Cold Weather Warm-up

rino1494

What do you guys do to warm up the machines in the winter time ??

I usually let them warm up 15-20 min if it is below freezing. Then i'll extend and retract the hydrualic cylinders about halfway a few times running at half throttle. I'll then work the machine at about 3/4 throttle until the hydraulic temp comes up then I'll turn her to full throttle.

In weather that is below 10 degrees, we won't even start them. It really isn't worth it. We'll wait till it warms up a bit and let them run for about 30 min.

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denick

We start the machine and let it run for 10 minutes or more. We park our machines with the stick out and the bucket rolled back and everything lowered to the ground. After the ten minute warm up we go to 3/4 throttle, we take the bucket stick and turn the joystick to rollback and it goes past the over flow, if the engine isn't warm enough it will pull the throttle down. we run that circuit for 5 minutes then the same with the stick, out into overflow, the oil will start to warm up and show on the gauge. Then the boom. Then cycle the whole digging implement. On real cold mornings we then pick each track up off the ground and run it forward and back 4 to 5 revolutions. Time to go to work 20 to 30 minutes in all

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

dayexco

will normally start the equipment, let idle while i have another cup or 2 of coffee out of thermos, normally about 10-15 mins...get on, run about 1/2 throttle....then it's rock-n-roll

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

mdshunk

Why is such an ellaborate warm-up procedure required? What's the harm in running cold hydraulic circuits, other than reduced performance until they heat up? Leaking seals? Hard on the pump?

rino1494

Yup, cold hydraulic fluid can harm the seals in the pumps.

During warm up, I'll stick a rod under the travel pedal just enough to circulate the hydraulic oil through the system.

__________________
Life is hard. It is harder when you are stupid

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denick

Our machines were engineered in sweden and they had a big emphasis on cold weather use of excavators. I was once at the dealer when a factory engineer was there and the discussion was about cold hydraulic fluid etc, He explained their research in detail. I don't remember the technical specific's I know the guy knew what he was talking about and I will always warm a machine up the way we do except in an emergency.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

tgeb

I let the engine warm up for 5 or ten minutes, then run at about 1/2 throttle for a little while, then slowly increase til she's all good and warmed up. Then have at it!

I don't believe extended fast idle really helps too much, the engine gets warm but everything else is still cold and won't warm up without a little work.


We don't always have the luxury of not working when it gets that cool here.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

TMatt142

Below freezing...close to 1000 rpm warmed up for about 1/2 hr. then about 10 min of "stretching" for hydraulic system.