Tips for Running Your Equipment in the Summer Heat

As the summer progresses, the temperatures outside seem to be on the rise daily.

Warmer temperatures paired with increased operating hours during this prime crushing season can and will cause additional strain on your equipment.  Here is our list of tips to prepare yourself and your equipment for a productive crushing season!

1. Stay hydrated.  Your equipment can’t function without it’s operator.  During summer season when the heat and hours are high, remember to drink plenty of fluids and allow breaks to get out of the heat.  You will stay safer and perform better if you take the appropriate steps to look out for your health.
2. Perform preventative and scheduled maintenance. Keeping your equipment in proper working order is crucial and taking extra precautions can save you unwanted down-time.
3. Sample your fluids periodically. Some fluids can break down and lose their properties resulting in premature component failures.
4. Make sure fluid levels are topped off. The more fluid volume, the faster the heat can dissipate. In more humid conditions, hot fluids can draw moisture causing contamination.
5. Keep clean air filters in the equipment. This ensures the equipment is breathing properly and not adding strain to the equipment.
6. Watch out for bird nests in and around your equipment. Nesting around hot components can result in fires that will damage your equipment.
7. Keep up on the maintenance of the external cooling system. Damaged or clogged fins will cause the cooling system to overheat.
8. Service the internals of the cooling system periodically. Flush coolers to remove contaminations and build up, ensuring proper flow.
9. Something that is commonly overlooked is battery maintenance. A weak battery can malfunction during hot conditions.  Make sure your charging system is properly operating and that the batteries electrolytes are at their recommended levels.
10. Pay careful attention to monitor the equipment’s displays. When spotting an abnormal change in the gauges operating conditions or alarm events, a quick response can prevent further damage to the equipment.  Do not push the equipment when there are clear warnings.
11. Run the equipment’s A/C Do not put strain on the system by using it with the windows or doors open at the same time.  Ensure the cab intake filters are clean and are not restricting the air flow.
12. A phase shutdown can prevent damage to the components. Give the equipment time to idle and cool down before turning the engine off.

When your equipment does need a repair, contact our experts here at Marion Machine to bring your tired equipment back to good as new!