Electric Log Splitter

[Weedy Fields]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
I know I'll have more than I need in summer so it would be nice if I could use a chunk of it up splitting wood.
I don't have a splitter now, borrow a buddies, just costs me returning with a full tank of gas and I help him around his place when he needs a hand.

An words of wisdom?

 

[roadhunter]

Might be something you have to build if you want a lot of power. I'd think a 5, 7.5, or 10 hp electric motor would run a log splitter hydraulic pump quite well.

There are also lots of used industrial hydraulic units that are electric on e-bay. Might need to swap the motor unless you have 3 phase as most of them are 3 phase.

Ideally finding a used gas powered splitter with a bad engine would be a simple/inexpensive option to convert to electric.

 

[4570Man]

I didn't like being tied to a cord. I want to pull my splitter wherever I want and split wood. A splitter with a decent size motor will pull a significant amount of current so that severely limits how long of a cord you can use.

 

[dickfoster]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
I know I'll have more than I need in summer so it would be nice if I could use a chunk of it up splitting wood.
I don't have a splitter now, borrow a buddies, just costs me returning with a full tank of gas and I help him around his place when he needs a hand.

An words of wisdom?

That takes big horse power for an electric motor. I think my 30 ton splitter has an 8 horse engine on it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Anyone use an electric log splitter?
We are moving into new house with 10KW of solar electric on it.
An words of wisdom?

Although NOT cheap, it's doable with an electric motor on a Super Split... That's where I'd be looking IF I wanted a full size electric splitter.

Personally, I like running my splitter with my tractor BEST!

SR

 

[roadhunter]

That takes big horse power for an electric motor. I think my 30 ton splitter has an 8 horse engine on it.

That would probably only take a 5 HP electric motor to be equal power.

 

[jeff9366]

Home Depot offers many <$300 electric log splitters. Common draw is 1,500 watts.

LINK: Search Results for electric splitter at The Home Depot


Check out the brand(s) you are interested in on U-Tube.

LINK: electric log splitter - YouTube


Here are threads from the T-B-N archive: Google

 

[roadhunter]

Although NOT cheap, it's doable with an electric motor on a Super Split... That's where I'd be looking IF I wanted a full size electric splitter.

Personally, I like running my splitter with my tractor BEST!

SR

I have a 3 point splitter for my tractor and just hate it. Ties up the tractor and running a much larger engine to do a small job like splitting wastes fuel IMO. Now dont' get me wrong I like the 20+ GPM at 3,000 PSI as it blows through wood but it seems inefficient. My 45 hp Kioti was less than 10 gpm and much lower pressure so it was barely better than the gas powered units anyway. Every time I use it I think to myself that I'd rather be running it with gas engine or even better a big electric setup like the OP is proposing.

The OP has "free" electricity so the electric has many advantages over gas powered for this particular situation but that' going to take lots of sunlight. I'm looking forward to seeing what he ends up doing.

 

[4570Man]

I used to power my splitter with a 3hp electric motor. It did the same work as the 5.5 Honda gas motor that replaced it. I spend less than $20 per year in wood splitter fuel, so that's hardly worth considering. That $20 is the cheapest part of my wood splitting operation.

 

[Wagtail]

I've got an inexpensive (cheap) A$99.95 "ROK" electric hydraulic splitter. It works fine, if a bit slow, for what I need it for. I mounted it on a 'homemade' table that fits the bale spikes of my FEL so that I can move it around the property as needed. Genny or power-cord, it works.

Now, my neighbour (over the back fence) has a portable diesel powered splitter! He brings home logs, using a dump-truck from his work, to cut & split.