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Monitor bulk fluids

If you have a sizable fleet requiring larger fluid volumes, chances are you're using some form of bulk storage tank. If so, it's important to periodically check the condition of the fluid, the tank and the delivery system to the machine.

"A lot of the bulk storage tanks don't really get checked for contamination. The assumption is it's a big tank, so how much contamination can be in there?" Urbano asserts.

Yet, he cites an example of a tank that had been in use over a 20-year period. The owner assumed the oil was clean since it was purchased in bulk from the refinery. But when the tank was drained, they discovered 18 in. of contamination had settled out to the top of the spigot.

The contamination was likely introduced during transport from the refinery to the tank. "After refining, the fluids travel long distances through piping networks at the processing plant, then to containers or bulk transportation tanks and, finally, to the users' tank," says Navarro. "Every time the fluid changes from one container to another, it is basically cleaning the container in which it travels, carrying the contamination to the next one."

Over time, any solids picked up during transport will settle and accumulate at the bottom of the tank. "Just checking your bulk tank to make sure it's relatively clean is a big step," says Urbano.