Odd valve on log splitter

[Mechanos]

Knowing me and my "round-to-it" list of projects... I decided to try the LSR 3060 valve. We'll see in a few days if I made a mistake or not.

 

[triptester]

Another thing to consider with hydraulic valves is whether a open or closed center valve is needed. With tractor remotes a closed center valve is used. Stand alone log splitters use a open center valve.

 

[J_J]

triptester,

How about explaining what you said about remotes being closed center.

 

[triptester]

Open-Center: Typically used with a fixed-displacement pump, allows oil to free-flow back to the tank in neutral position. Shifting the spool redirects oil to the selected work port.
Closed-Center: Typically used with a variable-displacement pump, oil flow is blocked at the valve until the spool is shifted from neutral.

 

[J_J]

triptester, You said this: With tractor remotes a closed center valve is used.

I was trying to get you to explain the above .

If your tractor system is open center hyd's, all valves in series must be open center valves. Fluid must flow continually whether is is being used by the cyl or motors, or whatever.

 

[Mechanos]

Another thing to consider with hydraulic valves is whether a open or closed center valve is needed. With tractor remotes a closed center valve is used. Stand alone log splitters use a open center valve.

In the wide world of tractors... this statement is far to general. It just so happens that my tractor is an open center system.

As an FYI... while LS-3000 series valves can be had in open or closed center, the LSR-3060 is only available in open center.
EDIT: correction... none of the LS-3000 series can be converted to closed center... only available in open center.

For the time being... this valve will be the only valve in my auxiliary circuit. When the log splitter is not on the tractor, a jumper hose will be used to complete the circuit. I do have a long term plan to install a 3 or 4 spool stack valve. Two valves for T-n-T, a dentent valve (for things like the splitter) and perhaps a motor valve.

 

[Mechanos]

I took all the hoses off the splitter and drained them. Also drained all the oil out of the cylinder. I don't know what kind of oil it had in it and I didn't want to mix the unknown oil with my tractor's oil. The work ports on the LSR-3060 are flipped around opposite of the ports on an LS-3000 valve and the lever works in the opposite direction too, so I redrilled bolt holes to mount the new valve 180 degrees from the old valve.

I'm at a stand-still now waiting for the new valve to show up (should be here tomorrow) so I took the old valve apart. Pretty much the entire detent mechanism needs to be replaced... cartridge, sleeve and piston. If I can find somewhere to get a new detent kit, I could repair the old valve and save it for a spare or another project.

I did some reading the other night and found out that the "rapid extend" idea has been around for quite a while... Prince just packaged it all up in one valve. The drawback is the limited input flow to keep from exceeding the valves capacity in regenerative mode. Here's a post I took from someone on another forum:

Yes, you can speed it up. There's a little-known trick that involves adding a 3-way valve (which actually means a 3-port, 2-position valve). It only speeds up the forward stroke, and reduces the splitting force proportionately.

Your extra valve has a "common" port that connects to one or the other of the ports, depending on which way the control leaver is set. The common port is connected to the ROD end of the cylinder.

One of the remaining valve ports is connected to the line that used to go directly to the rod end (call this position 1). The other port is Tee'd into the line feeding the BASE end of the cylinder (call this position 2).

When your auxiliary valve is set to position one, the cylinder operates normally under both the forward and backward strokes.

When the auxiliary valve is set to position two, the cylinder will operate only on the forward stroke. Pressure will be supplied to BOTH ends of the cylinder simultaneously. This seems counter-intuitive, since the cylinder will appear to be fighting itself. However one side exerts less force (because the rod occupies part of the surface area) so the cylinder extends. At the same time, the fluid forced out of the rod end circulates back to the base end, increasing the rate at which the cylinder moves.

In effect, with both ends of the cylinder linked together and pressurized, you've created a single-acting cylinder that is the diameter of the rod, rather than the diameter of the piston.

To operate: Set the auxiliary valve to position 2 and set the main valve to extend the cylinder. When the splitter starts to bog down in the log (if it does) switch the auxiliary valve to position 1 for normal operation. The auxiliary valve has to be in position 1 to retract the cylinder.

 

[Mechanos]

Didn't get anything done on Saturday... had to go to a visitation for a good friend's family member.

I did make a lot of progress today. I got the tractor torn down, installed the diverter plug, auxiliary hydrualic fittings and hoses and got the tractor put back together. I also got the new LSR valve installed and all the hoses on the spiltter installed. I had to redrill the mounting plate so I could install the LSR valve 180 degrees from the LS valve it replaced. The LSR valve works in the opposite direction as a standard LS. The rapid extend is quite fast.

Not surprising, but after filling all the hoses and the cylinder with oil, the reservior was way low. I thought I had some more hydrualic oil to top off the system, but I was mistaken. I will have to pick up some more oil tomorrow and top off the system before I can give it a try.