Mil spec H5606?

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SeaStar hydraulic fluid is very expensive. Their web site says only to use H5606 Mil spec fluid. Are there any fluids that meet that spec readily available(and cheaper)?
 
Noticed this list of acceptable fluids on their "fill and purge" instructions;

Texaco HO15
Shell Aero 4
Esso Univis N15
Chevron Aviation Fluid A
Mobil Aero HFA

For convenience I ended up using two of their $15.00 a quart fluid to purge my hydraulic steering
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I believe this is similar to Skydrol, a phosphate ester fluid for aircraft hydraulic systems.

The only reason I think they are requiring this is for fire safety, since Skydrol is less flammable.

Will do some more checking.

It isn't going to be cheap, which is why you paid $15 per quart.
 
H5606 is mineral oil based.
H83232 is PAO based.
PEs don't have a number.
 
MIL-PRF-5606, formerly known as MIL-H-5606, MIL-O-5606, and a couple of other numbers, is a mineral based hydraulic fluid.
 
MolaKule could I use Amsoil universal ATF. It`s an outboard motor so any leak won`t end up on any hot exhaust manifolds or anything. Appreciate your looking into this, thank you
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What's the viscosity of this fluid. Thicker or thinner than ATF?

I don't have the specs that tell what vis the H5606 might be.
 
I`d assume it`s viscosity would be about the same as Mobil's acceptable substitute which is as follows:

Kinematic Viscosity, cSt
@ 205ºC -
@ 100ºC 5.1
@ 40ºC 13.9
@ -40ºC 460 (500 max)
@ -54ºC 1950
@130ºF 10.7 (10.0 min)
Viscosity Index 370
 
I found Amsoil`s Shock Therapy Suspension Fluid to be closer than the universal trans fluid in regard to viscosity. The Shock Therapy has seal conditioners and I think an anti-foam add(one test measures percent foam). Would it be better than the trans fluid?
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Shock Therapy:

Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D-445) 4.38

Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D-445) 15.68

Viscosity Index (ASTM D-2270) 210

Pour Point, °C (ASTM D-92) -54

Flash Point, °C [°F] 175 [347]

Fire Point, °C [°F] 192 [378]

Four Ball Wear Test (ASTM D-4172: 40kg, 75°C, 1200 rpm, 1 hr) Scar Diameter, mm 0.40

Foam, ml (ASTM D-892) Sequence I, II, III 65/0, 60/0, 65/0

Blender Test (25°C, low speed, 1 min.) 2.5 mins to settle, 8% foam
 
OOPS, the above Shock Therapy specs listed are for #5 light. The only other is #10 medium. The medium is closer to the trans fluid specs. Didn`t notice there were two kinds
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If you choose Skydrol, read the MSDS. Also, protect your skin and eyes. It burns like fire on tougher skin, (hands),so use your imagination to guess what it will feel like on more tender, sensitive areas. Wash up good before you "answer the call". We use it in our regional jets' central hydraulic systems. The same jet still uses 5606 in the landing gear struts, though.
 
Often the 5606 spec is used for reasons of convenience.
a 5606 fluid is about 15 cSt at 40
IV around 150
and high insulation value (I think around 35)
It's used in a lot of bucket trucks, but they then allow a diffence for tropical areas, where we they will take a good multigrade hidraulic with the high dielectric strengh. We've used Chevron's Rykon Premium 32 in tropical climates.
 
MIL_PRF_5606H info directly from the spec. No need to SPECulate
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MIL-PRF-5606H

Viscosity in centistokes at -54°C (max) 2500
Viscosity in centistokes at -40°C (max) 600
Viscosity in centistokes at 40°C (min) 13.2
Viscosity in centistokes at 100°C (min) 4.90

I have the entire spec in .pdf. It's only about 550k in size. If someone wants to host it online for the benefit of the group, I will email it to them.

I someone wants to set up a space to host lube related MIL specs for the use of BITOGgers, I believe I can get any of them in .pdf.
 
This fluid is probably more like the petroleum based version of the "Pentosin" PS fluid used by many older German cars.

The key issue here is not high/low temp viscometrics but elastomeric seal compatibility....What you need to start is a detailed spec sheet for any one of these MIL-L-H5606 fluids. It should include all the common elastomeric seal materials, along with the volume change associated with prolonged exposure to the H5606 fluid.

Get that detailed level of info. and it may be possible to find a generic alternate fluid....It would be interesting as an academic exercise (at least to me), but certainly not cost effective.
 
Jerimiah, here's a list of all the hydraulic oils that are curently qualified as MIL-PRF-5606.

The are most likely a lot of other fluids that would meet it that their manufaturers haven't gotten tested against the gumnt spec.

From QPL-5606-31 rev's 0, 1 and 2.

