My no split log splitter!

[HydroTek]

A large reservoir works well to dissipate heat and reduce foaming, but for a filled system, the reservoir only needs to be slightly larger than the displacement of any cylinder rods.
.

 

[PHIL850]

I would estimate the Tank at 5 1/2 gal. plenty of Iron / surface area for cooling.
Yes I am told that you should match the pump volume to the tank, however
I look at all the commercial made units and they aren't even close to that,
after all this is a home owner splitter. With the luck I have had with the rest of the componets this unit came with, I will speculate that I am either starving the pump with a plugged suction screen or the piston is leaking by. I will use AKKAMAAN advice and see if I
can detect some blow by on the piston.

Stay tuned for further details, although, I am getting a bit bored washing my hands in
Hydro fluid!!!

FYI Cyl is a 4 inch. It looks like it was off of an old Dozer of some sort.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Every hydraulic system/pump should have 2 mandatory gauges.
One low pressure/vacuum gauge on pump inlet to monitor inlet pressure.
And one high pressure gauge on pump outlet, to monitor pump outlet pressure.

You can hook up ten suction strainers on suction line, as long as suction pressure do not drop more than a few psi below atmospheric pressure. That inlet suction pressure dictates if pump is getting starved or not, and if air is getting sucked in or not. By sizing/designing correctly one can prevent/eliminate inlet pressure drop, and system will work great.

A suction strainer prevents debris that enter the fill cap, from entering pump. All other contaminates/debris, that comes back from the system, will be taken care of by the return filter. Thats why a fill cap strainer will do the same job as a suction strainer. Inside the reservoir, should always be considered the cleanest part of the system. I actually advocate for "pressure refill" through a return filter, but that is not with in a budget of low cost equipment like a log splitter etc, so "pour refill" through a fill cap strainer is the second best alternative....

I LIKE YOUR RECOMENDATION OF USING A VACUME GAUGE, The better more expensive suction filters come with them,, most come with the threaded port so adding one is easy. Iam deffinitly PRO,... Strain the oil,... before you F UP a 2,3or $400.00. pump,.. Most people dont seam to consider the fact that there is a real good chance of weld bbs, and other forigen material being sucked in to the pump, especially the home/shop built tanks. Truth of the matter is,. I dont care who built the tank,...You cant clean a tank inside good enough to ever say I dont need to bother with screening , cuz, weld bbs and scale will come lose in time, Not to mention, the possibility of stuff being introduced ,when filling/adding oil, OK,,Rant over,....Eric

 

[HydroTek]

I would estimate the Tank at 5 1/2 gal. plenty of Iron / surface area for cooling.
Yes I am told that you should match the pump volume to the tank, however
I look at all the commercial made units and they aren't even close to that,
after all this is a home owner splitter. With the luck I have had with the rest of the componets this unit came with, I will speculate that I am either starving the pump with a plugged suction screen or the piston is leaking by. I will use AKKAMAAN advice and see if I
can detect some blow by on the piston.

Stay tuned for further details, although, I am getting a bit bored washing my hands in
Hydro fluid!!!

FYI Cyl is a 4 inch. It looks like it was off of an old Dozer of some sort.

Don't know why I didn't think of this before, the pump is a two stage pump, if there was a piece of funk in the staging valve, it would act like this also. You should hear the pump "shift gears" when it contacts the log, I think low pressure is only about 750 psi. When you get that pressure gauge installed, all will become clearer. Don't forget a "snubber" to protect the gauge.
.

 

[sizzami]

A large reservoir works well to dissipate heat and reduce foaming, but for a filled system, the reservoir only needs to be slightly larger than the displacement of any cylinder rods.
.

ridiculous

 

[sizzami]

hydro tek when forming an argument you should never use subjective terms like slightly

 

[HydroTek]

I agree the symptoms indicate that the cylinder is starving for oil the reason it works on the return is because of the rod volume compensating for the small volume of oil just my opinion

Please, O guru of hydraulics ..enlighten me with your wisdom. What size must the reservoir be?

hydro tek when forming an argument you should never use subjective terms like slightly

Oh yeah ..and feel free to correct my grammar all you want :licking:
.

 

[PHIL850]

Here is an update for all you speculators. Installed the gauge when I got home from work today. Extended the Ram into the piece of wood untill it stopped, reading on the Gauge 500 lbs. NOT a whole lot. So I pulled the piece of wood off the splitter and extended the Ram to it's Max. Guess what? Holding the valve open with the Ram extended to its max gave me 2300 lbs. on the gauge! I am willing to bet that at full extention the ram is covering up the other port on the cyl, there by giving me the higher reading on the gauge. Or, in other words, the stupid piston is leaking by!!! I haven't tried the suggestion of removing the rod side hose and extending the piston into the log and looking for fluid coming from that port. I will give that a try tomorrow to confirm. I so did not want to have to retrofit a replacement cyl to this unit, but I may have to after all.

