Image

The Trouble With Hydraulics Troubleshooting

March 29, 2016
Hydraulics system knowledge is a great advantage when troubleshooting. But without a reliable process, it's very easy for the troubleshooting effort to become hit and miss. But perhaps more importantly though, a reliable process often leads to the discovery of the knowledge required to solve the problem.

If you read my previous blog post about hydraulics troubleshooting, you'll recall I told the story of a monkey caught in an old Indian monkey trap. This story was an analogy for the importance of both knowledge AND process for a successful troubleshooting outcome. In response, Bill Smith sent me this:

"That is a great analogy. I am a USAF civilian (USAF retired) and work with military aircraft technicians as a field rep. I constantly hear from peers and leaders that personnel need system knowledge training and that is the end all to solve all troubleshooting problems. I have been trying to emphasize that the PROCESS and approach to troubleshooting is nearly as, or more important than, specific knowledge of a system.

I use the guitar as analogy for this. I can show a student the guitar, teach her where every note lies on the neck and strings, show her how it is constructed and so on, until they know everything about a guitar. Then I can hand it to them and say: "now play it" -- knowing full well they can't.

This is the difference between knowledge and expertise. Knowledge can be taught but expertise must be developed through practice. HOWEVER, if someone teaches you a PROCESS your practice is more effective and you fast track your way to expertise."


I couldn't agree more. Hydraulics system knowledge is a great advantage when troubleshooting. But without a reliable process, it's very easy for the troubleshooting effort to become hit and miss. But perhaps more importantly though, a reliable process often leads to the discovery of the knowledge required to solve the problem.

Case in point is the monkey caught in the trap. Even absent any knowledge about how the trap works, he CAN still figure it out. But only if he understands the troubleshooting process, and applies it correctly.

In The Hydraulic Troubleshooting Handbook, I outline and explain a 12-step troubleshooting SYSTEM that begins with checking the easy things first. The temptation of many is to dismiss this essential first step as too basic to be useful. But before YOU do so, consider that a colleague of mine in the hydraulics repair biz has calculated that over a period of 20 years his business has earned in excess of $2-million from service calls which were resolved in one of two ways:

  1.     adding oil to the hydraulic tank; and
  2.     adjusting the system relief valve correctly.

This helps to explain why hydraulics troubleshooting expertise is highly valued and sought after. It also telegraphs the fact that it's not too hard to look good at this; even a modest amount of hydraulics troubleshooting expertise can take you a long way.

Bottom line: failing to follow a reliable SYSTEM when troubleshooting can result in costly mistakes. And to discover six other costly mistakes you want to be sure to avoid with your hydraulic equipment, get "Six Costly Mistakes Most Hydraulics Users Make... And How You Can Avoid Them!" available for FREE download here.

About the Author

Brendan Casey Blog | Author

Brendan Casey is a war-weary and battle-scarred veteran of the hydraulics industry. He's the author of The Hydraulic Troubleshooting Handbook, Insider Secrets to Hydraulics, Preventing Hydraulic Failures, The Definitive Guide to Hydraulic Troubleshooting, The Hydraulic Breakdown Prevention Blueprint and co-author of Hydraulics Made Easy and Advanced Hydraulic Control. And when he's not writing about hydraulics or teaching it, Brendan is flat-out helping consulting clients from a diverse range of industries solve their hydraulic problems. To contact him visit his company's Website:
www.HydraulicSupermarket.com

Continue Reading

May 10, 2017
Author Brendan Casey lays out his hydraulics know-how that he acquired over 27 years in a simple handbook made for people that want to improve their skills in troubleshooting ...
Dec. 12, 2024
The incoming Trump administration is focused on implementing tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. which could impact the recovery projected for fluid power and its customer...

Sponsored Recommendations

May 15, 2024
Production equipment is expensive and needs to be protected against input abnormalities such as voltage, current, frequency, and phase to stay online and in operation for the ...
March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...
March 13, 2024
Introducing the All-In-One DC-UPS, a versatile solution combining multiple functionalities in a single device. Serving as a power supply, battery charger, battery care module,...
March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...