I'm not sure being biodegradable makes it an upgrade. When I was getting Lew Townsend's input, as I recall he had said to use an oil that was ISO 32 synthetic. I use Amsoil where I can in all my equipment. Amsoil didn't specifically have a hydraulic fluid labeled as ISO 32 but working with their technical service rep they found a product that was close (enough for me). It's their multi vehicle synthetic power steering fluid.
https://www.amsoil.com/p/multi-vehicle-synthetic-power-steering-fluid-psf/ There are environmentally critical applications where the use of biodegradable fluid might be important. Large quantity of oil, high pressure, continuous pump, hidden pipes/fittings where leaks would be hard to detect, used in marine habitats like aquariums and live tanks - just a few examples. I remember an episode of Deadliest Catch where a hydraulic line that passed through a crab tank began leaking. They pumped oil into that tank for hours! The captain was quite concerned about losing the crab. For us, the overall quantity of oil is relatively small and since the pump is manual, a leak is only enough quantity to release the pressure - a few ounces at most. If a fitting ruptured we'd know it immediately. Most of our leaks amount to some weapage around the piston shaft. We generally care about it more because of the gelcoat stain than because of the environmental impact...I'm not sure those type of leaks ever even make it to the environment. I remember seeing a JP5 hose rupture during an underway replenishment. Each one of those four hoses had to be at least 4 inches in diameter and the offload was supposed to be multiple tens of thousands of gallons. It seemed like an eternity before someone who knew what to do took action to stop the fountain of jet diesel that was being discharged directly into the Atlantic. Where I work, we have equipment with massive drive chains that rotate deep into the bay water. 24 of these units run periodically throughout the day every day of the year. Weekly maintenance amounts to using what looks like a carwash brush and mop bucket to slop grease on the chains as they rotate. It would appear as though the chains have never been greased let alone greased only a week ago. I've been told the grease is environmentally approved (whatever that means) but it looks like any standard moly grease I've ever seen. Just a few examples which give perspective to being environmentally conscious. Josh Muckley S/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD Jul 9, 2022 13:33:22 CHARLES SCHEAFFER via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>: > Anyone switched to biodegradable hydraulic fluid? > > I have a Navtec hydraulic backstay adjuster in the shop for new seals and > thinking of upgrading the fluid. > > Chuck Scheaffer Resolute 1989 C&C 34R >
