Bigger hose at pump ?

davedj1 · Apr 19, 2020

I have a 12v hydraulic pack I am using on a new dump trailer I built, the pump only has a 1/4" port and the cylinder is 5" bore with 3/4" ports. The power pack is for a single acting cylinder. Power up, gravity down.
My question is: if I step up the size of the hose connection to say 1/2" coming out of the pump will it increase the flow or will it still be limited by the 1/4" port? My gut tells me it will be limited by the 1/4" port but I don't know. I am looking to get a faster lift time than what I get now.
Any info greatly appreciated.

3Ts · Apr 20, 2020

A bigger hose will not get you a faster lift time. The lift time is determined by the cylinder size (in your case 5" by ??) and the GPM of the pump. The PSI of the pump determines how much weight it can lift.

Note: For pumps, PSI & GPM are normally dependent on each other meaning that as the pressure goes up, the volume it can pump at that pressure goes down. The GPM is frequently measured at 0 PSI and the maximum PSI is usually measured at or near 0 GPM. It is not normally a straight line between the two points, you need a chart for the pump to really determine flow rates and pressures.