Donaldson X011303 Filter Buddy Portable Hydraulic Filter

A handheld portable kidney-loop filter unit, 2 gpm pump

The Donaldson Filter Buddy X011303 is a handheld portable filtration system for kidney looping reservoirs that are too small or too awkward for a full filter cart. Its small size and weight let it be carried up and down stairs and into confined spaces, and it fits on top of a drum for transferring and filtering from a drum to a reservoir.

It carries two HMK04 filters using Synteq synthetic media plumbed in series, giving coarse and fine particle removal or, with a water absorbing filter, water and particle removal. The sheet lists a gear pump of 2 gpm (7.6 lpm) for X011303, and filters are ordered separately.

Technical specifications

Features

The frame is rugged, the filters have sample ports for cleanliness checks, and an integrated safety relief valve and an overload protected switch protect the pump and the motor. The sheet lists applications for fluid transfer, off-line filtration, water removal, filtering new fluid, line flushing, hose cleaning and flushing during equipment commissioning.

The range also includes X011304 and X011305, which use a different pump and, for X011305, HMK05 filters. An optional stainless steel wand kit, P573154, gives a 40 inch suction and a 20 inch discharge wand.

Filters and care

HMK04 filter choices include Synteq 6, 11, 13, 14, 22, 23 and 50 micron grades in 5.97 and 9.4 inch lengths, an Alpha-Web 10 micron option and a water absorbing filter, P560584. Fluorocarbon O-rings are required for diester, phosphate ester, water glycol and water-oil emulsions above 150 F.

Indoor use is recommended; rain and snow can cause the electric motor to fail and such failures are not covered by the warranty. The unit is not for diesel fuel or gasoline. The filters are plumbed in series so that either two particle grades or a particle grade and a water absorbing element can be used. Check the thread size of the filter against the HMK04 assembly, and select the filter micron rating from the target cleanliness class and fluid viscosity.

Typical jobs listed in the sheet are transferring new oil, cleaning stored oil, system draining, line flushing, hose cleaning, kidney loop filtration, repairs and equipment rebuild flushing, and flushing during commissioning.

Why use a portable kidney-loop filter

Hydraulic and lubrication systems often carry more contamination than their in-line filters can remove in normal operation. New oil from a drum is rarely as clean as modern valves and pumps require, and every top-up, seal change or hose replacement brings in particles. A kidney-loop unit like the Filter Buddy circulates oil out of the reservoir, through two filters and back, independently of the machine’s own circuit. That lets maintenance staff clean up a reservoir while the machine is idle or running, pre-filter oil before it enters the system and remove free water when a water-absorbing element is fitted.

Key features at a glance

• Handheld size and about 25 kg dry weight: one technician can carry it to machines on mezzanines, in pits or on vessels.
• Two HMK04 spin-on filters in series, allowing a coarse-then-fine pairing or a water-removal-then-particle pairing.
• 2 gpm (7.6 lpm) gear pump driven by a 1/2 hp TEFC motor.
• Sample ports on the filters for taking oil samples or particle counts before and after cleaning.
• Safety relief valve and an overload protected switch.
• Can sit on top of a drum to filter oil while transferring it to a reservoir.

Practical guidance for use

Picking the filter pair

For a reservoir that is visibly dirty, start with a coarser element in the first position and a finer one second, so the fine element does not block early. Where water contamination is suspected, for example cloudy oil after washdown or condensation, put a water-absorbing element first. Filters are ordered separately, so specify both grades with the unit.

Running time

With a 7.6 lpm pump, the time needed depends on the reservoir volume and how dirty the oil is. As a general rule, a kidney loop needs to pass the reservoir volume through the filters several times to make a meaningful difference. Taking a sample before and after shows whether more passes are needed.

Electrical supply

The X011303 is listed for 115 V, single phase, 60 Hz. Sites in Oman normally have 230/240 V at 50 Hz, so a suitable step-down transformer is needed, and a motor designed for 60 Hz will run slower on 50 Hz. Please discuss the supply with us before ordering; the other models in the range may suit a different supply.

Care and maintenance

• Replace filters when they are loaded, and keep spares of both grades with the unit.
• Clean hose ends and wands before inserting them into a reservoir, and cap them after use to avoid carrying dirt from one machine to another.
• Use the unit on one fluid type at a time, or flush it carefully between fluids, as mixing mineral oils, water glycols and esters can cause problems.
• Stay inside the -23 to 71 °C operating range, which matters when oil is drawn from hot equipment in summer.

Applications in the region

Typical users are maintenance teams for mobile equipment, plant hydraulic power units, injection moulding machines, and turbine or gearbox lube systems. In dusty environments such as quarries and construction sites, regular kidney looping helps keep fluid cleanliness under control between oil changes.

What to include in your RFQ

• Part number X011303 and quantity, or ask for X011304/X011305 if a different pump or filter is needed.
• Required HMK04 filter grades and number of spare filters.
• Whether the P573154 stainless steel wand kit is required.
• Available electrical supply at site.
• Fluid type to be filtered.

Documents and quotation

We quote X011303 on request from Muscat. Confirm the pump version, voltage and filter grades required against Donaldson Filter Buddy X011303 data sheet (Hydraulic Filtration pp. 228-229) (attached as a PDF), then submit the code. Browse Filtration Systems.