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Thoroughly Clean Those Coolant Systems!
It's More Work Than "Dump and Recharge," But the Benefits in Fluid Life and Operating Costs are Huge
Keeping your coolant system clean absolutely extends the life of valuable fluids. You'll also see better tool performance and lower overall operating costs, because you won't be dealing with rancidity and the other issues that crop up when systems aren't up to par.
A good cleanout makes lots of things go away, including high bacterial counts, strong odors, chips or swarf, slime and build-up from hard water soaps. Cross-contamination, especially where different biocides are in play is avoided, and the clogging of nozzles and pipes that often signal a cleanout is needed, are eliminated. Productivity and worker satisfaction both improve, too.
To begin, choose a good cleaner. If you simply dump and recharge, the average time for bacteria to happily return to their original levels is just 4 days. Please call us for one of our cleaners we recommend.
A good cleaner accomplishes several things. It will:
- Remove swarf, chips and spent coolant
- Provide rust protection for machine surfaces after the cleaning is complete
and before rinsing
- Be compatible with coolant you'll introduce into cleaned equipment
- Not corrode the equipment it contacts during the cleaning cycle
Here's how to prepare:
- Remove foreign and loose materials from the central system's tanks and flumes, including welding rods, and anything caught in the dragout conveyors.
- Inspect the flumes and tanks for seams, cracks and other areas that provide pockets for spent coolant to hide: these are potential sources for contamination of fresh coolant.
- Turn on the central system to assure it functions properly before adding fluid to the system.
- To clean individual sumps, use these same procedures, except the note regarding flumes and tanks. Contamination levels build more quickly in sumps, so these should be cleaned more frequently than central systems.
For best results, we also suggest:
- 24 hours before dumping, add 1% concentration of cleaner and operate the system normally.
- When normal operation stops, but before dumping, boost cleaner concentration to 4% and circulate for 2-4 hours (depending on the cleaner), during which time the manual scrubbing can be done.
Now, you can dump, then rinse and recharge.
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Talk with Us Today
Call the metalworking experts at Acculube - we'll help you get the most value
from every lubricant and other critical fluid you buy, and avoid the common pitfalls that can cost you money.
Contact Us: 1.800.404.2570 or email us at sales@acculube.com
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