2 Possible Reasons Why Your Hydraulic Impact Driver Is Losing Power
If you regularly have projects that require a lot of power to insert screws and other fasteners, you may have opted to purchase and use a hydraulic impact driver to make your work easier. However, you may have noticed that the impact driver no longer has the power it used to have, prompting you to seek out an explanation.
Since this type of tool depends on an internal hydraulic system, the issue most likely has something to do with that. Below are two possible reasons why your hydraulic impact driver is losing power, both of which will require a repair professional to fix.
1. Driver Is Getting Too Hot, Decreasing the Hydraulic Fluid's Viscosity
One possible reason why the impact driver does not have enough power has to do with the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid. When maintained at the correct temperature, the fluid flows freely through the cylinder, creating enough pressure to ensure that the tool has enough force.
However, if the driver is overheating, the heat will decrease the viscosity of the fluid. This then decreases the pressure within the cylinder, causing a loss of power. If the tool is overheating, a professional can determine whether it needs to be cleaned out or if another issue is causing the rise in operating temperatures.
2. Hydraulic Fluid Is Leaking, Decreasing the Pressure Required for Full Power
Another possible explanation for the impact driver's loss of power is that the hydraulic fluid is leaking. If even a small amount of fluid leaks out, the power of the tool will be diminished.
More than likely, you will feel a sticky substance on the exterior of the tool or on the handle. If so, you should take your tool to a repair service so that they can locate the leak, fix it, and replenish the hydraulic fluid levels to see if this fixes the power loss.
If the hydraulic fluid within the tool is leaking or is losing viscosity because of overheating, the power required for the impact driver to work efficiently will be greatly decreased. To regain power, a repair professional will need to find and repair the leak or determine the cause of the high operating temperatures. Since these issues should not be attempted by yourself, contact a local company that offers services, such as Greenlee hydraulic tool repair, to set up a time when you can bring in the impact driver to be fixed.