Best practice lubrication requires filtering out particles to the proper ISO code for the type of machine. One way to keep your equipment lubricant clean is by installing good quality desiccant breathers. Desiccant breathers replace the standard dust cap or OEM breather cap on equipment and provide much better particulate and moisture filtration. Not all desiccant breathers offer the same amount of protection. I recently visited a facility that was using desiccant breathers on their critical equipment. Unfortunately, these breathers only provided particulate filtration down to 10 microns, allowing harmful particulate ingression directly into their critical equipment and potentially creating unwanted equipment damage and downtime. This is why desiccant breathers with specific features will protect your critical equipment from damage and unnecessary repairs: A two-stage particulate filter system that incorporates a minimum of a 3 micron particulate filter and a “sponge” to capture oil mist that is contaminated is one such. A stand pipe within the breather that protects the reservoir from desiccant in the event of something breaking the breather while in application is also a good idea.

Check out Lubrication Engineers’ full line of desiccant breathers for contamination exclusion in industrial applications or learn more about Lubrication Best Practices from Paul Llewellyn at our Rethink Maintenance Training Roadshows