Don’t let the lack of maintained cost you money. “A well oiled and cared for machine works much harder and longer than any other machine”
Whether you have had your reversible plate compactor for a week, month or a year. You want to keep it working for as long as you can with just a few quick maintenance breaks in between. For this to happen you need to keep an eye on the engine, the oil levels and the belt and cable tensions. As these are the main reasons why your reversible plate compactor may experience that preventable unwanted breakdown at the wrong time. Applying any preventative measure to help extend the life of those parts in particular will help ensure the long working life of your product with less down-time for unexpected breakdowns.
One easy and straightforward way to assist you is to clean your plate compactor daily, especially if you are working and dusty areas. As when the excess dirt and debris is removed away with the water, hidden issues can be seen.
However, when it comes to washing electrical areas, i.e. battery compartment and engine wiring, resist the use of pressure washers as they can cause potential damage to any seals, allowing liquids and moisture to get into the electrical components.
You should check the fluid levels regularly. The best way to do this is on a flat surface. As this will be able to give the most accurate reading of the current level of oil that you have. While checking the engine oil level, also look at the hydraulic fluid levels and the vibrator sump oil levels. Be sure to note if there is any contamination in either fluid. You can tell with the hydraulic oil if it is contaminated as it will begin to look milky or discoloured. If you do notice this, change it immediately. Check your Owner’s manual for further instructions.
Checking the tension of the belts is another critical step. As due to the vibrations caused by the machine, excessive wear and tear can come to the belt sooner than you might think if the tensions are not right. The Owner’s and Workshop manuals will give you more detail on this one.
To also ensure that the engine is being looked after make sure that the air filter is free from excess dirt or any contaminants that may cause it to run inefficiently and could cause long term damage.
Another check you should make monthly or so is a visual inspection of the battery. This again is also to ensure that the connections on the battery have not come loose or potentially beginning to short out. While you are at the battery, it would be a good idea to clean off any build-up of acid that you may see around the terminals.
Check our previous “MAINTAINING YOUR PLATE COMPACTOR” upload for more detailed maintenance steps.
As always, if you are looking at purchasing new or upgrading your current compactor the team at Meiwa will be able to help sort you out with the correct model that will suit all your needs.