What harm does water do to lubricants and equipment?

Water mainly affects the performance of lubricating oil and grease in the following aspects:

Reducing the lubricity of lubricating oil:

Lubricating oil is hygroscopic, and some types of oil are more serious, such as ester oil. Most lubricating oils have poor water resistance, so waterproof awareness and waterproof measures should be taken during use. In some occasions, grease is used instead of lubricating oil to achieve a certain waterproof effect. Lubricating oil will emulsify, become turbid, turn white, and reduce transparency when it enters water.

Reducing the adhesion of grease:

Grease has a certain adhesion ability. If grease absorbs water, it will become soft and thin, lose adhesion, and fall off from the lubricated part under water flushing. Therefore, the water resistance of grease is an important indicator. There are special testing standards to test the water resistance of grease. The test results record the percentage of grease loss under the action of water. The larger the percentage, the worse the water resistance of the grease. In order to ensure lubrication, grease with good water resistance should be selected in occasions that are easy to contact with water. Among the common greases, lithium-based grease, composite lithium-based grease, calcium-based grease, composite calcium-based grease, polyurea grease, aluminum-based grease, composite aluminum-based grease, and clay grease all have good water resistance, and composite grease generally has better performance. If the problem is mainly caused by condensed water, composite lithium-based grease is more suitable for solving this problem.

Low temperature performance:

After the lubricating oil absorbs a certain amount of water, the low temperature performance will be affected, mainly because water freezes at 0 degrees. After absorbing water in the grease, it will harden at low temperatures, affecting the low temperature pumpability and lubrication ability of the grease.

How to waterproof?

The best strategy is to focus on prevention, and sealing is the key. In addition to using good performance seals, you should also check the lubricating oil/grease frequently. Observe whether the grease has become thinner or white, whether the lubricating oil is white, emulsified (looks milky white), and the transparency is reduced. Avoid water sources around the equipment, avoid sealing parts when flushing the machine with a water gun, and prevent water from entering the lubrication system.

If it is unavoidable to contact with water, the machine is prone to rust. Many companies use chrome-plated parts and combine them with water-resistant grease to prevent rust and ensure good lubrication and anti-wear effects. You can also apply some waterproof grease on the seals.