I have acquired an older home made log splitter that has a 9 hp B&S engine, 6 inch cylinder (3.5 in ram) w/ about 16 inches travel, 4 gpm single stage pump, and single valve. It limits pressure at 800 psi according to the pressure guage and boggs the engine down at that point. My question is will a two stage 16 gpm pump fix the pressure limit problem, not counting cycle time improvements, or is there something else that is causing that? I do not see an adjustment on the control valve to raise the pressure. The valve is an Energy brand.
Log Splitter Pressure
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J_J
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It takes about 8 HP to pump 4 GPM, at 3000 psi. It would only take about 2 HP to pump 4 GPM at 800 psi. What we don't know here is the pressure limits on the pump. A relief valve could be relieving a lot of the pressure.
You must have put a gage on it to say that it had 800 psi.
Is the valve connected correctly. Maybe it is reversed.
This pump, a 16 GPM two stage only requires about an 8 HP engine.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-1390&catname=hydraulic
There was a member on here a while back talking about the Energy valves, and they were setting the relief valve above the normal setting to get the extra pressure to raise the splitting force.
You must have put a gage on it to say that it had 800 psi.
Is the valve connected correctly. Maybe it is reversed.
This pump, a 16 GPM two stage only requires about an 8 HP engine.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-1390&catname=hydraulic
There was a member on here a while back talking about the Energy valves, and they were setting the relief valve above the normal setting to get the extra pressure to raise the splitting force.
J_J
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I found the other post about Energy valves.
Old 03-04-2011, 05:14 PM #18 (permalink)
shansen
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 7
Default Re: 3 1/2 in bore cylinder on wood splitter
Energy sells 2 valves to SPEECO and have for years. One has the internal system relief valve set at 3200 PSI and the other at 3400 PSI. SPEECO has been buying a knockoff of the valve from China for several years now. Energy valves have always had ENERGY cast in the valve body between the two cylinder work ports and stamped in the end of the spring cover. If the valve says anything else, including "SPEECO", it is the valve from China.
NOTE: You can not install a directional control valve downstream from the existing directional control valve in series. The additional valve must be upstream in series for a loglift. This is due to the internal pilot feature of the directional control valve running the splitting cylinder.
Hope this helps.
Steve Hansen
Applications Engineer
Energy Manufacturing Co., Inc.
(319)-465-3537 X-402
(319)-465-5279 FAX
shansen@energymfg.com
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Old 03-04-2011, 05:14 PM #18 (permalink)
shansen
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 7
Default Re: 3 1/2 in bore cylinder on wood splitter
Energy sells 2 valves to SPEECO and have for years. One has the internal system relief valve set at 3200 PSI and the other at 3400 PSI. SPEECO has been buying a knockoff of the valve from China for several years now. Energy valves have always had ENERGY cast in the valve body between the two cylinder work ports and stamped in the end of the spring cover. If the valve says anything else, including "SPEECO", it is the valve from China.
NOTE: You can not install a directional control valve downstream from the existing directional control valve in series. The additional valve must be upstream in series for a loglift. This is due to the internal pilot feature of the directional control valve running the splitting cylinder.
Hope this helps.
Steve Hansen
Applications Engineer
Energy Manufacturing Co., Inc.
(319)-465-3537 X-402
(319)-465-5279 FAX
shansen@energymfg.com
shansen is offline Report Post Reply With Quote
Thank you for your help. The engine is a B&S Model 9 Serial 77804 Type 201023. I had a shop go through it because it was full of dirt dobbers and had been sitting for several years. They told me it was 9 hp. Anyway, it already had the guage and everything set up and together. It will extend and retract super slow and when it bottoms out the guage will hit 800 psi and then the engine boggs. It does the same splitting wood. Split anything until 800 psi is reached and then just stops. The engine does not bog until the 800 psi mark but the pressure will not go past that. Its like the limit of the valve, pump, or something it set there. The guage is a Vickers, 3000 psi, and attached on the pump side of the valve.
J_J
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Did you verify that the pump output was going to the valve IN port?
Is it also a log splitter valve, with auto kick back to neutral?
Is it also a log splitter valve, with auto kick back to neutral?
The hose from the pump is connected to the "in" port on the valve. The valve is spring loaded in both directions back to neutral. If I do not hold it either way it stays in the neutral position. I do not know if it is specific for a log splitter.
J_J
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If the valve does not detent in the retract mode, and return to neutral, it is not a log splitter valve.
Have you done anything with the relief setting? Even with a gage in the system, it only indicates what the pressure is at that time. I can not see that 800 psi would bog down the engine.
It appears that when enough resistance is met, for what ever reason, splitting a log, or holding the lever in full extend or retract, the pump is causing the engine to stall.
It really dose not make much sense where the engine stalls when the pressure gets to 800 psi. A good pump will continue to pump, until it exceeds the limits of the pump. What should happen is the relief in the valve if set correctly, will relieve the excess pressure, and the gage will show the usable pressure.
Did you or someone else turn the relief screw? Does the valve even have a relief valve. Can you take a close up picture of the valve, all sides. Is there a name or model number on the valve?
If the pump is worn, the designed pressure will not be met.
I had a worn pump, and could only lift half or the rated weight. Checked out the valve, and the external relief valve, then changed out the pump, and everything works as advertised.
If you only knew the designed pump pressure.
Have you done anything with the relief setting? Even with a gage in the system, it only indicates what the pressure is at that time. I can not see that 800 psi would bog down the engine.
It appears that when enough resistance is met, for what ever reason, splitting a log, or holding the lever in full extend or retract, the pump is causing the engine to stall.
It really dose not make much sense where the engine stalls when the pressure gets to 800 psi. A good pump will continue to pump, until it exceeds the limits of the pump. What should happen is the relief in the valve if set correctly, will relieve the excess pressure, and the gage will show the usable pressure.
Did you or someone else turn the relief screw? Does the valve even have a relief valve. Can you take a close up picture of the valve, all sides. Is there a name or model number on the valve?
If the pump is worn, the designed pressure will not be met.
I had a worn pump, and could only lift half or the rated weight. Checked out the valve, and the external relief valve, then changed out the pump, and everything works as advertised.
If you only knew the designed pump pressure.
glastron23
Silver Member
several questions... does the engine governor kick in when the engine starts to bog down?? if the motor has been sitting they have a habit of seizing up.
Next .. is the pressure gauge working properly??
Third ... is the PR working???
like you said, it doesn't make since that 800 psi brings down the engine and that the unit is so slow, even at 800 psi with no load it should be up to speed
Next .. is the pressure gauge working properly??
Third ... is the PR working???
like you said, it doesn't make since that 800 psi brings down the engine and that the unit is so slow, even at 800 psi with no load it should be up to speed
Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
Sounds like you want a different pump anyhow. Here's another source for the 16gpm pump JJ linked to. They will ship to the nearest store for free.
Haldex Hydraulic Pump — 16 GPM, 2-Stage, Model# 1001507 | Pumps | Northern Tool + Equipment
Haldex Hydraulic Pump — 16 GPM, 2-Stage, Model# 1001507 | Pumps | Northern Tool + Equipment
