Hydraulics questions

[R_Gator]

Just a thought here, but if you're not really comfortable working with the hydraulic circuit, you may want to consider using a linear actuator.. It wouldnt be as difficult to control as they move pretty slow, and could be easily wired to run off a momentary ON/OFF/ON toggle switch. Heres an example... www.firgelli.com/item35.htm

 

[boustany]

Thanks for the suggestion. In fact my first thought was to use an electrical system (I have a background as an electronics designer) and had thought up a lead screw system driven by a 12 volt motor (more or less a DIY actuator).

But I want to get familiar with hydraulics, and this would be a way of getting the toes wet. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[keeney]

If a cylinder is rated for 2500 PSI, it will likely have no problem being bottomed out at either end of its stroke with moderate flow of under 10GPM at its full rated pressure for many thousands of cycles.

The relief valve should actuate fast enough to avoid too much of a pulse in the system. The rest of the system other than the cylinder is already taking this same pressure pulse when you hit the limit on the FEL, or any other hydraulic system connected to the same control valve.

You already have the right idea that whatever stops the motion has to be beefy enough to stand up to the force of the cylinder at full relief pressure. If your sheet-metal deflector was trying to stop the cylinder before it bottoms out, the deflector will bend before the pressure relief kicks in.

You can also get spacer ringsand/or adjustable threaded spacer rings to fit over the rod of the cylinder so that you can limit its stroke by bottoming out on the spacers instead of bending the deflector, but generally, the mechanism should be designed with the stroke and length of cylinder you plan to use in mind from the start.

The reason the hydraulic motor could not be connected to the FEL control is a mystery to me. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the FEL has too high of a relief setting?

Sometimes, you want a "motor" control valve to run a motor, but this is when you plan to leave the motor running for a while (like on a trencher, perhaps) and you want detents to hold it on for you. Also, for a high flow motor, the flow rate rating of a FEL control valve might not be high enough. Both of these are not issues in the case of using a small hydraulic motor to intermittently turn a chute.

In fact, I would think you would want the fine metering that is designed into a FEL joystick.

Also, having the rotation and elevation angles on the same joystick (connected in the right orientation and polarities) would make aiming the snow in the two directions a lot easier than having two different handles to mess with in perhaps awkward directions.

- Rick

 

[boustany]

Thanks, Rick, I think I understand now.

I have found an almost perfect cylinder for the job that will bottom before bending the deflector. I believe the pressure for the FEL is limited to 2500 PSI, so I should be ok.

As for the motor, the original idea was for the dealer would set it up to use the FEL control it. They apparently tried and tried and it wouldn't work. So, they tied the rotator into my rear remote, which is kinda goofy. If I had a choice the chute motor and my deflector would use the FEL control as you suggest and the lift of the blower would be controlled by the remote.

But thats the way it is. Somebody suggested that the hydraulic needs someplace to go, but the remote only has 2 hoses too, just like the FEL.

I was a little disappointed that Kubota/the Dealer couldn't make it work. I doubt I'm the only 3010 with a front mount.

 

[keeney]

Some hydraulic motors cannot handle any kind of pressure on the return side. Others can handle the pressure but have a case drain that needs to be be returned to the suction side without going through the SCV. If the SCV is putting any kind of restriction on the return side, it might cause the motor to leak a little, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't "work".

Maybe the SCV flow was too slow?

- Rick

 

[boustany]

Rick:

Interesting point. It could be that my dealer was just making up an excuse for the delays (10 days turned into weeks and weeks).

I must admit, hydraulics are a bit of a mystery to me, I mean with loaders having different types of controls, etc..

Maybe what I'll do one day is try hook up the chute rotator myself and see what happens.