Electric Splitter Power Issues

[mayhem]

OK, you'd think with a BS in Electrical Engineering that I'd be bale to figure this one out on my own, but I'm rusty so I'll ask.

I have a speeco 5 tom electric log splitter. Unit works fine, does most of what I need done and was way cheaper than a gas unit so ok. Problem is my splitting area is about 70-80 feet away from my exterior outlet. Regular cheap orange extension cord won't even turn the thing on, so I went out and spent $70 on a 100' 12 gauge extension cord rated to pass a full 15A. Splitter turns on, buyt has less and less power as the ram extends further..the motor sounds right, but the ram moves slowly from rest and the further it extends, the slower it goes until it stops about 8" from the wedge. So I'm guessing the cord is losing enough current over its length to keep the motor from running at its max capacity.

Now here is where it gets weird to me.

Take the splitter back up to the house and plug it directly into the outlet to test that its not a problem with the unit itself, works great...plug it into the new 100' extension cord, still next to the outlet and the darn thing works just fine...full power, full extension, ram moves fast and it chewed right through a big hunk of maple.

Haul it back down to the splitting area and stillplugged into the same extension cord its back to low power and will not extend fully.

So what gives? If the 100' extension cord is fully extended in a line about 70-80' long (so there's a bunch of slack, its not pulling out of the outlet or anything) the splitter doesn't work right...but if I take that same cord and loop it back to the starting point in a sinlge big loop the thing works great. Out of curiosity I tried my cheapie 100' $30 extension cord and darn if the splitter didn't work just fine so long as the cord was all coiled up...but unravel it and the motor wont even start.

I need to be able to use the splitter where my rounds are, otherwise its got pretty much no value to me...I suppose I could haul the rounds up to the house and split up there, but thats making a mess in a designated clean area instead of my designated messy splitting area.

Is the 12ga 15A 100' cord just not beefy enough and I need to get a 10ga cord rated for 20A maybe?

Speeco manual says to limit extension cord to 20', so I am ignoring that spec, but it would be really handy to figure out how to make this just work as it sits.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I run 100' of 10 gauge with a 5hp motor with no issue. It didn't start with 12 gauge when it was cold. I also hard wired the cord on the splitter end to reduce a connection. Stretched out vs coiled is bizarre though. Maybe the cord on the splitter has a bad connection that you only find when you pull the cord tighter?

 

[blades]

got to be a break in the cord, not completely though. run cord out in straight line add load, keep load running for awhile then slowly feel your way along the length of the cord ,likely find a hot spot as compared to the rest of it. should be no difference coiled or straight. There could be an internal cut in the wire. Another thing would be to replace those molded on terminals, I have seen a lot of problems there with a breakdown of the dielectric strength of the material or just really poor connections. Good quality plug and socket set( ! would say the 20 amp rating) is going to run about $30 or more. On a job sight OSHA requires any extension cord with any type of abrasion or kinks or flat spots or damage to the outer casing to be replaced your experience is the reason why. 15 amp on a hundred ft. 12ga does not leave enough head room 10ga is even pushing it a bit with store bought stuff. I have also seen the plug and socket end of these cords get mighty warm, which is indicative of a restriction of some sort. Might not be copper wire in there but Alum. For years I ran an old stick AC welder off 50 ft of 10Ga romex extension cord with the proper terminals on the ends nothing ever got warm, I could blow a hole through 1/4"plate with an 3/16 rod or weld for hours and never trip any breakers. W One more thought what is the terminal rating at the house? if 15 amp thats anoyher restriction current wise. ( I 'm just an old shade tree type guy)

 

[velvetfoot]

Could it be that one area is level and the other isn't?

 

[dave360up]

Ditto on the previous response. On my Speeco electric I found that if is at all unlevel with the wedge end downward, it will do exactly what you are describing. Turn it around so that the wedge end is a little higher than the other end and it works fine.

 

[backpack09]

I fire up my portable genset when I need to run my electric splitter in the woods...

 

[basod]

I'd try a few more tests to diagnose the actual root cause..
1. Are you plugging the extension cord and the splitter into the same plug (i know its the same exterior receptacle) but I've seen one of the 2 plugs get coroded enough to prevent voltage and emough current to start larger motors.
2. Have you tried to run the unit through a full stroke with no load (not splitting anything) at the wood splitting location, with the unit in the same orientation that you had issues with before?
3. If you have a meter maybe check phase-nuetral voltages with both the "cheap 14gauge" extension and the new 12 gauge. Try this in each plug on the receptacle.

