Top Tips for taking an oil sample from Industrial equipment

Frequent oil sampling keeps the maintenance department informed of both the condition of the oil and the machine components, allowing maintenance to be planned around production – saving both time and money.

Here are our five top tips for taking an oil sample:

1. The oil sample must be representative of the oil in circulation for accuracy, i.e. the most central point in the reservoir, and must also be from a repeatable source for consistency.
2. Always use a new sample bottle and keep sealed until the sample is taken using a sampling pump – this will avoid airborne contamination.
3. If it is safe to do so, take the sample from the machine while it is still running or within 15 minutes of the machine shutting down.
4. Always take oil samples pre-filter for accurate results, or sample both before and after filtration.
5. If the drain plug is the only option to sample, flush the valve and discard a small quantity of oil before drawing the sample, this will minimise contamination from the bottom of the sump/oil reservoir.

For more information on oil sampling or fluid management, contact oil.management@millersoils.co.uk