Testing hydraulic rams with air

[Adam Marshall]

Would it be possible to test a hydraulic ram ie double acting by capping one port and hooking other up to a compressor would it push ram out that is all I am wanting it to do. thank you

 

[8ob]

If you cap the second port it will just spring back as soon as you release the pressure, also no amount of compressed air will test hydraulics that run at 2000+ psi.

Bob

 

[Adam Marshall]

Thanks I thought something like that would happen to be honest. could a homemade oil tank be tested this way?

 

[Maker]

Thanks I thought something like that would happen to be honest. could a homemade oil tank be tested this way?

Only if you turn your regulator right down, surprisingly little pressure will balloon a tank.

 

[normspanners]

hydraulic rams when filled with compressed air tend to be a little jerky so just be aware, as the pressure builds they tend to suddenly jump a few inches or more in one go then sit there and jump again. you dont need toblock anything just put the pressure in the side you want it to move.

 

[Mr shiney]

I built a gas booster pump out of a hydraulic ram for scavaging helium. I have been using it air driven for over 15 years.

 

[bletchmonster]

Won't test it for hydraulic soundness, but is a handy way to trial ram geometry when building machinery, but as said above, can be a bit erratic, don't get your extremities in the way!

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Yes, just don't use too much pressure. There's a reason they test stuff with fluid not air. I usually just use a blow gun with a rubber end in the oil port

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Thanks I thought something like that would happen to be honest. could a homemade oil tank be tested this way?

Remember, when under pressure, fluids leak, air explodes. If it can be pressure tested with water then do it every time over using air

 

[Rig Pig]

Thanks I thought something like that would happen to be honest. could a homemade oil tank be tested this way?

I tested my central heating boilers tank with air after I welded it up, filled it 95% with water, fitted a gauge to one of the ports to monitor the pressure and trickled the air in through a ball valve until I had the working pressure of the tank on the gauge, snooped all the freshly welded seams then let it sit for 10 minutes, no pressure loss so I slowly dropped the air out.

 

[Spark plug]

I zregularly use air to open or close a ram for build purposes, as said just use a blow gun with a rubber end to seal over the port and keep your fingers out the way.

If the ram has previously been used with fluid watch out for fluid squirting out of the other port, it can get realy messy.

 

[Mee]

Most hydraulic places do an initial test using air at low pressure, just remember to lubricate the cylinders with oil first.

 

[davidjohnperry]

low pressure air testing is great if your trying to find open ends in miles of pipe work saves making a mess hydrolic testing using nearly all water and air to test stuff is better as u can only compress water so much as air can be compressed to very dangerous levels. U can buy rigid or hire a rigid hydrolic pump.