If you plan to replace the hydraulic pump in your log splitter or build your log splitter, you should know the size of the hydraulic pump that fits your log splitter. Log splitters are designed to split logs efficiently.
The machine uses a hydraulic system to power the splitting wedge to split logs efficiently. The hydraulic pump is an integral component of gas and electric splitters to provide the necessary power to do the job properly.
If you wonder what size of hydraulic pump you should choose for your log splitter, keep reading this article to find the answer to your question.
How Does A Log Splitter Work?
A log splitter is a powerful machine that splits logs of various sizes using hydraulic pressure. All log splitters – whether electric, gas, or manual – use hydraulics to feed the splitting wedge to cut the logs to just about any size you prefer.
The hydraulics system found in a log splitter consists of an engine, a hydraulic cylinder, a valve, an oil pump to create oil pressure, and a tank to hold and feed oil through the system.
Since the log splitter pump is one of the most important components of the machine, choosing the right kind of hydraulic pump for your log splitting machine becomes crucial when you need to replace the pump or plan to build your own log splitter.
Hydraulic Log Splitter Pumps
Hydraulic pumps work according to the theory of hydraulics. The Principle of hydraulics or Pascal’s law governs how hydraulics work. Pascal’s law states that when you apply pressure to a specific point of a closed or confined fluid, the pressure will transmit to all other fluid points without any losses.
The hydraulic pump converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy by using flowing water. The hydraulic pump uses flowing water to create a hydraulic system.
Even though the system is quite complicated, the operation is simple. Hydraulics provide force in a specific area. This force is what we call pressure which helps the log splitter perform its job effectively.
Log splitter pumps are two-stage hydraulic pumps. The entire splitting system is dependent on the pump. The pump consists of two pumping sections as well as an internal pressure sensing valve. One section of the pump helps generate the maximum flow rate at a lower pressure, and it is used to draw the piston back for the system to reset after splitting the log.
It takes very little force to draw the piston back into the cylinder after splitting the log. But, it should happen quickly. That is why you need the highest possible flow rate at low pressure.
When pushing the piston into the log, you need the highest possible pressure to generate maximum splitting force to split the logs efficiently. The flow rate is not a big issue here. Hence, the pump will switch to a high-pressure and low-volume stage to split the log.
Best Log Splitter Hydraulic Pump
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Importance Of Size In A Log Splitter Pump
The size of a log splitter pump affects the speed and force of splitting. The bigger the size of the pump, the bigger the splitting force will be.
When the size of the pump increases, it requires more fluid. But when there is more fluid in the cylinder of the pump, the speed & force of the pump decrease. That is why you need to choose the right size pump for your log splitter.
You can split logs more efficiently when opting for the correct size hydraulic pump for your log splitter. There are different sizes of hydraulic pumps in the market today. You should do your homework properly and opt for the right size pump for your log splitter.
The latest hydraulic pumps available in the market are based on GPM (Gallons per minute). The higher the GPM, the smaller the cylinder. The splitting force of the pump depends on the cylinder.
The higher the GPM of the pump, the smaller the splitting force. Here are some of the most common hydraulic pump sizes for your log splitter:
- 11 GPM pump takes 7.090 seconds
- 13 GPM pump takes 6.000 seconds
- 16 GPM pump takes 4.875 seconds
- 22 GPM pump takes 3.545 seconds
The pump that your log splitter needs will be dependent on the engine size of the machine. For example, a 5.5-6 hp engine can handle an 11 GPM 2-stage hydraulic pump, while an 8 hp or bigger engine can handle a 16 GPM 2-stage pump.
The engine of a log splitter works on hydraulics. While the pump will create the driving force, the hydraulic cylinder will work in unison with the valves, influencing splitting power and speed. If your log splitter has a 6-7 Horsepower engine, you should opt for a two-stage hydraulic pump (about 3000 PSI) with 11 GPM.
To get more speed, the pump either needs more flow (GPM) or a smaller cylinder. Smaller cylinders don’t require more power but will produce less force. More flow comes from a larger hydraulic pump. You will get the same force with a larger pump but supply more horsepower to the new hydraulic pump.
Conclusion
Are you planning to replace the hydraulic pump in your log splitter or build your own log splitter? If so, you should understand the basics of how a hydraulic pump works and what size pump to choose for your log splitter. To achieve automation, efficiency, and effectiveness, all log splitters rely on hydraulics.
Therefore, you should not worry too much as the size of the pump is only one aspect to look at. But the right decision about the size of the hydraulic pump is always useful in usage.
Using the right size hydraulic pump for your log splitter helps improve the efficiency of the splitter and allows you to chop wood much faster.
We hope that this article provided some clarity on the size hydraulic pump for your log splitter.
