Roller Bearing Oil 1

[maccosvg]

A year ago I had to start up a pump driven by an 800 HP electrical motor with a thrust roller bearing on the top of it. The motor was brand new but was shipped from the original manufacturer dry. The bearing was oil lubricated and the manufacturer recommended turbine oil. I was in the middle of the Sahara desert without any chance to find out the proper oil. I could get the viscosity by testing part of the oil left in the bearing carter. The customer press me to start up as soon as possible, because they needed the pump running badly. Since I could easily get motor oil SAE 40 without additives and diesel fuel, my only choice was to reduce the motor oil viscosity by adding enough diesel fuel until the proper viscosity was reached. I used a calibrated can with a small hole to compare the original oil to my mix (I took the time it take to empty the calibrated can through the hole) I run several mixes until the time was the same for both the original oil and my mix. I advise the customer of this issue and ask them to change the oil ASAP, since my idea was only to run it for few hours. However, more than 2 years have passed and I have been told the motor is still running with my original mix. I need to warn the customer of what are the consequences of leaving this mix for so long. Can you help to know what might happens?
Thanks and regards,
Osvaldo Maccari,
omaccari@esimsrl.com.ar

 

[MikeHalloran]

You only need to warn the customer that, due to circumstances, the unit was started with something other than the recommended lube oil. You did that at startup, right?

Now you want to conjecture about what consequences might arise from failure to remove your mix and replace it with the right stuff. It may be that the customer thinks the mix is the right stuff, or close enough, and the unit history so far apparently supports that assertion.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA