Electric splitter info wanted

[DoubleB]

No fluid coming out, but it won't stop the engine when it gets warm anymore, and gets worse until you let it cool down. Then it will stop the motor like it's supposed to for a few logs, until it starts "slipping" again. You hold the lever down, and it never stops the engine, just like if you were only holding it down half way.

I admit I'm confused by this. Are we still talking about the 5-ton HF electric splitter? Mine isn't supposed to stop the motor in warm operation; it certainly can't stop the motor while it splits a few logs; my lever can't stop the engine...

What am I missing?

 

[Mr. Jones]

I admit I'm confused by this. Are we still talking about the 5-ton HF electric splitter? Mine isn't supposed to stop the motor in warm operation; it certainly can't stop the motor while it splits a few logs; my lever can't stop the engine...

What am I missing?

Yes. If you youtube it, you'll find plenty of vids showing it stop the motor. This is when you let off, and if you're quick enough letting off, it won't trip the safety feature which wont let you re engage the lever until it retracts all the way. Then you have to shut it off, and turn it back on in order for it to work normal again. Unless it goes to the point where it shuts off the engine, then you're not getting the full 5 tons, and to be honest, I doubt it's really 5 tons anyways.

 

[DoubleB]

To be honest I didn't watch the video first since the I could see the picture was the same.

So I watched it. Are you talking about 3:33 and 4:08 when the motor nearly stops? Hard to say but it looks like he didn't kill the motor with a load, but by turning off the switch. Either way, I can (but don't) keep the lever pushing the motor against the ram and don't put much of a strain on the motor. I wonder if the relief valve settings are highly variable (light on mine; heavy on yours and the video). Also, perhaps the amount of extension cord. I have 25' of 12 ga extension cord, but I'm sure other people go longer with smaller cable.

I agree, I'm less and less impressed with my splitter. Now that I'm 3 years ahead most of my wood is either small enough that I don't need to split it, or big enough to need to rent a gas hydraulic. There's not much in the middle left for the 5 ton, but it takes more handling to try to separate it all by size.

 

[Mr. Jones]

I didn't watch that vid. I meant to just search on youtube. I'll have to watch it. Mine did this out of the box last year, and I figured it was normal. Now that it "slips" when hot, It's not splitting even the smaller stuff like it used to. To answer your question, yes, it stopped the motor. Probably not the best for it, but that's why there's a safety feature that automatically stops the ram even if you're still holding it down, and then requires you to shut it off, and turn it back on to regain control of the lever. If you don't shut it off, the lever does nothing, even though it's still running.

Edit. I just watched it. Yep. At the 3 30 mark. It killed the motor temporarily. Notice he had to shut it off? That's the safety feature, and if you're quick to let off when it does this, it won't engage the safety feature, so you don't have to keep turning it on and off again.

 

[DoubleB]

a safety feature that automatically stops the ram even if you're still holding it down, and then requires you to shut it off, and turn it back on to regain control of the lever. If you don't shut it off, the lever does nothing, even though it's still running.

I believe you if that's how yours works. Just never happened to me before. But I think mine is losing some oomph over the last 18 months too.

 

[Mr. Jones]

I believe you if that's how yours works. Just never happened to me before. But I think mine is losing some oomph over the last 18 months too.

There's a screw on the left side that you can tighten. It's a spring on the other side, and it "tightens" it up. Detent screw I think is what it's called. Screw it in all the way to compress the spring, and that should give you more power. Mine's in all the way. Yours should shut the motor off when at full power, and then engage the safety feature like mine. You may also want to try changing the fluid. I changed mine, but couldn't find aw32, which is what it asks for. I used a gallon of "universal" hydro, so maybe that's why mine's not working right.

 

[DoubleB]

Screw it in all the way to compress the spring, and that should give you more power.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out. I don't remember seeing that adjustment in the manual.

 

[Mr. Jones]

No problem. It's not in the manual. It mentions it, but says have a qualified tech adjust it. Not sure where to find someone to work on this. It's on the left side up at the top closest to you. If you look at the right side, there isn't a screw in the same position up top. That's how I figured it wasn't securing anything. Take it out, and then screw the pointy deal until it sticks out more, and then screw that special bolt back in.

 

[DoubleB]

I think it's the qualified service tech part that I remember. I suppose, since my motor doesn't seem to labor much when the ram stalls, that I could just firm things up a bit without doing any harm. Thanks for the procedure.

 

[schwaggly]

Sad day my task force died. The ram/piston bent and rail snapped. I will be buying another one asap.