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Thread: For the hydraulisists
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17th Jun 2019, 09:31 PM #1Philomath in training
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For the hydraulisists
For those who tinker with hydraulics. This is why seals should be replaced after a while.
IMG_0559.JPG
This is the piston from a bit of kit that was stripped down today as there was a suspicion that it was bypassing.
Michael
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17th Jun 2019, 09:54 PM #2Most Valued Member
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Only a suspicion??? With seals like that, I'm amazed that it went!!!!!
Thanks for the pic.
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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18th Jun 2019, 01:24 AM #3Most Valued Member
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What material were those seals, and how old were they?
Pretty decomposed!
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18th Jun 2019, 02:32 AM #4Most Valued Member
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I dont think that is an age related problem, I have replaced seals that were more than 50 yrs old that still held oil.
I think that has had an incompatable fluid in it, the seals look as though they have become hard and brittle and broken into chunks and the o-ring looks ok.
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18th Jun 2019, 07:47 AM #5Philomath in training
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They were a proper hydraulic seal (probably urethane) and the cylinders were running hydraulic oil. About 15 years old as far as we can guess. The rod seal (made of similar material) was intact but did not seal very well. The pieces did not seem very resilient, so how they hardened up we don't know. It's one of those bits of equipment that does not see much use.
Mystery...
Michael
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18th Jun 2019, 08:33 AM #6Senior Member
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Nasty
Cheap and nasty rubber there!
Viton is good.
Cheers
Roger
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18th Jun 2019, 10:23 AM #7Most Valued Member
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18th Jun 2019, 11:22 AM #8Diamond Member
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While Viton is a high performance material, earlier this year I purchased a couple of pump up pressure sprayers from Repco, after being assured that they could handle acetone. Within seconds of first using acetone in them they began misbehaving, and long story short, it was the Viton seals, which incidentally were exactly the same colour green as the seals Michael has shown. They began to swell, and by the time I returned the spray bottles a week or two later, just disintegrated when we pulled the assembly apart back at Repco's. I don't know if there is a colour code convention for identifying seal materials, but the only other time I came into contact with Viton gaskets, they were a similar colour as I recall.
Viton or not, those seals seem not to have liked the hydraulic medium that they came into contact with, and you may have to replace them sooner or later Michael.
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18th Jun 2019, 08:21 PM #9Diamond Member
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As Kryn said it's a wonder the thing worked at all.
All The Best steran50 Stewart
The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.
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18th Jun 2019, 09:15 PM #10Most Valued Member
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[QUOTE=Ropetangler;1952362]While Viton is a high performance material,[/QUOT
More than 6 Viton grades. A B F and some others.
I recall
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18th Jun 2019, 10:16 PM #11Diamond Member
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Thanks Eskimo, I was unaware of the different grades of Viton, I have only had limited exposure to it during my working years, but will consult Dr. Google for details sometime.
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18th Jun 2019, 10:23 PM #12Mechanical Butcher
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Just to mention about Viton, I would be very careful if it started to decompose.
Reportedly, if it is burnt it produces a particularly nasty chemical - hydrofluoric acid.
Advice: NEVER burn Viton.
I don't know if decomposition without heat is also hazardous, but I wouldn't assume it's safe.
Hydrofluoric acid burns are no laughing matter.
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18th Jun 2019, 11:15 PM #13Diamond Member
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It seems thatI have much to learn about Viton, I was completely unaware of the hydrofluoric acid connection. I am however aware of the dangers of hydrofluoric acid, and as you say it is quite unpleasant stuff. I don't think that the old seals would pose much of a threat (unless burnt perhaps), as when they came out, they had lost their elasticity, and looked like a mouse had been chewing holes in them, I was amazed at the state of them as I had considered Viton to be pretty impregnable, like glass or Teflon, but acetone had cut them unlike hot water on jelly. I should add that the result was not wet or gooey in any way, more like a dead dingoes donger from The Simpson Desert. Thanks for the additional info, I will take extra care of any Viton I have to dispose of.