Log Splitter Warm Up

[snowdog]

Do any of you guys have suggestions for warming up my logsplitter in winter before I start it? It's out side and when I start it, it sounds like it's hurting for certain. I was thinking about the Diesels and their block heaters, does anybody make something to warm up a log splitter engine? It's a 35 ton Huskee. I don't know maybe an electric blanket? ROFL

Thanks,

Snowdoggie

 

[kwikrp]

If its really cold out the oil can get extremely thick, try using a synthetic motor oil they flow better in lower temps.

 

[JustWood]

JC Whitney sells a magnetic heater ( can't remember the name) about the size of your hand. I have 2 of them but very rarely use them because I just don't want to work when its that cold. They take a while to heat up a hyd tank but they work. Torpedo heaters work well too.

 

[LLigetfa]

I think you need to warm the hydraulic oil too. Probably best to tarp in the whole unit and throw a tiger torch under it. If the splitter can go vertical, stand it up to form a tent otherwise prop up a stick.

On pipeline construction sometimes we'd have to tarp over heavy equipment and get a fire under it to warm things up. We generally just kept the equipment running 24/7.

 

[savageactor7]

yup, the weak link is the hydraulic oil and like was already mentioned the torpedo heaters are very good at heating up 'everything' on the splitter.

 

[Corey]

You could always try my method...just wait for the sun and the air to warm it up.

 

[snowdog]

You could always try my method...just wait for the sun and the air to warm it up.

I like that idea the best! But really, thank for the input, I'll check out those magnetic heaters and so what torpedo heat cost. The synthetic oil is good Idea to except for the cost. It's always that money thing, or lack of.


Thanks,

Snowdoggie

 

[NoPaint]

Its probably easier to change the oil to synthetic and then let the those thing warm up at fast idle for a couple minutes than it is to try and physically heat it up.

 

[snowdog]

Thanks, guys.

Do you have any recommendations for synthetic oil? Hydraulic oil and/or engine oil for the splitter. I use Amsoil in some of my cars, so far so good.

See ya,

Snowdoggie

 

[Corey]

I stopped making recommendations on engine oil about the same time I stopped recommending religious faiths for people to follow. It seems religion and engine oil choices are defended with about the same passion, though religious defense seems to be more fact based

(Dang, I'm just a ton of help on this thread...sorry!)

 

[NoPaint]

Small engines, especially air cooled have extra ZDDP needs. Normal car oil WILL NOT WORK. It will lead to burned tappets and cams. Given that I would run a good motorcycle oil in it. Something like that would really live a long life in the engine too. I don't know exactly what you need but a good motorcycle synthetic that works in the recommended guidelines of your engines manual is good. Your manual should say something like you need an "SG" or "SH" or something like that. You will want to find an oil that is like that or close keeping in mind that a true synthetic will provide other benefits. (For your information I only know about oil because I have a collectible old air cooled car that requires a special oil or else the same problem occurs and the cams get rounded off).

 

[wingsfan]

Do any of you guys have suggestions for warming up my logsplitter in winter before I start it? It's out side and when I start it, it sounds like it's hurting for certain. I was thinking about the Diesels and their block heaters, does anybody make something to warm up a log splitter engine? It's a 35 ton Huskee. I don't know maybe an electric blanket? ROFL

Thanks,

Snowdoggie

If i had a 35 ton huskey, I would just rap my arms around it a keep it warm.I have enough trouble starting the 22 ton huskey I have when it is extreamely cold out.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm with Corey on this one. I wait for Mother Nature to warm things up a bit. We cut during the winter and split in the spring.

 

[LLigetfa]

I wait for Mother Nature to warm things up a bit. We cut during the winter and split in the spring.

Ditto

 

[ccwhite]

Torpedo heater is a great idea or maybe 2 dipstick heaters http://www.amazon.com/Kats-15200-Dipstick-Style-Heater/dp/B000BO74DG One for the engine and one for the hydraulic oil.

 

[Gooserider]

IMHO the hydraulic isn't that critical - If you can get the engine started (always the big challenge) just let the motor idle for a few minutes, which will circulate the fluid a fair amount, and start it warming up nicely. Then do a few in and out cycles w/ no wood to exercise the cylinder, and you should be good to go - once you start splitting the fluid will get up to temp in a hurry, and in the meantime isn't likely to cause any harm since all the moving parts are in an oil bath. I haven't run mine below freezing, but this is the drill my friend and I use when running both his splitter and his loading belt.

