Any experts on automatic, central greasing systems?

[Tinhack]

They should be injectors rather than splitters on a central grease system. Precisely to avoid all the grease being sent to the least restrictive point and nothing else getting greased.

Other machines like mills, lathes and shapers having central oiling systems have restrictions in the short runs. Sometimes these are adjustable but capped. They are nothing but a small valve to regulate flow. Others have a fixed venturi to regulate flow. I've never seen any specs on adjustment, so they must be set at the factory never to be touched again. Unless you're an owner restoring one.

Grease will certainly be harder to move, and bearings will need more grease than bushings. There must be a way to regulate the flow somewhere. Perhaps at each item being serviced.

I can understand why an air gap can't be passed--Air is compressible. I think the only way to be sure is to force-feed each line, with the end open. You may have to purge each line of grease first and start factory fresh.

 

[Anakist]

There must be a way to regulate the flow somewhere.

Like I said, central grease systems (should) use an injector rather than splitters.

That shows how they work. When the line gets pressurised it pushes grease in from an injection port, then fills a side port. When the pressure releases the spring pushes the plunger back letting the grease from the side port into the injection port. That way there is always a measured amount of grease injected each time the grease pump runs. The pump can be dumb and run every X minutes or seconds and just keep pumping until it reaches (for example) 3000psi. You buy different injectors (or daisy chain them together) to get more grease in some areas.

Fool proof method to ensure bearings and pins both get greased from a central system.

James

 

[Hay Dude]

Ran baler 2 hours on 7/10, 6 hours on 7/11 and 2 hours on 7/12. Everything seems to be ok. Up at the “splitter” (it’s like a valve body with 50 lines coming off of it) there is a small sensor with a light that comes on/off every 10 seconds. The light is functioning normally.

The monitor in the cab shows normal function, but I don’t fully trust it. Itprobably gets it’s signal from the sensor shown above.
I DO see grease coming from several fittings.

It‘s about all I have to go with as removing every line is not an option.