was taught you should be able to hold a count of five on any reservoir or component to be safe (right around 150 deg)...anything hotter should be questioned...Seals and hoses start being affected around 185+

Industrial reservoirs rarely get to 130 degrees, mobile equipment reservoirs will regularly get above 150 degrees. I have been told that 220 degrees is not uncommon anymore on mobile equipment. Ag equipment I suspect runs in the same range since for "efficency" they are running engines hotter.

Side note: Engines run above 180 degrees and their seals last.

Roy

 

[jinman]

Touching dry 140 is a lot different than emersing in 140 liquid. Its a heat transfer thing. A great deal of difference in coupling the heat.
larry

Oh boy! Now we've opened this thread to all the medical types who will participate in a discussion of the central nervous system and tactile nerve stimulation in our fingertips. They'll go on for pages and pages of "I'm smarter than you are posts" without giving the OP the basic info he asked about. That is that there is nothing to fear about 140 degree hydraulic fluid inside his splitter cylinder, period.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Ok, So you're saying whatever the outside (ambient temp) is, the hydraulic fluid should be 100 degrees more? So at 32degrees F the hydraulic system fluid should be around 132 degrees F?

Yes, that what I think kennyd meant, that "a normal system usually will reach an operating temperature that is about 100F deg above the ambient temperature, which kinda make sense.

So if we are running in a minus 20F environment, we will end up with about 80F after a while......or a 110F environment, we will end up with 210F.....but it will, of course, also depend on flow slippage (power inefficiency) and cooling capacity.

If actual operating temperature will not reach-or will exceed, recommended operating temperature range for the application, we have a problem to solve. Warming or cooling oil.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Oh boy! Now we've opened this thread to all the medical types who will participate in a discussion of the central nervous system and tactile nerve stimulation in our fingertips. They'll go on for pages and pages of "I'm smarter than you are posts" without giving the OP the basic info he asked about. That is that there is nothing to fear about 140 degree hydraulic fluid inside his splitter cylinder, period.

Thats the beauty with a forum, one never know what path the spontaneous discussion will take......and I think it is acceptable as long posts, reasonably stays within the subject limits...in this case

Quote:
I split about 2 rick of wood today on my log splitter. Logs were all huge and pump was in low volume/high pressure mode most of the time. Cylinder was very warm to touch. Not so hot you could not hold your hand to it, but very warm. I would guess about 140 degrees. Is this to hot? I have a 10 gallon tank and have never felt it this warm before. Usually, I split when it is much cooler outside. It was near 80 degrees today
:thumbsup:

 

[RickB]

Oh boy! Now we've opened this thread to all the medical types who will participate in a discussion of the central nervous system and tactile nerve stimulation in our fingertips. They'll go on for pages and pages of "I'm smarter than you are posts" without giving the OP the basic info he asked about. That is that there is nothing to fear about 140 degree hydraulic fluid inside his splitter cylinder, period.

Jim, I almost thought for a minute that I had logged in as you and posted that!

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I agree with the 180-200F range. Many hydraulic fluids start to break down pretty fast when they cross 200-250F.

Some are closed systems and others are open meaning there is some flow even when a cylinder is not moving which helps with the cooling of the fluids.

Transmissions and hydraulic systems will "warm up" when they are not doing work but the engine is causing the pumps to run. The JD BH manual states to not to do any heavy lifting/digging in cold weather for 30 minutes. Filters are often in by-pass mode until the fluids warm up.

Anytime fluids are being put under pressure heat is generated because there is friction. For tractors I think the engine block is a huge source of hydraulic heat build up.

 

[IceStationZebra]

Industrial reservoirs rarely get to 130 degrees, mobile equipment reservoirs will regularly get above 150 degrees. I have been told that 220 degrees is not uncommon anymore on mobile equipment. Ag equipment I suspect runs in the same range since for "efficency" they are running engines hotter.

Side note: Engines run above 180 degrees and their seals last.

Roy

How hot "rubber" components can get is total dependent on the material type. And unless one is talking about thermal formed hose or the like, there is no absolute temperature limit. A higher temp will just deteriorate the material faster, just like the hydraulic oil, and eventually leaks or starts on fire. It is an interesting happenstance that the average (i.e. cheap) seals cook at about the same temp and rate as the oil. So I agree with several posts that keeping the oil warm but not over 180F is a good practice.

As far as the engine oil seals go - they are using better materials than the cheap O-rings using in most hydraulic components. They can easily justify the extra 50 cents in material cost vs. $$$$ in fixing a rear main seal under warranty.

ISZ