PowR Kraft 4 Ton Electric some jitter, loss of power

[HDRock]

Dan, I hadn't thought about the push/pull nature, but what you say sounds right. The hydraulic piston is in the center and it pushes on the "handle" and thus pulls on the two rods, as you say. The ram must also rest on the beam, but it hasn't lost any noticeable paint.. hum, I'll take a closer look.

I like the big wheels on your 7 ton. I considered that one and assume it, like my manual hydraulic 10 ton unit) has two speeds/powers. It uses the faster pump until the load gets too great then it shifts to a slower speed, i.e., a smaller more forceful, piston/pump... and so we can still get by with the 15 amp service.

I'll also give the axle a closer look to see if I can retrofit larger wheels. I have to pass over a section of gravel driveway and the factory wheels work, but not great. Your carrier/work table looks to be even better... one has to really bend over to put a round on the beam - I'm 6' 5" adding to the stoop distance.

I put mine on a motorcycle lift raise it to a comfy hight and strap it on. In the back yard It all sets on a wood platform, I got free
On this 7 ton model the wheels work great. I lube the beam n wedge w Teflon spray
MrWoopee built a stand for his

Has anyone mentioned the fact that if the wedge end of the splitter is low, the pump will starve for fluid and stall? Make sure that the wedge end is level with or slightly higher than the motor end. Did you hear any change in the sound of the pump? A starving pump will make a kind of rattling sound from cavitation (air).

Didn't think to mention that , glad U did.

 

[MrWhoopee]

 

[Jerry_NJ]

I got the PowR Kraft out today to give the suggested fixes a try. I made sure the wedge end was higher (not much) than the pump end.

The jitter is gone, looks like tightening the lock nuts on the the pull rods stopped the jitter.. but to my eye the pusher may not be "square". I suppose the best thing to do is use a small wood working square and adjust the two rods to a length that squares the pusher. I have not done this yet.

With that fix the 4 ton still didn't have the strength to split the full round - see picture which show how large the round is relative to the PowR Kraft.

I also have a manual hydraulic splitter with a two speed pump that claims to be able to develop 10 tons. I put the same round in it, see second and third pictures. As can bee seen in pic A_Splitman2, the manual didn't really split the large round, rather it took off an edge, about what I'd have done with a wedge/sledge. There was some hard pumping (must have been approaching the 10 ton capability) and some scary sounds... I wasn't sure with each pump (about a 1/2" movement of the pusher) if the round was braking apart or the splitter was about to snap... happily the noises were for the log braking apart bit by bit. While the manual was able to split the round - and then the electric could take over further splitting unless there was a branch/knot - see knots on the front and rear of the round in the pictures. I found the only way I could get through those was to take the chain saw to them.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Did you try rolling the round to different positions? Sometimes the tough ones require that you find the weak spot. It is a little difficult to get the pull rods adjusted after the nuts loosen. I've had to use trial and error to get them close, you can't see any misalignment until the pusher is under load.

 

[HDRock]

Some times U need to split some off one side, so U can read the grain , and position it for the best way to split it
U said U were splitting ash but, It doesn't look like ash in your pics, but I could be wrong

 

[maple1]

I think that's just too much wood for that splitter.

I've got a 4T electric, and I wouldn't attempt something like that with it - I know it would just get stuck, fast.

It's also hard or near impossible to split off slabs with something with that small a wedge on it.

 

[HDRock]

near impossible

NO

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, on an earlier batch I used a maul/sledge and the "Grande" cone-shaped "wedge" to make the first split. Using that I was able to split a large (30% or so) edge off and the electric 4T did the rest. On the second batch I had a few rounds with knots and was using the manual splitter, I hate swinging a maul/sledge. Even approaching form both ends and taking off slabs that I could I still had a couple of rounds with the knot going deeply into the trunk. I may have been able to pull those apart if I was stronger or used a pry bar, I used my electric chain.

I can't say I an much at "reading the grain".. I have read about it a time or two. I look at knots and look for cracks to identify the strong/weak areas, picking the weak areas. As for Ash, I'm not any better at identifying trees, but this was from a tree on my property so I had in past years looked at the leaves and decided it an Ash. Just a guess aided by looking at a tree identification book (as I recall, it was at least 10 years ago I tried to id the tree). Whatever it is it is very heavy. The 16" long round in the picture must go in the 50 pound range.

The wood is in generally good condition, but one of the rounds had an ant nest in it, deep in one of the knot areas - when I busted it open out came at least 100 ants, large typical NJ ants to my eye (not an expert on ants either) and I was worried about them coming out near my house. I got out the ant kill spray and think I killed at least 90% of them.. some got into the grass before I could retrieve the spray from the nearby garage. These ants and those I observed where the trunk/branch broke from the main trunk highlight the reason the piece came down during this wettest ever summer of 2013 in NJ.

 

[maple1]

NO

OK, how about very hard?

Looking at the round in the pic, by the time you orient that to try to split a slab off you'd have very little of the wedge hitting the wood (and also the foot) - maybe the top inch. It's hard enough doing it with big rounds on my 22T gas splitter let alone one with that small a wedge & foot. Size & species of wood play a part also though.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I haven't used a splitter as of yet, I plan to come September, but my common sense is telling me it is too much and too difficult type of wood (having the knot and all) to be using on that machine. I'm sure your putting too much force on it which may lessen the lifespan... Gl

 

[MrWhoopee]

I think that's just too much wood for that splitter.

