While the means by which lubricants perform their function are complex, the main areas for how lubricants lose their functional performance during use can be summarized as:  

1. Increased Contaminants
2. Loss of Contaminant Control
3. Loss of Surface Protection

The Combined Oil Condition and Moisture Sensor measurement hardware and associated interpretation methods evaluate lubricant health with respect to these degradation modes. The underlying technology for the Sensor is electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), wherein a dynamic electrical signal is applied to the lubricant and changes in the fluid’s electrical response to the signal with time are measured and correlated to chemical and physical changes of the lubricant