9 Common Misconceptions About Bearing Lubrication - Part 3
No equipment can operate without lubrication. However, in actual production, people often fall into lubrication misconceptions due to various reasons. For example, believing that any oil can provide lubrication, or that higher viscosity oil means better performance. Here are some common lubrication misconceptions for your reference.
7.Used Lubricating Oil Is Unusable and Must Be Discarded
In fact, except for oils that have deteriorated or gone bad, a significant portion of lubricating oil can still be utilized.
For instance, oil that has been replaced but only contaminated with impurities can be reused after precipitation and filtration.
Heavily contaminated oil, after simple treatment, can be repurposed as a lubricant for rough machining equipment, for rust prevention in outdoor equipment, or collected and handed over for regeneration. (It can be used in other equipment with lower requirements, but not in air compressors.)
Oil that is difficult to regenerate can generally be treated simply and used as fuel oil for combustion.
8.Lubricating Oils Are Interchangeable
The selection of lubricating oil depends on the machine's operating conditions, working environment, specific characteristics of the frictional surfaces, and the lubrication method. The type and grade of lubricating oil required vary accordingly, and in most cases, they are not interchangeable.
9.Extending the Interval for Lubricating Oil Replacement and Replenishment
After a period of use, the performance of lubricating oil declines or changes. As the oil quality deteriorates, failing to replace or replenish the oil in a timely manner can result in poor lubrication, which may easily lead to high temperatures.
Additionally, many people extend the oil change interval for air compressors to save costs. However, inadequate lubrication can actually cause high current draw, significant energy waste, and increased operating costs—making the losses outweigh the gains.
