11 Checks for Vapor Degreaser Year-End Maintenance
11 Checks for Holiday Shut-Down of Vapor Degreaser
At the end of the year, many companies have an extended shutdown for the holidays. This is usually when companies do routine maintenance, repairs and upgrades to production equipment. Accordingly, this is a perfect time to do end of year maintenance and inspection of the vapor degreaser in your cleaning operation.
Vapor Degreasers are known for providing consistent reliable part cleaning. At the end of the year, many companies have an extended shutdown for the holidays. This is a perfect time to do routine maintenance, repairs and upgrades to your vapor degreasing production equipment. In this blog post, we will discuss 11 checks for your end-of-year maintenance to ensure a productive new year.
TOP 11 INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TASKS FOR HOLIDAY SHUT-DOWN
CHECK 1 – Inspect the Control Panel and Electrical Components:
ULTRA Vapor Degreaser Digital Control Panel
a. Your control panel has a series of indicator lights and switches that will light under certain conditions. Check to ensure all lights are operation and that they light as they are supposed to based on their assigned purpose.
b. Check Watlow Safety Temperature Controls to ensure the temperatures are properly set and the controls have accurate calibration.
c. Review your thermocouples and the electrical connectors for rust, damage or other conditions that might effect their operation.
d. Check the low-level float indicator to ensure proper functioning
CHECK 2 - Inspect your Electrical Panel and other Electrical Components:
a) Inspect electrical panels for cleanliness and orderliness. There should not be dirt, debris, oil or other foreign material within the electrical box.
b) Check wires for nick, breaks or signs of overheating. Check terminal connections and wires at the terminal connections.
c) Check the contactors for corrosion or signs of overheating that might indicate an issue.
CHECK 3 - Conduct an external inspection of the vapor degreaser:
Walk around the vapor degreaser and observe the condition of the system,
a) Check for signs of leaks, in particular on piping, ball valves, clean-out/access doors, filtration canisters, pump housings, spray reserve tank, water separator and water separator lid gasket.
b) Check for any damage to any component that might require repair or replacement.
CHECK 4 - Inspect the condition of Interior Tanks
Consider draining the tank for solvent conservation over the holiday, and to conduct an inspection of the interior tank integrity - noting any rust, or other metal corrosion. Check the interior of the tank and the interior of your water separator for signs of flash rusting. This might be a sign that there is an acid issue with your solvent.
CHECK 5 - Clean accumulated debris from both boil sump and immersion sump.
When the tank is empty, wiping the bottom of the tank interior to remove accumulated metal fines, chips and other debris is ideal. Check door gaskets.
CHECK 6 - Check, Clean and Replace your Heating Elements
Dirty heating elements covered in grease.
Heating elements are fairly robust, but accumulated debris on the elements over time will cause them to operate inefficiently and ultimately shorten their life cycle. (Note: Many companies annually change out their heating elements as part of an annual periodic maintenance cycle)
a. Clean all debris from the heating elements,
Clean Heating Elements in the ULTRA 2424 Ultrasonic Immersion System
b. Check the Amp Draw or conduct an OHM test on each element to ensure it is functioning properly.
c. Check for damage to the heating elements surface, such as corrosion, cracks or signs of bulging. These conditions often are precursors of element failure.
d. Check all door gaskets and all heating element Teflon washers for damage. Replace any gasket or washer that shows signs of damage.
CHECK 7 – Check the interior “drip” gutter
Check your condensate trough (drip gutter) for the primary and sub-zero coils for debris that might block the flow out of the gutter.
CHECK 8 - Inspect your refrigeration systems.
Clean your refrigeration system heat discharge coils, they should be clean and free of oil and dust accumulations. Check the condenser to ensure that all components appear to be in good condition. Consider having a refrigeration technician visit to check the ability of the system to achieve the target temperature ranges when the vapor degreaser is in operation.
CHECK 9 - Consider a Training Refresher
Inspect Filter Cannisters and change out filter & gasket.
Consider whether your operators require a refreshment of their training on proper operation of the vapor degreaser, operator safety and good part cleaning practices.
CHECK 10 - Inspect your Lid System
Check for the proper operation of your lid system - opens and closes properly.
CHECK 11 - Inspect Filter Cannisters
Change your filters and the filter cannister gaskets to start the new year. Check your back-pressure gauge for proper operation.
Conclusion
The holidays are a great time to do yearly maintenance on your vapor degreaser. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking the time at the end of the year to walk around the tank to check for leaks, clean and inspect the refrigeration systems and clean the heaters would be the minimum “to do”. Doing these 11 maintenance checks and inspection steps of your vapor degreasing equipment will help reduce down time and minimize quality issues for the year ahead.
If you have questions about maintenance of your vapor degreaser or if you are having part processing quality issues, please feel free to contact us at Reliance Specialty Products. We are happy to help.
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Give us a call or contact us to discuss your cleaning needs and how our turn-key vapor degreasing systems can support your cleaning operation. We can test clean parts in our lab and share our recommendations for optimized cleaning.
At Reliance, we take a comprehensive, systemic approach to supporting our customers to finding solution to their cleaning needs. Reliance Technical Support Department at 847-640-8923. We are glad to be of assistance.