On my splitter I have a pressure guage, and the only difference I've noticed is that with cold (in the 40's) fluid is that I run 50-100 PSI more on the guage when moving the ram under no-load than I do when it's hot. (Hot pressure is under 100PSI, so we aren't talking a lot of pressure, hot or cold) I seem to get splits at about the same pressure hot or cold.

For Engine oil, I'd probably go with a good synthetic - seems Mobil 1 runs a bit less than some of the other brands, but I don't think it makes a huge difference what brand is used as long as it meets the engine spec requirements.

Gooserider

 

[snowdog]

Well thanks again guys, all of you have very good ideas and comments. I know I should have everything split long before fall so I don't have to run it in the winter, but it always seems like other things get it the way (like the kids, soccer, basketball, etc, etc). But thanks again, I like all the ideas, just got to figure out which ones to try first.

Thanks,

Snowdoggie

 

[burntime]

Gooserider, your cold is in the 40's, I split in the teens. I have trans fluid in my splitter and mobil 1 in the engine and it still starts and stalls 2 times before it runs. Its got to be next to impossible when it is or lower!

 

[Gooserider]

Gooserider, your cold is in the 40's, I split in the teens. I have trans fluid in my splitter and mobil 1 in the engine and it still starts and stalls 2 times before it runs. Its got to be next to impossible when it is or lower!

With my splitter I'd agree, as I haven't run it in real cold weather - I just mention it because of the interesting difference in the pressure guage readings between cold and hot. However I also have a friend w/ a firewood business (fancy high priced stuff, mostly sells to restaraunts and "decorative burners") where we crank out several cords a week, including down into the 20's and high teens. His equipment is Honda engine powered, running dino oil, not sure what he uses for hydraulic, but it's nothing special... Getting the engines started from cold is a bear, lots of pulling - which starts out hard, but gets easier once the oil starts moving, and frequently we will have a few stalls during the first few seconds while the engines are deciding whether or not they are really willing to run without the choke.

As I said, once the engine is started, it WILL pump the oil around, and that will warm it up enough to run within a few minutes. This is especially noticeable on the belt - even after 5-10 minutes of warming, it is still very sluggish when engaging the conveyor, needs lots of throttle to get slow belt movement, but after the belt runs for 15-20 minutes we can throttle it back quite a bit from what we needed when getting started.

Gooserider

 

[johnsopi]

Gooserder, what pressure does your splitter run at. Mine has a pressure gauge but it needs to be replaced; it is a 3000 psi gauge. The old owner told me not to go over
2000 psi.

 

[Gooserider]

My guage is 3,000 PSI also - I've never maxxed it out while splitting, but it will over-range if I hold the lever engaged at either end of of the piston travel. (I've never tried to see if the overpressure really does work at that point as I don't want to risk damaging the guage) It will sometimes kick momentarily to around 2500 when it hits the kickout on auto-retract as well - those are the points that also make the engine work harder as well. I am planning on tweaking the settings on the valve next time I start splitting as I think both are excessively high...

While splitting, most straight rounds let go under 500 PSI, with tougher ones going to between 500 and 1,000. The worst peice I've ever had got up to around 1500 PSI - keep in mind that this is with a 5" cylinder, 30 ton unit, so my 1500 PSI is closer to 2500 PSI on a 20 ton unit.

As to the pressure, MOST - (not all) common hydraulic components are rated for use at 3,00 PSI - they are tested to over 5,000, but that is pushing the catastrophic failure limit. So unless your splitter's former owner knew something was not up to normal standards in one of the parts (probably the cylinder if anything since those are the most variable) I would say he's being overly cautious. I know that I've occasionally run into the round my friend's 20 ton unit won't get through and I run it all the way up until the overpressure pops with no problem.

In terms of the guage, I don't really like that my max pressure reading is so close to the max operating pressure, by standard rules for guage selection, if I'm doing 3,000 PSI max, I really ought to be using a 4-5,000 PSI guage. One thing I do like about my guage is that it's silicone filled, which is a very useful feature on a pulsating process like a splitter, it keeps the guage mechanism from wearing as fast.

Gooserider

 

['bert]

Look about 1/2 way down the page I have a link to here:

(broken link removed to http://s2.pegasusautoracing.com/2008/067.pdf)

We use this type of oil heater for the dry sump on our late model race car. When we run in the spring and fall we always preheat the oil tank prior to starting the motor. At only $ 50.00 I would consider using one if I was not storing my splitter in a heated shop.