One of our machines has a 500Litre coolant tank, it now stinks of ammonia! Can't seem to shift the smell, despite cleaning it, any ideas?

Find out who's been having a cheeky wee-wee in it…….

did you jet wash the tanks, we always drag them outside and clean them, system cleaner or biocide (if you can get it) may help,

who supplies your coolant ?, you should contact them,
what have you been machining ? Mc'ing centre or lathe ?

if you are really desperate you can use a lot of bleach in the coolant,

Yeah you have bacteria of fungus growing in your machine. Get Kathon MW, castrol make it. It kills the bacteria and the fungus and flush it through the system. We had to run it through for 24hrs, a bit of down time bit it did the job. Giving the machine a good clean before you do this will help.

Riiight, I've just spoken with the engineer and he says he hasn't cleaned the tanks in over 3 years! So to me it sounds like a job thats well overdue!

We can't drag the tanks outside, as the machine is in the way, and probably won't be able to jet wash them in place either.

I think he is leaning towards $hit loads of bleach.

what have you been machining ? Mc'ing centre or lathe ?

Ummmm… A bench grinding machine, its about 15-20ft long and 5ft deep (inc coolant tank). Hopefully get down there this afternoon and take a pic!

3 yrs !!!!!!!, we clear our mills and lathes at least once every two months, i should have a word,

Here's the machine in question!

You can see the coolant tank behind it. Apparently he's cleaned it, it does smell better now.

what i tend to do is when the machine is not being used, turn it on and keep the coolant circulating for at least an hour a day. Stops it settling in the tank and building up bacteria.

It's definitely bacteria in the tank. I use a coolant with an inhibitor in it and they are cleaned fairly often too, especially after changing from one type of material to another.

I'd be wearing an inch of barrier cream and three pairs of gloves, the dermatitis you can get from that coolant must be bubonic by now, stick a good biocide in it as mentioned above before life evolves gets in the system and messes with your m codes.

Ours get cleaned whenever they break down, roughly every 2 months 😥

Dare I say it (I'm sure you know!), careful with biocides, nasty critters, they are!
We have a Preventative Planned Maintenance Schedule (I know most companies do, but some don't). Ask the person in charge of SQA to get this put in to the bi-monthly schedule.

***awaits criticism***

I love it when engineers come out with buzz words and techno speak on tinternet 😀

Dunno about bi monthly though. 6 months is recommended by the rep from castrol I spoke to.

Does everyone use these measured feed systems that mix the correct amount of oil with water on its way to a tank ? Oil not being mixed correctly will also cause problems as well as to thin a mixture because most oils contain disinfectants anyway.

Also, the old chap that walks past the machine every day and throws the dregs of his coffee in the machine (every machine shop has had one)…**** chin him 😀

Years ago, when I did my apprenticeship at Perkins in Shrewsbury, there was this old chap and at knocking off time, he wouldnt head to the wash room like everyone else to scrub his hands, he would head over to this big old Herbert turret lathe and wash and scrub his hands under the suds hose. He swore by it 😀