Electric Log Splitter

[Weedy Fields]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
I know I'll have more than I need in summer so it would be nice if I could use a chunk of it up splitting wood.
I don't have a splitter now, borrow a buddies, just costs me returning with a full tank of gas and I help him around his place when he needs a hand.

An words of wisdom?

 

[roadhunter]

Might be something you have to build if you want a lot of power. I'd think a 5, 7.5, or 10 hp electric motor would run a log splitter hydraulic pump quite well.

There are also lots of used industrial hydraulic units that are electric on e-bay. Might need to swap the motor unless you have 3 phase as most of them are 3 phase.

Ideally finding a used gas powered splitter with a bad engine would be a simple/inexpensive option to convert to electric.

 

[4570Man]

I didn't like being tied to a cord. I want to pull my splitter wherever I want and split wood. A splitter with a decent size motor will pull a significant amount of current so that severely limits how long of a cord you can use.

 

[dickfoster]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
I know I'll have more than I need in summer so it would be nice if I could use a chunk of it up splitting wood.
I don't have a splitter now, borrow a buddies, just costs me returning with a full tank of gas and I help him around his place when he needs a hand.

An words of wisdom?

That takes big horse power for an electric motor. I think my 30 ton splitter has an 8 horse engine on it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
An words of wisdom?

Although NOT cheap, it's doable with an electric motor on a Super Split... That's where I'd be looking IF I wanted a full size electric splitter.

Personally, I like running my splitter with my tractor BEST!

SR

 

[roadhunter]

That takes big horse power for an electric motor. I think my 30 ton splitter has an 8 horse engine on it.

That would probably only take a 5 HP electric motor to be equal power.

 

[jeff9366]

Home Depot offers many <$300 electric log splitters. Common draw is 1,500 watts.

LINK: Search Results for electric splitter at The Home Depot


Check out the brand(s) you are interested in on U-Tube.

LINK: electric log splitter - YouTube


Here are threads from the T-B-N archive: Google

 

[roadhunter]

Although NOT cheap, it's doable with an electric motor on a Super Split... That's where I'd be looking IF I wanted a full size electric splitter.

Personally, I like running my splitter with my tractor BEST!

SR

I have a 3 point splitter for my tractor and just hate it. Ties up the tractor and running a much larger engine to do a small job like splitting wastes fuel IMO. Now dont' get me wrong I like the 20+ GPM at 3,000 PSI as it blows through wood but it seems inefficient. My 45 hp Kioti was less than 10 gpm and much lower pressure so it was barely better than the gas powered units anyway. Every time I use it I think to myself that I'd rather be running it with gas engine or even better a big electric setup like the OP is proposing.

The OP has "free" electricity so the electric has many advantages over gas powered for this particular situation but that' going to take lots of sunlight. I'm looking forward to seeing what he ends up doing.

 

[4570Man]

I used to power my splitter with a 3hp electric motor. It did the same work as the 5.5 Honda gas motor that replaced it. I spend less than $20 per year in wood splitter fuel, so that's hardly worth considering. That $20 is the cheapest part of my wood splitting operation.

 

[Wagtail]

I've got an inexpensive (cheap) A$99.95 "ROK" electric hydraulic splitter. It works fine, if a bit slow, for what I need it for. I mounted it on a 'homemade' table that fits the bale spikes of my FEL so that I can move it around the property as needed. Genny or power-cord, it works.

Now, my neighbour (over the back fence) has a portable diesel powered splitter! He brings home logs, using a dump-truck from his work, to cut & split.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That takes big horse power for an electric motor. I think my 30 ton splitter has an 8 horse engine on it.

A~3hp electric motor would likely handle that. Elec handles 2X^+ temporary overloads well.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have a 3 point splitter for my tractor and just hate it. Ties up the tractor and running a much larger engine to do a small job like splitting wastes fuel IMO. Now dont' get me wrong I like the 20+ GPM at 3,000 PSI as it blows through wood but it seems inefficient. My 45 hp Kioti was less than 10 gpm and much lower pressure so it was barely better than the gas powered units anyway. Every time I use it I think to myself that I'd rather be running it with gas engine or even better a big electric setup like the OP is proposing.

My little 30 hp Deutz just purrrrs away, slooowly sipping diesel fuel, splitting my wood. And, it's faster that other splitters because it doesn't slow down going through the tough knots ect...

It's really nice not having to listen to a little motor scream away, and when I want to move my splitter, it's "self propelled"! We love the thing!

