As we prepare for the lighting season now is a good time to begin preparing our lighting tower fleet for the rigors of the coming busy months.
It is an ideal opportunity to get the units back to optimum condition by carrying out some simple safety and maintenance checks.
Trime UK recommend that during pre-hire checks and at least once every 12 months all electrical circuits should be inspected to ensure that connections are tight and a visual inspection carried out on all wiring looms to ensure they are undamaged.
Check over the unit, make sure the bodywork, chassis and road tow, are all in good condition and free from damage. Report any damage and repair as necessary.
Check that all nuts & bolts are tight using a Torque wrench where necessary.
Pay particular attention to the bolts fixing the road tow to the chassis and the wheel nuts holding the wheels to the axle, these should always be checked with a Torque wrench
For road tow units, remember to assess the operation of the trailer lights and now may be a good opportunity to check and adjust the brake shoes on the road tow axle, also ensure that it is fitted with a breakaway cable.
A major part of any engine driven lighting tower pre hire inspection is to check that all fluid levels are correct and if the engine is due a full service.
Trime UK recommend that after the first 50 engine running hours the oil filter and engine oil are replaced as this will eliminate any possible contamination that may be in the engine from manufacture.
Depending on the engine type the recommended service intervals will be as follows.
Every 300 or 500 engine running hours Trime UK recommend a full engine service including engine oil, fuel & oil filters.
Depending on the environment the machine is working in it may not be necessary to replace the air filter every service, but possibly every other service.
All fuel pipes and hose connections should be check for cracks or damage and that they are safely routed from the fuel tank to the engine. Fuel pipes should be replaced as recommended by the engine manufacturer.
During the pre-hire check it is a good idea to set up the lighting tower, preferably outside, and to extend and deploy all stabilisers and check for any obvious issues/damage, now would be a good time to lubricate all the stabilisers and stabiliser arms.
With all stabilisers fully deployed, extend the mast to its full height, taking the time to inspect the ropes and rollers are all moving freely as the mast is both raised and lowered.
Replace any damaged ropes or rollers immediately.
Lubricate the mast with WD40 or a similar light lubricant, do not use heavy grease-based lubrication on the mast.
Inspect all power cables to the LED lamps checking for damage, rotate and adjust each lamp head.
Switch on all LED lamps and check that they are operational.
The Hydraulic system on the unit is quite a simple system.
The main thing to check for is any leaks or damage to the hose pipe and connections.
Check the Hydraulic fluid level in the reservoir when the mast is fully lowered.
Also check when the mast is being raised/lowered that it is travelling correctly, approximately 30 seconds to raise and 50 seconds to lower.
Rotate the mast in both directions to ensure free movement.
It is important ensure that any batteries are fully charged to 100% before going out on hire and when the units are returned from hire. This will help to prevent any damage to the battery cells which could reduce the lifespan of the batteries.
For all hybrid units, we recommend checking and running the units every 6 - 8 weeks and let the lighting tower carry out a full cycle of discharge and recharge which will help keep the batteries in optimum condition.
Each Trime Lighting Tower is supplied with a large instruction label attached that gives guidance on the correct setting up and operation of that unit, along with numerous safety labels attached to the canopy giving additional safety advice, set up on firm level ground, check for overhead cables or obstructions etc, check that all safety labels are fixed to the unit, replacement labels can be ordered from Trime UK.
PDF pre-hire check sheets are available from Trime UK should they be required- CLICK HERE TO REQUEST
Please contact our service team if you require any guidance on any information listed above.