Executive Summary: Most of the time a hydraulic hammer is the right call because everything stays self-contained. But in situations with super high heat, pneumatic is the better choice because it keeps the hammer cool. Running nitrogen through a pneumatic hammer keeps the system clean, makes the hammer run longer, and keeps the seals from blowing out.
Why Is a Hydraulic Hammer the Default Choice?
A hydraulic hammer is the preferred option most of the time because everything is self-contained. There is no separate supply to manage, which is why it is the setup of choice for the majority of jobs.
When Should You Switch to a Pneumatic Hammer?
In certain situations with super high heat, it is better to run pneumatic instead of hydraulic. The reason is simple: pneumatic keeps the hammer cool, which matters most when the heat would otherwise work against the machine.
Why Run Nitrogen Through a Pneumatic Hammer?
A lot of the time the pneumatic hammer is run on nitrogen because it is really clean and keeps contamination out of the system. That keeps the hammer running longer, but most importantly it keeps the hammer cool and keeps the seals from blowing out of it.
