Gearbox Summer Tips

A publication of

What Summer

Tips Do We Suggest?

Spare Gearboxes

Checking Your Oil

Analyzing Your Oil

Changing Your Oil

Determining The Right Oil For Summer Time

Check Seals & Monitor Vibration

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SPARE GEARBOXES

1

Summer is the most important time to keep your cooling tower running efficiently. ALWAYS be sure to keep a spare gearbox handy just in case your current gearbox were to breakdown.

Find Your Gearbox

CHECK YOUR GEAR OIL

2

Check Your Oil! Check your oil level and check for debris in your oil. It is highly recommended to check your oil every month.

ANALYZE YOUR OIL

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Have your gear oil analyzed quarterly. We recommend the Karl Fisher analysis for accurate water content. Your water content should be <.01%.

**No matter what analysis you receive, it should include viscosity and a total acid number (TAN). If there is an increase in both of these, change your oil immediately!

Read More About Analyzing Your Oil

CHANGE YOUR OIL

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Just as you change your oil in your car, you need to change your gearbox oil every 2,500 hours or every 6 months regardless if it’s mineral or synthetic.

Learn More About Common Gear Drive

Maintenance

BEST OIL FOR SUMMER

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Synthetic oils generally last longer and handle high temperatures better than mineral oils. Synthetic oils have a maximum temperature of 220 F while mineral oils only have a maximum temperature of 180 F.

WHAT OIL SHOULD I CHOOSE?

5B

Which brand of oil should I use? Many brands say they are the “best” and if you have been happy with an oil brand so far, we recommend that you keep using it! However be sure that your current oil follows manufacturer guidelines and that it does NOT include Extreme pressure or “EP.”

CHECK & MONITOR

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Check your seals. If you have the standard Nitrile Rubber seals, they will last around 3-5 years (under continuous operation). You can upgrade to Viton to extend the life of your seals; however whichever seal you choose, a proper seal will ensure the right oil levels at all times.

CHECK

Monitor your vibration. The easiest way to do this is to mount your vibration switch on the outside of the fan stack. This will allow you to avoid corrosion and avoid getting a confined space permit! Also, we advise you to consider using a vibration transducer. This will give you the most accurate reading, avoiding catastrophic failure.

MONITOR

KNOW THE WHOLE PICTURE

Your gearbox is important

GET THE GEARBOX

HANDBOOK

www.coolingtowerdepot.com

Gearbox 101(720) 746-1234