I've got a 4T electric, and I wouldn't attempt something like that with it - I know it would just get stuck, fast.

It's also hard or near impossible to split off slabs with something with that small a wedge on it.

Don't underestimate these little splitters.

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[MrWhoopee]

I haven't used a splitter as of yet, I plan to come September, but my common sense is telling me it is too much and too difficult type of wood (having the knot and all) to be using on that machine. I'm sure your putting too much force on it which may lessen the lifespan... Gl

These splitters have an overload bypass. If the wood won't split, the bypass opens. It happens frequently in knotty wood. No harm.

 

[DanCorcoran]

"These splitters have an overload bypass. If the wood won't split, the bypass opens. It happens frequently in knotty wood. No harm."

The instructions on my Pow'R'Kraft 7-ton electric specifically state that keeping the pressure on for more than 5 seconds (when trying to split very hard wood and the ram stalls) will void the warranty.

In fact, page 10 of the owner's manual for the Homelite 5-ton splitter states:

CAUTION:
Never keep pressure on the wood by trying to force the
log splitter for more than five seconds. After five seconds,
the oil will heat and can damage the tool.

 

[maple1]

Don't underestimate these little splitters.

I agree they can be very capable as your vid shows.

I also have one, and have used it enough that I won't overestimate it either though.

I have stuck the thing solid more than once in my basement trying to re-split maple - had to go for the pry bar to unstick the wood from the wedge. Most times I can see the knots & grains to avoid that, but sometimes the evidence is hidden. I re-split most of my wood I used this past winter with mine just before loading it into the boiler, and made all of the kindling needed for building a fire every day - likely did close to 4 cord with it this past winter alone doing that. Overall I am very impressed with it - but it won't do it all, at least for me. Right now I'm cleaning up some windfall spruce that would just decay into the ground if I don't get it now - most of that kicks my 22T gas splitter into low gear, it's knotty stringy hard to split stuff.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Unless there's a timer built-in how will PRK know it was stalled for more than 5 seconds?? I might claim otherwise, but of course I am an honest guy, not a politician.

Craig, that's about what I noticed. When the ram stalled it killed itself and started backing off (I may have also released the switch)... and 5 seconds is a long time I'll guess the unit shutdown/reversed within 3 seconds of being stalled.

There is no doubt that the size I was doing is larger than the manual says the unit is built to handle.

Back to alignment of the ram, adjusting the pull rods, it occurs to me the round I'm pushing is never flat/square - I'm not so good with a chain saw.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Unless there's a timer built-in how will PRK know it was stalled for more than 5 seconds?? I might claim otherwise, but of course I am an honest guy, not a politician.

Craig, that's about what I noticed. When the ram stalled it killed itself and started backing off (I may have also released the switch)... and 5 seconds is a long time I'll guess the unit shutdown/reversed within 3 seconds of being stalled.

There is no doubt that the size I was doing is larger than the manual says the unit is built to handle.

Back to alignment of the ram, adjusting the pull rods, it occurs to me the round I'm pushing is never flat/square - I'm not so good with a chain saw.

Interesting...ours are both the same brand. Mine has never backed off on its own, I've always had to release the lever. I don't worry about timing 5 seconds. If it stalls and isn't making any progress, I back off and reposition the round. I'd rather that minor inconvenience than trying to force it and burning out the motor.

 

[Jags]

Back to alignment of the ram, adjusting the pull rods, it occurs to me the round I'm pushing is never flat/square - I'm not so good with a chain saw.

Jerry - grab yourself a block that is dimensional. A hunk of 4 x 4 or whatever. Put it into the splitter sideways - against the grain. Run the ram forward and put some pressure on the dimensional lumber. Being "square" with the beam, you should be able to notice if one side is tighter than the other. Adjust as needed.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Jags, sounds good.

Dan, I really don't recall when I released the switch when the ram stopped...but I do recall holding for a "while"in the hope it would break through. I know for sure the ram did back off to the park position which may say only that the valve opened to release pressure.

 

[MrWhoopee]

.

I have stuck the thing solid more than once in my basement trying to re-split maple - had to go for the pry bar to unstick the wood from the wedge. Most times I can see the knots & grains to avoid that, but sometimes the evidence is hidden.

Same here, I keep a maul next to the splitter. When the wedge gets stuck, I smack the round with the maul to knock it loose.

Interesting...ours are both the same brand. Mine has never backed off on its own, I've always had to release the lever. I don't worry about timing 5 seconds. If it stalls and isn't making any progress, I back off and reposition the round. I'd rather that minor inconvenience than trying to force it and burning out the motor.

Mine also does not back off automatically, but you can hear the sound of the hydraulics change. Maybe I just assumed it was bypassing. In any event, releasing the control is the automatic response when it fails to proceed. Sometimes a second (or third) push (as in the video) will do the job, especially if you hear the wood pop when you apply pressure.

Jerry - grab yourself a block that is dimensional. A hunk of 4 x 4 or whatever. Put it into the splitter sideways - against the grain. Run the ram forward and put some pressure on the dimensional lumber. Being "square" with the beam, you should be able to notice if one side is tighter than the other. Adjust as needed.

Just don't hold the pressure for more than 5 seconds.