Grease is the key element to your lubrication system. The choice of grease type is particularly important for the proper function of the system and will have direct impact on its efficiency.
Recommended greases
After having analyzed the operating functions of all automatic greasing systems, here are the recommended types of grease that you can use in your Allfett progressive lubrication systems:
- Oil base: viscosity at 40°C between 100 and 220 cSt approximately.
- Thickener : lithium or sulfonate calcium type.
- Additives : extreme pressure
- Grade NLGI: 1 and 2 (For the cold regions, change the EP-1 in October up till April and put EP-2 from April to October.)
Elements that are not desirable
- A high oil base that will slow down the mobility.
- Certain thickeners such as baryum, argiles, etc.
- Solid additives is not guaranteed when at their fineness (less than 3 microns) such as graphite, moly 5% and +, copper, etc.
ATTENTION! Mixing different types of grease may damage your system.
That’s why for all other non-listed greases, please confirm with your ALLFETT distributor if it is acceptable or not at the risk of a void warranty if you use non-accepted grease.
Purging of your system
It is also recommend to bleed the system before adding new grease or during seasonal changes. The Alltech Group offers a grease change procedure to prevent damage to your systems.
Precautions to take before changing grease
When it is absolutely necessary to change the type of grease, a certain amount of precautionary elements need to be taken:
- Check that the assemblies used permit the escape of any excess grease, if not insure to purge the biggest quantity possible out of the system.
- Verify that the equipment is in good shape, there is no incompatible accessories (ex. O rings), the sets are correct and there is no damages that can contribute to a new lubricant.
- Attention of the bearings filling conditions: if they are foreseen to function with a limited quantity of grease, abnormal overheating could result from an abundance of new grease.
Purging procedures
- Eliminate the biggest quantity possible of the old grease before introducing the new grease to the pump.
- While the feeding lines are unplugged pump slowly the new grease until the old grease is completely evacuated. Consistency changes and/or the color of the grease evacuated, if it does exist, could indicate the renewal.
- Repeat the procedures for each distribution valve and feeding lines which can be attached. Each distribution valve is equipped with a grease nipple to facilitate the task.
- Increase manually the quantity of grease introducing to different greasing points during both of the following lubrication operation. The extra grease flow helps to evacuate the rest of the old grease and improve grease especially if softening caused by mixture.
- After a week of functioning, proceed with a visual inspection in order to insure that there is no harmful chemical reaction to the lubrication system.
- Take into consideration all unusual changes relating to the lubrication system. (Potential changes in the energy consumption, the lubrication frequency, vibrations, overheating, etc.).