I was wondering if anyone has experience with dying lubricating oil for the purposes of identification (similar to the dying of diesel fuel).

We are thinking of ways to better distinguish oils in our lube oil storage areas to help better prevent cross contamination or topping off with the wrong oils.

Thanks.

Check with some of the lubricant suppliers as they do have products that are used for tracing leaks in hydraulic systems. I'm not sure if they have several colours as I have only seen red.

There are various dyes that are available Red ,green ,golden yellow. But the final colour of your lubricant will depend on the colour of the original lubricant . Moreover you will require an elaborate arrangement to unload the lube blend it properly by mixing effort and filling it back into the lube containers . I suggest an proper marking and storage of lubes or colour coding of containers should solve your problem . However you are the ultimate judge of the situation.

The easiest way to "color" your own oil is to use liquid candle wax dye. Here is the supplier I buy from to make my own colored blends. http://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/dyes.html It doesn't take much, usually only a few drops to a 5-6 gallon pail.

At present, we use three different colored dyes at our facility- red, green, and blue- with each used in specific systems. The different colors make identification fairly easy when a leak is detected, whether it is a puddle on the floor or a dripping connection.

The blue dye is placed in the hydraulic fluid systems. The oil is an ISO 32, non staining oil that is clear and colorless out of the drum.

By adding a small amount of dye to the system it allows for a quick identification of problem fittings in the completely drenched environment. A mechanic can shine a flashlight at the hose connections and fittings and immediately see a bright blue drop of oil if a leak is present.

The red dye is used in gearbox lube systems and the green is used in Morgoil bearing lube systems, with the same results.

The dye in question is made by:
PYLAM PRODUCT COMPANY, INC.
2175 East Cedar Street
Tempe, AZ 85281-7431
phone 480-929-0070 or 800-645-6096

Another company is listed in the "Lubes'n'Greases" magazine 2004/2005 sourcebook on page 137. The company is ANCHOR COLOR & CHEMICAL. The contact is Michael Denci, e-mail mdenci@anchorcolor.com.