Running your machine with poorly maintained sight glasses is like driving on a night on a foggy thoroughfare without headlights. It is a dangerous fete wrought with uncertainties and risks. Sight glasses play a crucial role in the life and health of equipment and plants. They enable you to observe the operation process and detect any anomalies in good time. For instance, it can be used boiler glass for monitoring fluid flow. Here are some of the best tips you want to follow in maintaining the sight glasses that will save you from the cost of replacing destroyed property and time wasted during downtime.
Do Not Reuse Glass Or Gasket
Sight glass discs are delicate and are prone to suffer damaging stresses during installation and operation. Proper care should be observed while handling them, but most importantly, once they have been removed for whatever reason, they should be replaced for optimized results.
Alternatively, you can use fused glass safety windows. These ones come with a borosilicate glass disc that is solidly attached to a stainless steel loop. This loop protects the glass from stress during installation. This means the glass discs are not affected and may be reused after maintenance. The reusability makes the fused glass safety windows expensive in the first instance but very cost-effective in the long run.
Properly and Carefully Clean the Glass
While observing great care, carefully and thoroughly clean the glass using only commercial glass cleaner when the machine is turned off and allowed to cool. Avoid using harsh abrasives such as metal scrapers or wire brushes because they will damage your glass. If a sight glass turns cloudy or roughed after cleaning, it should be replaced with new ones. Better, you may want to use borosilicate glass as they are resistant to corrosion and erosion compared to the soda-lime glass.
Conduct Regular Inspections to Detect Scratches
Regular inspections can play a crucial role in detecting damages on the sight glass. One of the best ways to check for scratches is to shine a bright, concentrated light at an acute (about 45 degrees) angle on the glass. If there are scratches on the glass, they will appear as glisters.
Further, run your fingernail on the glistering area to feel for a crack or scratch. If you detect any scratch that catches your fingernail on the glass, then you may consider replacing the glass. The frames and angles should also be closely inspected for any buildup of wear debris or corrosion.
Use Only Best-Quality Parts For Replacement
Only high-quality sight glass should be used to replace old ones. Do not use damaged or scratched glasses. When installing new ones, ensure that the seating surface is perfect and smooth and the flanges are firm and rigid. Be very careful while installing the glass to avoid any contact between the glass and metal. The gaskets should also be new, clean, and of the correct dimensions.
Bolting Procedures Must be Right
Installing and tightening the sight glass bolts must be meticulous and done with proper care. Turn off the equipment engine and allow the glass to cool down before tightening the bolts. Bolts need to be tightened regularly, but do so gently to ensure the pressure right, that is, a maximum of 1.5 ft/lbs between the bolts.
