Adding power steering & power beyond plumbing question

[etpm]

A flow divider and priority flow control are two totally different valves and operate in a different manner.

Priority flow control directs a predetermined flow to the controlled flow port and all excess flow is directed to the excess flow port. This is most common valve used for steering since it provides a constant priority flow rate to steering.

A flow divider splits the flow at some predetermined ratio. This ratio does not change so with 4 GPM inlet and 50:50 split you get 2 GPM to each circuit. With 6 GPM inlet you get 3 to each circuit. With most flow dividers blocking flow in one leg blocks flow to both legs. Most common use is trying to keep two circuits operating at the same speed.

I don't know which type I have but I suspect it is the priority type. I guess I can check by blocking the regulated port. Since only one port is marked regulated I must have the priority type. I see devices like mine except they are adjustable from outfits like Summit and they call them dividers. Would they block flow from both ports if one port was blocked?
Thanks,
Eric

 

[oldnslo]

If marked regulated I would also suspect priority flow control. Yes it gets confusing on what type if valve you have when names are interchanged.

 

[etpm]

If marked regulated I would also suspect priority flow control. Yes it gets confusing on what type if valve you have when names are interchanged.

Thanks. It is confusing when names are interchanged. I'm pretty sure I don't need another relief. I guess I can check by turning the steering wheel full stop and see if fluid still comes out of the other port.
Eric

 

[oldnslo]

Be careful since if no flow movement and no relief the weakest link will break.

If you have style of priority flow control with built in relief the relief vents to the excess flow. Any pressure in the excess flow port is additive to relief setting.

Example: relief set at 2000 PSI and load on excess flow is 1000 PSI. Do some thing that block priority flow and relief will open at 3,000 PSI.

 

[etpm]

Be careful since if no flow movement and no relief the weakest link will break.

If you have style of priority flow control with built in relief the relief vents to the excess flow. Any pressure in the excess flow port is additive to relief setting.

Example: relief set at 2000 PSI and load on excess flow is 1000 PSI. Do some thing that block priority flow and relief will open at 3,000 PSI.

I don't know how to tell without testing. The guy I bought the valve from has not answered my emails. Can I test the divider just by using turning the steering wheel a little? Would the fluid stop flowing from the non regulated port on the divider as soon as the regulated port starts to deliver fluid under pressure?
Eric

 

[oldnslo]

Do you have any information on the valve you have like make, model number, any published info with schematic?

I am basing my concern on working for a valve manufacturer years ago and typical operation for vast majority of priority flow controls at that time was as I have described.

 

[Rich B1]

If you don’t know if your tractor has a relief at the pump and you don’t know if you have a relief in your priority valve, then you need to add a relief valve! It needs to be between the pump and priority valve inlet. It needs to be set above your FEL, steering, and 3PH relief. I would be at 150 - 200 PSI above your highest setting to avoid chattering of the reliefs.

 

[etpm]

I ordered a 16 GPM priority valve with relief. It was the lowest flow one I could find. Please don't tell me you found an 11 GPM valve unless you are gonna supply it to me at no cost. When it arrives I will find out if the mounting plate I made for the other valve will work. Once that's done I can order fittings and hose. I decided to order a pressure gauge too. They are inexpensive and it will let me know if the pressure is getting too high, hopefully before I damage something.
I also found a larger displacement pump so if stuff is too slow I have that option. Even though it's a 400 dollar option. And speaking of pumps, my son and I looked at my tractor to see once again how much trouble it would be to use a car power steering pump. I was given a Honda Civic pump, at least I think that's the car it came from, and it fortunately spins in the opposite direction of most pumps. This means it can be mounted with its face facing the crankshaft pulley face. If I did this without changing anything on the tractor the power steering pump would need to be shaft driven and sit out in front of the tractor cowling. This would be problematic because of the FEL mount. Among other things.
On my tractor is a cast weight that the battery sits on and it has clearance for a shaft that could drive a pump. But I could instead remove the weight completely and make an new battery mount that elevates the battery a couple inches. This would give me enough room to mount the power steering pump below the battery. I would lose the extra weight but my tractor has an aftermarket FEL mounted and it surely weighs more than the stock cast weight under the battery. And I can still mount that weight somewhere else out in front of the cowling anyway.
Before I go too far though I am gonna grab the power steering pump in the lathe chuck and spin it at 900 RPM to see just how much fluid it pumps per minute so I can compare it to the hydraulic pump in my tractor. To make the test as accurate as possible I will put in a flow restrictor so the pressure can be raised to 1500 PSI. This will not only test pump output it will also test the pump to see if it is a good pump and if the rotation direction is right. The guy who gave it to me thinks it is a good pump and thinks it spins in the direction I need.
Anyway, I'm excited to get the new valve so I can order the hose and fittings and get the job done. I have fabbed everything needed so far and if the new valve will work with the mounting plate I made that means the only thing I will need to do is plumbing. HAH!
Eric