quicksandfarmer
Veteran Member
I'm looking into adding remote hydraulics to my tractor, a Jinma 354. This will be the first time I've ever done a hydraulic modification, so I'm looking for advice. I've spent a lot of time reading the archives, but I still have some questions.
Currently the tractor has a FEL, 3-point hitch and power steering running off the hydraulic pump. The FEL is plumbed open-center, although it has an unused power beyond port. Downstream of the FEL is a priority valve that splits the flow between the steering and the 3PH, giving priority to steering.
The question is whether to plumb remote hydraulics as open-center or power beyond.
It seems to me that the simplest thing to do would be to plumb the remotes open-center. I could just take one hose off the FEL valve, put it onto the remote valve, and add one hose between the valves and I'm done. Total cost is one hose and one valve. While this would work, if I were ever to operate both valves together it would cause problems. The only reliefs in my system are in the valves, and I'm worried that with two valves operating the pump pressure would blow out the pump even if the individual valves were within their limits. Am I right about this? Even if the pump doesn't blow, would the performance be acceptable?
I could solve this problem by plumbing in a system relief valve, but it seems to me that going to power-beyond would be no more work or money and would offer other benefits.
I'm considering two power-beyond configurations. The first is almost as simple as the open-center one: use the FEL power-beyond and put an open-center valve downstream of it for the remotes. I buy an open-center valve for the remotes and tap the existing power-beyond port on the FEL valve for the input of the remotes. The hose that is currently on the output of the FEL valve goes on the output of the remote valve. The output of the FEL gets returned to tank. Compared to the open-center option, this would require that I purchase a power-beyond sleeve and one additional hose, and figure out a way of tapping into the return.
The second configuration is to make both the FEL and the remotes power-beyond. Power-beyond of one valve goes into the input of the other, power-beyond of that one connects to the current output of the FEL. Outputs of both valves tee and go to the tank. Compared to the previous option, I would have to buy a power-beyond valve instead of open-center (it's only $5 more), one additional hose, and a tee for the return.
These are the three options I see, listed in increasing complexity. The increase in complexity is not huge -- a few more parts, a few more connections -- but it is meaningful. I was always taught to keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler! So I'm still weighing my options.
I would appreciate any comments on my analysis and recommendations.
Thanks.
Currently the tractor has a FEL, 3-point hitch and power steering running off the hydraulic pump. The FEL is plumbed open-center, although it has an unused power beyond port. Downstream of the FEL is a priority valve that splits the flow between the steering and the 3PH, giving priority to steering.
The question is whether to plumb remote hydraulics as open-center or power beyond.
It seems to me that the simplest thing to do would be to plumb the remotes open-center. I could just take one hose off the FEL valve, put it onto the remote valve, and add one hose between the valves and I'm done. Total cost is one hose and one valve. While this would work, if I were ever to operate both valves together it would cause problems. The only reliefs in my system are in the valves, and I'm worried that with two valves operating the pump pressure would blow out the pump even if the individual valves were within their limits. Am I right about this? Even if the pump doesn't blow, would the performance be acceptable?
I could solve this problem by plumbing in a system relief valve, but it seems to me that going to power-beyond would be no more work or money and would offer other benefits.
I'm considering two power-beyond configurations. The first is almost as simple as the open-center one: use the FEL power-beyond and put an open-center valve downstream of it for the remotes. I buy an open-center valve for the remotes and tap the existing power-beyond port on the FEL valve for the input of the remotes. The hose that is currently on the output of the FEL valve goes on the output of the remote valve. The output of the FEL gets returned to tank. Compared to the open-center option, this would require that I purchase a power-beyond sleeve and one additional hose, and figure out a way of tapping into the return.
The second configuration is to make both the FEL and the remotes power-beyond. Power-beyond of one valve goes into the input of the other, power-beyond of that one connects to the current output of the FEL. Outputs of both valves tee and go to the tank. Compared to the previous option, I would have to buy a power-beyond valve instead of open-center (it's only $5 more), one additional hose, and a tee for the return.
These are the three options I see, listed in increasing complexity. The increase in complexity is not huge -- a few more parts, a few more connections -- but it is meaningful. I was always taught to keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler! So I'm still weighing my options.
I would appreciate any comments on my analysis and recommendations.
Thanks.