Automatic Lubrication FAQs
Find answers to common questions about automatic lubrication systems, installation, maintenance practices, and selecting the right perma lubricator for your application. For product-specific questions, please visit the individual product pages.
General Lubrication Questions
An automatic lubrication system delivers lubricant to a bearing at the right time, in the correct amount, and in optimal quality, eliminating the inconsistencies of manual greasing. This prevents over‑ and under‑lubrication and helps reduce wear, failures, and downtime.
perma lubricators dispense lubricant continuously and precisely using either gas‑powered pressure (electrochemical units) or motor‑driven mechanisms (electromechanical units). Both methods supply clean lubricant directly to the lubrication point without interruption
Automatic lubrication prevents over‑ and under‑lubrication, reduces contamination, improves safety, and helps prevent up to 75% of bearing failures. It also reduces downtime and long‑term maintenance costs.
Equipment such as conveyors, electric motors, pumps, blowers, fans, and industrial bearings benefit from consistent automatic lubrication — especially those in hard‑to‑reach or high‑contamination areas.
Service frequency depends on the lubricator’s discharge setting, which ranges from 1 week to 24 months. perma CONNECT provides reminders and tracking to ensure lubrication points are serviced on time.
Choosing the Right Lubricator
Choosing the right perma system starts with understanding the lubrication point and the application’s demands. perma offers a wide range of automatic single‑point and multi‑point systems designed to deliver lubricant at the right time, in the correct amount, and with optimal quality. The best solution depends on factors like operating conditions, lubrication frequency, and the number of points that need service.
Key factors include:
- Application type (conveyors, motors, pumps, fans, bearings)
- Discharge period (1 week to 24 months, depending on demand)
- Lubricant volume (60–1000 cm³ options)
- Accessibility & safety (ideal for hard‑to‑reach or hazardous locations)
- Environmental conditions (dust, moisture, vibration, heat)
perma SELECT and the perma product catalog help match the correct lubricator to your needs.
Single‑point systems supply lubricant to one lubrication point, ideal for individual bearings, motors, fans, and pumps. perma offers both electrochemical and electromechanical single‑point units.
Multi‑point systems (such as perma PRO MP‑6) distribute lubricant to multiple lubrication points from a single device—useful for clusters of bearings or equipment with several lubrication needs.
Temperature, dust, moisture, and vibration all influence lubricant performance. Some perma systems, like FLEX and NOVA, are designed for extreme temperatures or contaminated environments.
Harsh conditions require lubricants that resist washout and contamination. Automatic lubrication helps by supplying fresh lubricant consistently, reducing the risk of premature bearing failure.
Installation & Setup
Automatic lubricators from perma are easy to install. Most single-point units can be mounted directly at the lubrication point by replacing the grease fitting, with no special tools or advanced technical skills required.
When direct mounting is not possible, lubricators can be mounted remotely using hoses, brackets and other accessories. This allows the lubricator to be placed in a safer and more accessible location while still delivering precise lubrication to the point of need.
Once installed, the lubricator automatically delivers the correct lubricant quantity over time, reducing manual effort and improving consistency. For more complex or multi-point applications, perma USA and its distributor partners provide support to ensure proper mounting and accessory selection.
Yes. Automatic lubricators are ideal for hard-to-reach or hazardous lubrication points. They can be mounted directly at the lubrication point or installed remotely using extensions, hoses or brackets.
This allows lubrication points on conveyors, motors, pumps, fans and bearings to be serviced without exposing maintenance personnel to unsafe access areas, heights or confined spaces.
This improves both safety and reliability while reducing the time spent walking routes or shutting down equipment.
Perma automatic lubricators themselves do not require external electrical power. These systems use mechanical or electrochemical drive technology, making them ideal for remote locations or equipment without power access.
When digital monitoring or connectivity is required, such as Bluetooth or long-range communication, a gateway is used. While the lubricator continues to operate independently, the gateway requires electrical power to transmit data and enable remote monitoring and system visibility.
This setup allows facilities to benefit from automated lubrication without power at the lubrication point, while still enabling connected maintenance where power is available.
Before installing any automatic lubricator, ensure the equipment is shut down and locked out according to site safety procedures. Always release pressure from the lubrication point and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Follow the installation instructions provided with the lubricator, verify compatibility of the lubricant and ensure fittings and connections are secure. Proper installation not only protects maintenance personnel but also ensures reliable lubrication and long equipment life.
Maintenance & Operation
The service life of a perma automatic lubricator depends on the selected discharge period and lubricant volume. Most perma single‑point lubricators are designed to operate continuously for several months up to one year based on the set lubrication interval.
This controlled delivery ensures consistent lubrication over the entire service life without the need for manual re‑greasing.
Perma lubricators feature clear visual indicators that show both the remaining lubricant level and the operating status of the drive. The drive uses blinking indicator lights to signal replacement status.
- Blinking green indicates the lubricator is operating normally
- Blinking red indicates the lubricator has reached the end of its service life and needs to be replaced
This allows maintenance teams to quickly identify service needs during routine checks. For digitally connected systems, operating status and replacement timing can also be monitored remotely, reducing the need for physical inspections while improving maintenance planning.
Missing a lubrication point can lead to increased friction, accelerated wear and premature component failure. Over time, this may result in unplanned downtime, higher repair costs and potential safety risks.
Automatic lubricators help eliminate missed lubrication points by delivering consistent, precise lubricant quantities on a set schedule, even when equipment is difficult to access or operating continuously.
Yes. Automatic lubricators help reduce downtime by ensuring critical components receive the correct amount of lubricant at the right intervals. This prevents under‑lubrication, over‑lubrication and lubrication‑related failures.
By maintaining consistent lubrication and reducing manual intervention, perma automatic lubrication systems support longer component life, improved equipment reliability and fewer unexpected shutdowns.
Lubricants & Compatibility
Support & Service
Installation guides, technical data sheets and product documentation are available directly on the perma USA website. Each product page includes relevant manuals and specifications to support proper installation and operation.
Additional resources can be found in the Apps & Services and Support sections of the site, making it easy to access documentation when needed.
Yes. Perma USA provides technical support to help select the right lubrication system based on your application, operating conditions and equipment requirements. Support is available through perma USA’s internal team and authorized distributors.
This ensures the correct lubricator, lubricant type and mounting configuration are chosen for reliable long‑term performance.
Yes. Perma USA offers lubrication surveys to evaluate lubrication points within a facility and identify opportunities for automation, improved safety and increased reliability. These surveys help determine where automatic lubrication can reduce manual greasing, prevent missed lubrication points and improve consistency.
Surveys are typically conducted in collaboration with application engineers, regional sales manageers and local perma distributors to ensure recommendations align with site conditions, equipment requirements and maintenance goals.
Perma USA can be contacted directly through the website by phone, email or the online contact form. Technical support, application assistance and distributor support are all available through the perma USA team.
Product-Specific Questions
For questions about specific lubrication systems, please visit the individual product pages:
Each product page includes FAQs related to configuration, compatibility, operating conditions, and installation.
Still Have Questions?
If you need help selecting the right lubrication system, identifying lubrication points, or troubleshooting a lubrication issue, the perma USA team is here to help.
Our specialists can assist with product selection, installation guidance, and lubrication best practices to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
Contact our technical team to get support for your application.