0JWS4 Arpolube 5606 MLB 02-27 4 Sept 02 Distributed by:
Arpol Petroleum Company
2275 Tucker Industrial Rd.
Tucker, GA 30084

98308 Brayco Micronic 756 MLB 02-15 21 Mar 02 Castrol Industrial North America
Endurance Technology
1001 West 31st Street
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Plant:
5511 District Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90040

04BH0 Chevron Aviation
Hydraulic Fluid G
Texaco Aircraft
Hydraulic Oil 5606G
MLB 01-08 5 Oct 01
MLB 01-08 5 Oct 01
Distributed by:
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants
6101 Bollinger Canyon Rd., T3066
San Ramon, CA 94583

1PWD8 Invarol FJ 13 MLB 99-02 15 Jun 99 ESSO Saf
2, rue des Martinets
92569 Rueil-Malmaison
Cedex, France
Plant:
ESSO Raffinage S.A.F.
Usines Lubrifiants de
Port-Jerome/Gravenchon
BP70
Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon
76330 France
Distributed by:
Exxon Mobil Corp.
3225 Gallows Rd.
Fairfax, VA 22037

1PWD8 Mobil Aero HF MLB 02-22 6 Aug 02 Distributed by:
Exxon Mobil Corporation
3225 Gallows Road
Fairfax, VA 22037
QPL-5606-31

8Y842 Technolube FB003 MLB 01-04 16 Jul 01 Lubricating Specialties Company
Technolube Products Division
8015 Paramount Blvd
Pico Rivera, CA 90660-4888
Plant:
3365 E. Slauson Ave.
Vernon, CA 90058

F4101 Hydraunycoil FH 51 MLB 01-06 26 Sep 01 Nyco SA
66, Avenue Des Champs-Elysees
51, Rue de Ponthieu
75008 Paris
France
Plant:
Societe Touraisienne de Produits
Chimiques
Z.I. de Tournai Ouest
Rue de l'Ancienne Potence, 22
7503 Tournai
Belgium

0HDS4 Petronomics Plus MLB 02-27 4 Sep 02 Distributed by:
Petronomics Mfg. Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 644
Hutchison, KS 67504-0644
07950 Royco 756 MLB 02-12 6 Mar 02 Royal Lubricants, Inc.
P.O. Box 518
215 Merry Lane
East Hanover NJ 07936-3920

3AD00 SENT-5606 MLB 00-10 3 Jan 01 Sentinel Canada
Div SLC/LCLS
7300 Rue St-Jacques
Montreal, Quebec H4B 1W1
Canada
QPL-5606-31

KA832 AeroShell Fluid 41 MLB 02-19 29 May 02 Distributed by:
Shell Aviation Ltd.
Shell Centre
York Road
London SE1 7NA
United Kingdom

04BH0 Chevron Aviation
Hydraulic Fluid G
Texaco Aircraft
Hydraulic Oil 5606G
MLB 02-36
26 Dec 02
MLB 02-37
26 Dec 02
Distributed by:
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants
6101 Bollinger Canyon Rd., T3066
San Ramon, CA 94583

04BH0 Chevron Aviation
Hydraulic Fluid G
MLB 02-36
26 Dec 02
Texaco Aircraft
Hydraulic Oil 5606G
MLB 02-37
26 Dec 02
Distributed by:
ChevronTexaco
Richmond Technology Center
100 Chevron Way
Richmond, California, 94802
 
Update,I found a suitable replacement for Seastar brand hydraulic fluid. Following is a cut and paste of my post on a boating forum,kind of a synopsis of my solution.


I just flushed/bled my Seastar 1.7 with Shell`s Tellus T 22 hydraulic oil. I witnessed this fluid leak out of a bucket truck and noticed it looked similar to Seastar`s light golden,almost clear fluid. I called Shell and spoke with technical services. The guy I spoke to said the 22 is one grade thicker than Seastars 15 but should be OK and might even be better in my older system. He said they are very similar non-synthetic oils and as long as I stay below 40,000 feet I should be fine
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Shell`s Tellus T oil is also available in the 15 grade but the 22 was free from a mechanic friend and sure beats the 15 dollars a quart at West Marine
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Have not had it in the water yet but should be fine. If I experience any "heavy" steering I`ll report back.
 
quote:

I witnessed this fluid leak out of a bucket truck and noticed it looked similar to Seastar`s light golden,almost clear fluid

Bucket trucks should be using a non conductive low temp fluid. We used Kendall Glacial Blue, it wasn't cheap as I remember.
 
MIL-H-5606c,d
use aero shell or exxon univis J-13 if is the same stuff

basicly a kerosene cut with about 15% PMA VII and a ZDDP or used to be TCP additive.
IS NOT A phoshate ester skydraul oil NOT commpatible the Tellus 22 should be fine VI is lower tho.
bruce
 
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