Appeared in print as "Fluid dye IDs leaks"
Maintenance technicians should never use their fingers to try to locate the source of a leak in a hydraulic system. Instead, a safe and popular alternative is to use a fluorescent dye in the hydraulic fluid. Spectronics Corp., Westbury, N. Y., offers Oil-Glo 22 fluorescent dye to pinpoint leaks in mobile and industrial hydraulic equipment.
Simply add a small amount of Oil-Glo 22 dye to a hydraulic system and allow it to circulate for several minutes. Wherever a leak occurs, the dye escapes with the oil and accumulates at the site. Scanning the system with a high-intensity ultraviolet light will cause the dye to glow a bright yellow, clearly revealing the location of all leaks — even small leaks undetected by other methods.
After leaks have been repaired and sites have been cleaned, scanning the system again with the UV lamp will confirm whether the leaks have been eliminated. If there is no glow, the leaks were fixed.
Oil-Glo 22 remains safely in the system until the oil is changed, making it ideal for preventive maintenance. Periodic inspections with the lamp can detect small leaks before they become serious.
For more information about Spectroline Oil-Glo 22 fluorescent dye, call (516) 333-4840 or visit www.spectroline.com.
