| Maintenance Tips For Seasonal Startup |
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| SAFETY: The following is a pre-season checklist to help you get your striper ready for the striping season. The first step, according to Norm Scholten, EZ-Liner Operations Manager, is to review the safety procedures. If you have an airless striper, remind your personnel to respect high pressure airless spray equipment. It does not make any difference if your equipment is air spray or airless, if you are using solvent based paints remind them of the dangers in working with solvents. Always flush paint systems under the lowest possible pressure setting. As you are checking out each system, pay close attention to all hoses and fittings. Be sure to closely inspect all high pressure hydraulic and paint hoses for cuts or abrasions. Replace all damaged hoses immediately. Don't try to get by when performing preventive maintenance. You will pay for it later. ENGINE: Start with the engine of your striper. Check your maintenance schedule to make sure the oil and filters have been replaced as per manufacturer's recommendations. Inspect v-belts for alignment, adjustment and wear. Refer to the maintenance manual for guidelines. COMPRESSOR: The most important component of the air supply system is the air compressor. Clean and, if necessary, replace the air filter. Check the oil level and if needed, replace. Check the air solenoids and lubricate with a product such as WD-40. Pressure test the system to insure there are no leaks. BEADS: If glass beads were left in the bead supply system when your striper was placed in storage, clean them out. Test each of the bead guns to determine if they are opening and closing properly. HYDRAULIC: The hydraulic pump is another component that operates at high RPM. Check the level and the condition of the hydraulic oil. Check your records to see if the filter needs to be replaced. PAINT: Clean your paint tanks, if they were not cleaned when the unit was put into storage. Check the lid gaskets on the paint tanks. Flush out the mild solvent or light oil you used in preparing the unit for storage. Check out the ball valves in the paint supply system. Do they open and close smoothly and completely? Inspect the filter screens in the paint filters. Is the inner mesh torn or clogged with dried paint? It is time to replace them. Operate the paint guns. Do the needles open and close smoothly without hesitation? When was the last time you replaced your spray tips? ELECTRICAL: If your striper has a skip timer, put it though its paces to see if it is functioning properly. Check the calibration of the unit. Is the water level of your battery okay? Do the terminal and cable ends need to be cleaned? How does the wiring harness look? Is it properly protected? PLAN AHEAD: A final process before taking your striper out on the road is to grease and lubricate any moving parts. For future maintenance it is a good idea to put a light layer of grease on the threads of the paint filter caps and the paint and bead gun caps. Check your parts inventory. |