How To Manage Coolant In The Workshop

In our last blog we looked at 3 types of coolant and the strengths and weaknesses of each product. In this post, we will look at the steps you can take to get the most out of your coolant.

1. Keep A Log

The first step in any coolant management procedure should be to keep a log of your sump. Basic information should be logged such as:

• How much coolant is in the sump.
• The type of coolant you have.
• The date the sump was changed.
• Any extra additives you may have added such as foam control products or system cleaners.

2. Coolant Concentration

The next step should be to look at the coolant concentration levels. Most coolant issues can be eliminated once you have control of your coolant concentration level. The coolant manufacturer can give you the recommended concentration level to suit the product you use. This can vary depending on the application so it's always good to check. The easiest and most cost effective way to check the concentration levels would be to use a refractometer.

3. Using Your Refractometer

A refractometer is simple to use and very effective. Place drops of coolant onto your refractometer, look at the scale on your refractometer (usually 1-10) and a line should appear. If you read the scale at the line it should give you a number, once you have the number please refer to the refractive index on your manufacturers data sheet. The reading on the refractometer is then multiplied by the index and this gives you the concentration level of your coolant (as a percentage). Once you have control of your concentration level keep a log and you can adjust your concentration with more accuracy moving forward. If you add water, coolant should also be added at the same time.

4. Cleaning Your Sump

Cleaning your sump can be a long and laborious process but is an important step to ensure you are maximizing the performance of the new coolant you are adding. When cleaning the sump it is important to use a chemical designed for the job. We offer a system cleaner which is ideal for this. The steps to a full system clean are as follows:

• Drain the sump
• Remove the swarf
• Fill with water and allow to circulate
• Add the sump cleaner at the recommended dilution rate (please refer to the cleaner manufacturers recommendation)
• Allow the cleaner to circulate between 2-12 hours
• Manual scrubbing of some areas with built up residue
• Drain the sump cleaner
• Refill with water and allow to circulate to rinse the system
• Add water then add the oil at the correct dilution rate (oil in last)
• Allow to circulate until normal operating temperatures are achieved

5. Contamination

When we say contamination, we are talking about anything other than coolant and water in your sump. Solid contaminates can be anything from swarf (chips) to cigarette butts and sandwich wrappers (you would be surprised what we have seen in some sumps). This can usually be controlled with basic filtration methods such as filter paper. Some liquid contaminates such as machine oils may end up in the sump and you would need liquid separation techniques to deal with this. Controlling contamination is an important step as solids contaminates provide surface area for bacteria growth and can form deposits in the sump and restrict circulation. Liquid contaminates can carry additives such as sulphur and solvents allowing bacteria to grow or to destabilize the coolant. This can impact the coolant performance greatly and lead to strong odour often described as a rotten egg smell.

Outcome

The above steps should greatly improve coolant performance or allow you to upgrade to higher performing coolant with minimal issues.

Please speak to our sales team today and we can recommend the best coolant for your application.