Ramsplitter HV-16 Electric

[smokedragon]

So I found one of these on craigslist (almost an hour and a half from the house). The guy was asking 700 for it (which is nearly half of new). It was three years old, and the only thing wrong with it was that it had a flat tire (needed a new tube). He bought an outdoor wood boiler and wanted something that would split longer wood......

This thing will not split more than 21" split, but I cut my firewood 16 - 18".

Now I was skeptical, but 16 tons is a lot.......

After it had been up a few months, I called the guy and he said he would take $500 cash.

I took 6 rounds that were from a nasty tree that didn't want to be split (all that had been split from it required wedges). It went through every one of them without hesitation......SOLD.

Here are some pictures of the little bugger and the wood I have put it through.



I have stalled it a few times, but if you keep moving it around, it will find a weak spot. I have yet to find a piece that it will not split. I can get my 8 year old to help me and we can talk at the same time. It makes it safe because he can hear me............

Plus, if I ever really want the mobility, I can get a gas engine to go on it.

I love it because it is basically maintenance free on the engine side of it.

It will split stuff that takes me 7 - 10 whacks with the x27 without even slowing down.

I will be welding up a table to attach to the main beam for catching splits.......should be fun

 

[Lakeside]

You Lucky Dog ! it looks like it was your turn for some good luck. Good deal !

 

[Jags]

Just do yourself a favor and make sure you are running properly sized extension cords for the length of run. Running low voltage to that motor could have unwanted effects.

 

[Ashful]

Interesting to see that in a commercial product. I was actually thinking of welding a mount to hang an electric motor on mine. The pump could be moved from gas engine to electric motor with some quick-change hardware, or install the extra pump / hoses / valves to make it a hydraulic change-over. I also get tired of the electric engine noise, and would often like to split late at night, but don't for fear of disturbing neighbors.

 

[mstoelton]

Cycle time?

 

[Jags]

Cycle time?

12 seconds for the electric version.

 

[AK13]

Nice deal! For $500 I think I would have bought it for a back-up and to try out the electric version. Personally I prefer the ergonomics of the straight horizontal model. I tried out the HV and think that the motor/wheel placement is in the way of where I want to stand. But I would have gladly overlooked that for a $500 deal! Love my Ramsplitter.

 

[BrotherBart]

Cool splitter and great deal.

Now. Turn it up vertical like God intended wood to be split.

 

[smokedragon]

Just do yourself a favor and make sure you are running properly sized extension cords for the length of run. Running low voltage to that motor could have unwanted effects.

Gotcha covered Jags......trust me that is one mistake I won't ever make. The outlet it plugs in to, the breaker, the drop cord, all properly sized for a 15amp full load. Lots of folks don't realize that pulling a 15amp load on a 14 AWG drop cord is bad for the motor (and can overheat the drop cord).

Now. Turn it up vertical like God intended wood to be split.

I have tried both, and if I can pick it up without grunting I prefer horizontal........I am actually gonna weld up a "table" to help with horizontal splitting.

 

[Redbarn]

I have one and it splits everything I put on it. Cannot understand why anybody would want to use a gas splitter. Don't miss the agro of buying fuel, trying to get it to start, changing oil, listening to the noise etc. etc.

 

[Jags]

Cannot understand why anybody would want to use a gas splitter.

Thats real easy. I don't want to have to run a 6 gauge extension cord to my splitting area in the back 40. I think they are a great unit for those that split close to power, but for those that split in the woods or more remote areas they simply don't work.

 

[Redbarn]

On the contrary, I have the flexibility of popping my old genny in the truck and running the RamSplitter off the genny. It's the same as using a gas version out in the woods.

 

[Jags]

So now you are dealing with two pieces of equipment instead of a simple engine driven splitter which is about the most basic machine that can have an engine. I don't really know the answer, but I would bet that a basic splitter (engine driven) will outlast a genny.

Now - lets talk efficiency....
Converting mechanical to electric, just to convert back to mechanical? Not very efficient.

 

[Redbarn]

Nothing to do with efficiency. I probably spend 10% of my splitting time in the woods. So for that subset of use, the genny works great. For the rest of the time, I don't suffer the inconveniences of a gas engine. Plus I can split indoors on cold days with the doors shut. An electric suits me just fine !

 

[Jags]

An electric suits me just fine !

And kudos for that. I also have a small electric (in the wood shed) and like the little thing. If it works for you, it works. No arguing that. But the blanket statement of "Can't understand why anybody would use a gas splitter" does have plenty of holes to plug. And considering that gassers probably outsell electrics (full size) 100:1 - I would guess there are many folks that would disagree.

 

[smokedragon]

Thats real easy. I don't want to have to run a 6 gauge extension cord to my splitting area in the back 40. I think they are a great unit for those that split close to power, but for those that split in the woods or more remote areas they simply don't work.

Totally agree with you Jags.

I bought it because I roll big rounds onto my trailer and split at home. If I had lots of acreage and was cutting from my own property selectively, it would have been a no go.

For me, I can cut and load, then split later. If it is too big to load, then I just don't take it.

 

[smokedragon]

Nothing to do with efficiency. I probably spend 10% of my splitting time in the woods. So for that subset of use, the genny works great. For the rest of the time, I don't suffer the inconveniences of a gas engine. Plus I can split indoors on cold days with the doors shut. An electric suits me just fine !

We are considering a generator for the house, and if we get one, this will be my setup for if I ever split away from the power outlet.

I agree with Jags that this is very inefficient, however, it would get some run time on the generator that may sit unused for a year or more otherwise.

Just like cat vs. secondary burn stoves, this is a personal choice that has to suit your specific situation