POLARIS Laboratories, LLC - Sampling Intervals and Locations

Oil Analysis Laboratories, Houston Laboratory, Indianapolis Laboratory, Coolant Analysis Samples, Fuel Analysis Sampling

Sampling Intervals & Location

Although an equipment manufacturer's recommendations provide a good starting point for developing preventative maintenance practices, sampling intervals can easily vary. How critical a piece of equipment is to production is a major consideration for determining sampling frequency, as are environmental factors such as hot, dirty operating conditions, short trips with heavy loads and excessive idle times.

Maintenance goals also play an important part. Consider what you're trying to accomplish with your maintenance plan. If you are only concerned with the condition of the lube or the unit at any given point in time, your sampling intervals are probably going to be longer than if you were interested in optimizing drain intervals. It's also a good idea to discuss your maintenance goals and practices with both your OEM and your lubricant supplier so the ideal sampling interval can be determined.

The chart below explains at what interval and from what location to take a sample according to the type of component being tested. Also important to note is that with any unit type always remember that accurate and informative data analysis is possible only when samples are representative of the typical environmental conditions under which they operate. Dirt, system debris, water and light fuels tend to separate from the lubricant when system temperatures cool. Therefore, all lubricant samples should be taken while the system is operating under normal conditions or immediately after shutdown while the system is still at operating temperature.

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