Lube Pump Page

VIBPARTS CORP LUBE PUMP PAGE

Oil Lubrication pumps are standard on most heavy duty vibratory bowls such as RotoFinish®, Torex®, VL-Rampe, and Vibetech. The majority of these machines use a similar removable bearing cartridge and recirculating oil pump system. These lube systems consist of an electric motor driven, gear type, oil pump with a one gallon reservoir, an oil filter, and some type of safety switch such as a pressure gauge, level switch, or oil return. A small volume of oil is pumped continuously into the top bearing and as it finds it way down the drive cartridge cavity it lubricates both of the drive bearings. When it reaches the bottom of the cavity it is piped into the oil reservoir where it cools and awaits being sucked into the pump inlet.

Several brands of machines, manufactured in the 1960's through 1980's used a high volume oil system combined with a vacuum pump and oil cooler. These were problematical and required constant maintenance and therefore are considered obsolete now as most of them, that have survived, have been converted to more effective lubrication systems.

Machinery owners have a vested interest in maintaining the lube system properly. These are simple systems that can easily be checked periodically to ensure the system is properly lubricating the main bearings. In spite of any safety devices that are contained in your system there is no substitute for manually checking the oil flow on a fixed schedule.

 TESTING YOUR OIL PUMP

On most machines the "Oil Output Line" (from the filter) is located outside of the machine base. RotoFinish pumps are located inside the base and you may have to do some digging to find the correct line. When you located the line you will need a rag and a discarded paper cup, presuming the line is a plastic one with "press loc" fittings. If the line has a screw type JIC swivel on it you will also need a wrench to loosen the fitting.

Start the oil pump, on most machines the oil pump will start when you energize the control panel, the vibratory motor does not have to be running. Place a rag under the oil output line and disconnect the line from the fitting. Catch the oil in the paper cup for 30 seconds and then re-connect the fitting. If you catch 1/4 of an ounce or more in thirty seconds the pump is producing an acceptable amount of oil. Most new pumps using ISO 100 oil @ 20 C. should pump close to two ounces per minute. Size 22320 bearings require a minimum of about 18 cc per minute for optimum lubrication.

OIL FILTERS

Most systems use either a replaceable element (usually sintered) or a "spin on" filter with a 25 micron rating.  Due to the small size of the contaminants caught in sintered filters it is almost impossible to blow, or wash, them out. Always use a new element. In addition to stocking replacement elements for OEM filters we have replacement 10 micron filters in stock that use an inexpensive "spin on " filter. These complete replacement filters cost less than a new replacement element for you existing pump and the elements are very reasonable. 

REPLACEMENT PUMPS

Vibparts Corp stocks one brand of new replacement pump, it can be used on any brand of machine. The pump comes in a kit which includes the pump, new oil lines and fittings, a pressure switch, spin on filter, and installation instructions (including a wiring diagram).