It just keeps on keeping on, pushing EVERYTHING through it's 4-way wedge! And I mean everything!

I buy tractors that will take being run MANY thousands of hours, without giving problems, I NEVER worry about putting hours on my tractor, that's what they are for!

SR

 

[Piston]

I also hate my 3 point splitter!
I've toyed with the idea of going electric only for the nice quiet operation of it. I would be running it with a diesel generator and semi long cord, just to keep the engine far away. However, that's a pretty inefficient and frankly stupid idea that I had.

For the op, a very high quality electric splitter that would likely last a lifetime is made by Split-Fire Manufacturers of high quality, custom engineered wood splitters, log splitters and wood chippers. | Split-Fire Sales Inc. Quality Built. High Performance. | Split-Fire - Your Best Choice
They offer an electric motor instead of their traditional gas if you prefer. The splitters themselves are heavy duty and meant for commercial operations.
It would be worth a look.

 

[roadhunter]

My little 30 hp Deutz just purrrrs away, slooowly sipping diesel fuel, splitting my wood. And, it's faster that other splitters because it doesn't slow down going through the tough knots ect...

It's really nice not having to listen to a little motor scream away, and when I want to move my splitter, it's "self propelled"! We love the thing!

It just keeps on keeping on, pushing EVERYTHING through it's 4-way wedge! And I mean everything!

I buy tractors that will take being run MANY thousands of hours, without giving problems, I NEVER worry about putting hours on my tractor, that's what they are for!

SR

I hear ya on the Deutz, that is a different situation, especially on fuel economy. I ahve a 32 HP Deutz in m little skidder and its' amazing how little fuel it uses.

I don't worry about putting hours on my tractor either, as long as I'm using the power. Running a 70 HP tractor to do 15 hp worth of work is not IMO.

I guess it really just depends if you prefer to split in many different areas or do it in one place. If the answer is one place an electric splitter could be a good choice.

 

[Weedy Fields]

I also hate my 3 point splitter!
I've toyed with the idea of going electric only for the nice quiet operation of it. I would be running it with a diesel generator and semi long cord, just to keep the engine far away. However, that's a pretty inefficient and frankly stupid idea that I had.

For the op, a very high quality electric splitter that would likely last a lifetime is made by Split-Fire Manufacturers of high quality, custom engineered wood splitters, log splitters and wood chippers. | Split-Fire Sales Inc. Quality Built. High Performance. | Split-Fire - Your Best Choice
They offer an electric motor instead of their traditional gas if you prefer. The splitters themselves are heavy duty and meant for commercial operations.
It would be worth a look.

Looks good at first glance, 120 volt 15 amp.
Like I mentioned, I'll most likely have excess electric in the summer months.
I'm retired, so I've got the time, I really don't care if its not the fastest way to split.
I do alot of splitting now with a maul by hand for fun.
But I figured that this might be a good way to spend an evening as the sun starts sinking down and the batteries are on full charge.
Thanks for the info.
and thanks all for your .02

 

[ultrarunner]

They were common when I was in Germany for homeowner use...

Lots of folks heat with wood and lots of the wives split the wood drug home from the forest...

 

[motownbrowne]

In the next few years, I'm planning on buying an electric super split. They aren't exactly cheap, but they are quite a bit faster than the single wedge hydraulic splitters and they are quiet. To me, that is worth the inconvenience of being tied to a cord. My plan is to run power to my sugar bush where I split all my wood anyway and get to split in peace and quiet. I'm with Rob on this one, i hate listening to those little air cooled gas engines scream all day.

 

[Garandman]

A lot of friends like the electric because they can keep it near the house and split whenever they have a few minutes, even early am when people are sleeping. Didn't work for me because our wood lot is 600' from power.

DR Power makes a cheap electric hydraulic splitter.
Log Splitter: 5 Ton Hydraulic Electric Wood Splitter | DR Power Equipment

And several kinetic spliitters, which are a lot faster.
Log Splitter K1� Electric | DR Power Equipment

RapidFire Electric Flywheel Log Splitter | DR Power Equipment

Free shipping now.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

IF you go to the dedicated splitter sites, you will find guys with all kinds of problems with the DR kinetics... Same with all the other Chinese "copy" kinetics...

SR

 

[motownbrowne]

IF you go to the dedicated splitter sites, you will find guys with all kinds of problems with the DR kinetics... Same with all the other Chinese "copy" kinetics...

SR

I'll second this. From what I've seen, if you're going with a kinetic splitter, there's only one true choice. The knockoffs aren't even that much cheaper.