There could be a possibility that the reservior is not sufficient in the orientation(not level) and causing pump to cavitate therefore not enough hydo force to push splitter through full stroke.
Or if its electrical its in the plug/connectors etc. take receptacle cover off and inspect for green corrosion or any darkening indicating poor connection causing voltage drop.
Inrush current on the motor could cause enough voltage drop to not allow unit to start on 100' 14gauge the 12gauge should be capable of 20amps with nominal voltage drop.

 

[Jags]

Just another input on the coiled vs straight cord. The zoomies have to travel the same distance coiled or straight. The ONLY possible difference would be in the coiled line creating an inductance (think electromagnet). In one hundred feet of wire at your 110V @ 15 amp. ain't gonna generate enough inductance to make a difference.

I think the others that have posted probably have the most logical answer in there somewhere. Level ground, low fluid, bad electrical connection, poor wire, etc. Something, but I have a hard time believing that the coiled vs uncoiled is your issue.

 

[basod]

Jags,
The inductance theory will generate a small magnetic field in the center of the loop.
It won't increase the line voltage.
Unless the splitter is placed in the center of the coil of wire and that is pushing the hydo ram......
THE ELECTRO MAGNETIC LOG SPLITTER
It'd be dangerous as all hell. Think uncontrolled impact splitter.

 

[Jags]

Jags,
The inductance theory will generate a small magnetic field in the center of the loop.
It won't increase the line voltage.

Actually, enough inductance will reduce line voltage, but as I said above, there wouldn't be enough inductance in this given scenario to make a difference one way or the other. That is the ONLY difference between a coiled vs straight wire.

 

[basod]

Wasn't trying to correct you, sorry saracastic humor doesn't come across as typed. ;-)

 

[Jags]

Wasn't trying to correct you, sorry saracastic humor doesn't come across as typed. ;-)

Too late - you already got me thinking about a solenoid splitter. ;-P

 

[mayhem]

Ditto on the previous response. On my Speeco electric I found that if is at all unlevel with the wedge end downward, it will do exactly what you are describing. Turn it around so that the wedge end is a little higher than the other end and it works fine.

This may be the answer right here. The area is not level and the wedge was on the downhill side...my test location by the outlet IS level. The way it was moving it was as though the ram was binding so I immediately greased the thing up which didn't make a bit of difference. I didn't even bother trying to turn it around so I'll give that a shot tonight.

I agree 100% that the layout of the cord should not make any difference...but I noticed an odd correlation.

When I go home tongiht I'll also put the splitter on an incline with it directly plugged into the outlet and see if the ram is slow with the wedge lower.

That makes me wonder if I've got a bit of air in the hydraulic system and when the wedge is low, the ram is pumping air at some point. It came prefilled out of the box and I haven't topped it off or tried to bleed it in any way.

Thanks guys!

 

[basod]

I already submitted the patent 30secs ago
I probably have enough scrap up in the shop to try something out.
Thats after I sort out the issues with my electroentaubulator..... %-P

 

[mayhem]

Just remember to wear your goggles.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Does your splitter have a pressure-release screw that needs to be opened for splitting but closed for transporting? That might interact with the uphill/downhill issue...

 

[mayhem]

I checked the manual for help and it seems to be a fire and forget splitter. Fill it with fluid, plug it in and turn it on.

 

[mayhem]

Well darned if changing the sucker's stance didn't address the issue. I plugged the splitter directly into the outlet and ran it on a flat surface, worked fine. Inclined the wedge end, still worked fine. Sat the wheels on a 6" tall step and the ram wouldn't even move one bit.

Dragged it down to my splitting area and the little sucker smoked right through probably 1/3 of a cord in no time flat. Popped some good sized rounds of beech, red oak, white and yellow birch upwards of 15-16" diameter. Yellow birch was pretty stringy and I had to use the Fiskars X7 hatchet to vut some of the strings, but splitting the wood itself didn't even bog the thing down.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Now the question remains, why does this happen in the first place?

 

[Jags]

Now the question remains, why does this happen in the first place?

It probably has something to do with limited fluid volume (small machine) and the position of the pickup for the fluid. Probably cavitating.

 

[DanCorcoran]

You may have already addressed this, but could it be low on hydraulic fluid?

 

[JustWood]

Now the question remains, why does this happen in the first place?

It probably has something to do with limited fluid volume (small machine) and the position of the pickup for the fluid. Probably cavitating.

Mmmmmm Hmmmmmm!

 

[mayhem]

Price you pay for saving close to $1000 on a log splitter. Barely holds a gallon.

 

[DanCorcoran]

I agree. To save $500-$1,000, I can take the time to level my splitter (and toss any rounds it can't handle).