Phil C.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Here is an update for all you speculators. Installed the gauge when I got home from work today. Extended the Ram into the piece of wood untill it stopped, reading on the Gauge 500 lbs. NOT a whole lot. So I pulled the piece of wood off the splitter and extended the Ram to it's Max. Guess what? Holding the valve open with the Ram extended to its max gave me 2300 lbs. on the gauge! I am willing to bet that at full extention the ram is covering up the other port on the cyl, there by giving me the higher reading on the gauge. Or, in other words, the stupid piston is leaking by!!! I haven't tried the suggestion of removing the rod side hose and extending the piston into the log and looking for fluid coming from that port. I will give that a try tomorrow to confirm. I so did not want to have to retrofit a replacement cyl to this unit, but I may have to after all.

Phil C.

The piston could certainly cover the port hole on its front, flat side. Another possibility is that cylinder might be "ballooning" at mid stroke, when piston stalls . I know this can cause cylinder drift, seal by pass, at high pressure. Have never heard it happen on a log splitter before. Ballooning means the bore diameter increases from pressure, and make seal leak....I kinda still cant believe it but is a possibility.

It is recommended to pressure test piston seal at mid stroke for that reason.

 

[HydroTek]

Maybe just tear it down and lets see what is wrong on the inside ..no amount of testing at this point is gonna fix the cylinder.
.

 

[glastron23]

AAKAMAAN.. you get a lot of ballooning in these cylinders, if you have a 24 inch stroke and split 18 inch wood it happens about 10 to 12 inches from base end, just where the most pressure is required ... smack dab in the middle... will take pics of one on our small splitter that has the paint cracked right at that point. Jim

 

[PHIL850]

So, any body know how to get this cylinder to come apart? I can't find any place you
could place a spanner wrench or anything for that matter. I am thinking this thing maybe
a bit on the old and out of date side. Maybe time for a replacement is what I am saying.

Phil C.

 

[k0ua]

I don't know much about hydraulics, but doesn't it look like the endcap of the cylinder is just crimped in? It does not look like it comes apart to me, except with a nice band saw or something.

James K0UA

 

[wdchyd]

Phil,

Take out the fitting (it's keeping the gland from sucking back in).....then use a chunk of alum or brass to whack the gland back in.....that may expose a hidden retainer ring................or the gland was installed from the back side and the base plate (back side) was welded together afterwards......

It does look like an odd ball.........:confused2:

 

[tommu56]

I t looks like the the end is crimped like the disposable air cylinders we get at work.
With that in mind are you sure its a hydraulic cylinder?

 

[HydroTek]

Definitely looks like a throw away cylinder type, it maybe not designed for modern hydraulic pressures anyway. I suggest replacing with a new cylinder, try to get one with a 2 inch rod.
.

 

[PHIL850]

Decided not to torture myself any more. I am done with troubleshooting at this point and have ordered up a new replacement 4X24 2" rod piston. Found one for $149 + shipping at Agri supply. Why not, at that point I will have a new splitter as far as Hydraulic components are concerned. In the future I am going to think twice before taking on someone else's already started project. I should of started this one from scratch. Live and learn.

anyone interested in a used pump and valve? ( condition unknown)

Phil C.

 

[Zork]

Wont the size of the ram-v-bore have something to do with force and speed on stroke? If the ram is too small will it work properly even if you have proper psi?

 

[wdchyd]

Decided not to torture myself any more. I am done with troubleshooting at this point and have ordered up a new replacement 4X24 2" rod piston. Found one for $149 + shipping at Agri supply. Why not, at that point I will have a new splitter as far as Hydraulic components are concerned. In the future I am going to think twice before taking on someone else's already started project. I should of started this one from scratch. Live and learn.

anyone interested in a used pump and valve? ( condition unknown)

Phil C.

Good decision....:thumbsup:

 

[PHIL850]

The ram shaft is on the return stroke side, and will not effect pushing force which is what you are looking for in a splitter. A larger shaft will result in a faster return of the ram as there is less volume for the pump to fill in the cyl. Most splitters run 4" pistons. The more expensive / heavy duty ones will run 5" pistons. More surface area, (pi r squared) = more force.