How to Protect Your Excavator During the Rainy Season
As operators, excavators are valuable assets to us. We must properly maintain our excavators, including shutting off the main power and parking in flat, elevated areas away from cliffs to prevent landslides and other natural disasters.
So, here comes the details, how to maintain excavators during the rainy season?
Excavators typically operate in challenging environments, especially during rainy days when road conditions worsen. After heavy rainfall, the road surface becomes uneven with numerous potholes, and mud accumulates in many places, making the roads extremely slippery, even for excavators.
Safety comes first, so checking road conditions is crucial. During severe rainy weather, it is advisable for all equipment owners not to risk starting operations, as safety is always the top priority!
Before starting work, conduct a thorough check to ensure safety. If operations can proceed, special attention should be paid to areas where the soil layer is particularly thick, as heavy rainfall can make these areas extremely slippery. When working in these areas, constant vigilance is necessary. If working at night, it is essential to ensure that the excavator's front and rear lights, working lights, top lights, instrument lights, and windshield wipers are all functioning properly to ensure safety.
Avoid getting too close to edges such as cliffs and ditches. If the ground in these areas is soft, the excavator's own weight and vibration can easily cause the machine to fall or overturn. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a thorough inspection of the work site before construction begins.
Rainwater is highly corrosive, so excavator cleaning should not be neglected. During heavy rain, if important parts of the excavator are not cleaned in a timely manner, mud can accumulate in the gaps underneath the vehicle. The chassis, being closest to the ground, is particularly susceptible to road conditions and is typically severely affected. This area is prone to rust and corrosion, with the chassis being the most susceptible to rust spots and even loosening and puncturing of the wheels. Therefore, special attention should be paid to cleaning and rust prevention of the excavator chassis.
The acidic components in rainwater have a strong corrosive effect on the paint of excavators. Over time, they can damage the paintwork of the excavator, so it is advisable to give the excavator a paint touch-up during the rainy season. The simplest method is waxing, while the most effective and long-lasting method is glazing. Regardless of the method chosen, it provides the excavator with an invisible protective coat to prevent paint fading and aging.
Parking excavators during the rainy season is also crucial. If conditions permit, it is best to park the excavator indoors and avoid parking in excessively damp environments. If stored indoors, anti-rust treatment is essential, and the machine should be started and driven every month for battery charging during long-term storage.
Excavators that have been stored for a long time should wipe off the grease on the piston rods and add lubricating grease to various components. During machine storage, keep the working device dry and clean, avoid water ingress, and prevent rusting, which may impede machine operation. When parking outdoors, check whether the fuel tank and hydraulic oil tank caps are tightly closed to prevent rainwater from entering the tanks and causing unnecessary trouble.
In addition to the above rainy season maintenance tips, there are more things that equipment owners need to pay attention to!
Fuel tank & hydraulic oil tank caps
When parking outdoors, check whether the fuel tank and hydraulic oil tank caps are tightly closed to prevent rainwater from entering the tanks and causing unnecessary trouble.
Air filter
On rainy days, pay attention to checking the air filter of the excavator to prevent rainwater from entering and causing paper filters to deteriorate and block, and replace them in a timely manner.
Seal ring on the engine oil gauge
Check the wear of the seal ring on the engine oil gauge to prevent water from entering the engine oil due to wear, and also check the oil filling port. If parked outdoors, cover it with a plastic bag when necessary to ensure complete safety.
Check the condition of the starter motor terminals
Check the usage of the terminals of the starter motor to see if there is any looseness or corrosion. If problems are found, handle them promptly to avoid the service life of the starter motor being affected by moisture. Check the usage of the generator and ensure that the junctions of each circuit are not affected by moisture, affecting power generation efficiency.
So, here comes the details, how to maintain excavators during the rainy season?
Excavators typically operate in challenging environments, especially during rainy days when road conditions worsen. After heavy rainfall, the road surface becomes uneven with numerous potholes, and mud accumulates in many places, making the roads extremely slippery, even for excavators.
Safety comes first, so checking road conditions is crucial. During severe rainy weather, it is advisable for all equipment owners not to risk starting operations, as safety is always the top priority!
Before starting work, conduct a thorough check to ensure safety. If operations can proceed, special attention should be paid to areas where the soil layer is particularly thick, as heavy rainfall can make these areas extremely slippery. When working in these areas, constant vigilance is necessary. If working at night, it is essential to ensure that the excavator's front and rear lights, working lights, top lights, instrument lights, and windshield wipers are all functioning properly to ensure safety.
Avoid getting too close to edges such as cliffs and ditches. If the ground in these areas is soft, the excavator's own weight and vibration can easily cause the machine to fall or overturn. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a thorough inspection of the work site before construction begins.
Rainwater is highly corrosive, so excavator cleaning should not be neglected. During heavy rain, if important parts of the excavator are not cleaned in a timely manner, mud can accumulate in the gaps underneath the vehicle. The chassis, being closest to the ground, is particularly susceptible to road conditions and is typically severely affected. This area is prone to rust and corrosion, with the chassis being the most susceptible to rust spots and even loosening and puncturing of the wheels. Therefore, special attention should be paid to cleaning and rust prevention of the excavator chassis.
The acidic components in rainwater have a strong corrosive effect on the paint of excavators. Over time, they can damage the paintwork of the excavator, so it is advisable to give the excavator a paint touch-up during the rainy season. The simplest method is waxing, while the most effective and long-lasting method is glazing. Regardless of the method chosen, it provides the excavator with an invisible protective coat to prevent paint fading and aging.
Parking excavators during the rainy season is also crucial. If conditions permit, it is best to park the excavator indoors and avoid parking in excessively damp environments. If stored indoors, anti-rust treatment is essential, and the machine should be started and driven every month for battery charging during long-term storage.
Excavators that have been stored for a long time should wipe off the grease on the piston rods and add lubricating grease to various components. During machine storage, keep the working device dry and clean, avoid water ingress, and prevent rusting, which may impede machine operation. When parking outdoors, check whether the fuel tank and hydraulic oil tank caps are tightly closed to prevent rainwater from entering the tanks and causing unnecessary trouble.
In addition to the above rainy season maintenance tips, there are more things that equipment owners need to pay attention to!
Fuel tank & hydraulic oil tank caps
When parking outdoors, check whether the fuel tank and hydraulic oil tank caps are tightly closed to prevent rainwater from entering the tanks and causing unnecessary trouble.
Air filter
On rainy days, pay attention to checking the air filter of the excavator to prevent rainwater from entering and causing paper filters to deteriorate and block, and replace them in a timely manner.
Seal ring on the engine oil gauge
Check the wear of the seal ring on the engine oil gauge to prevent water from entering the engine oil due to wear, and also check the oil filling port. If parked outdoors, cover it with a plastic bag when necessary to ensure complete safety.
Check the condition of the starter motor terminals
Check the usage of the terminals of the starter motor to see if there is any looseness or corrosion. If problems are found, handle them promptly to avoid the service life of the starter motor being affected by moisture. Check the usage of the generator and ensure that the junctions of each circuit are not affected by moisture, affecting power generation efficiency.
