Valby ch150 questions

[ricesinice]

Hi,
I recently purchased a used Valby 150 pto chipper, and it has problems with the belts that I cant figure out. I bought it with the belts broken, and the pulleys rusty, and a new set of belts included. Thinking it just needed the belts replaced, I put the new belts on (not the most fun thing to do) and tried to chip some wood. Well, it took about 10 minutes and 4 smaller trees to burn the belts off. So, purchased 4 new belts, adjusted the anvll to be from about 1/4" space to about 1/30" adjusted the pulleys to be as close to in line with each other as possible, slowed down the feed speed a lot and tried again. Same result, 3 small 3-4" straight just cut maples and one belt broken, 2 others stretched out. I found a couple of small wood chips stuck in the pulleys and was wondering if anyone might think that might be my problem or maybe I am not tightening up the belts correctly? Should I somehow try to clean all of the rust off the pulleys? I don't think that could cause me to throw belts in 10 minutes could it?
I was hoping to be chipping, not wrenching and installing belts all fall.
Thanks for any thoughts

 

[JimR]

Have you checked to make sure that the cutting wheel spins freely with the belts off? You should try and clean the rust off of the pulleys. I'd have to look at my manual but I thought the anvil needed to be really close to the cutters. I'll try and dig it up tomorrow and look it up.

 

[ricesinice]

Hi Jim,
Yes the disk spins nice and free. After the first time throwing/stretching the belts, that was one of the things we checked. It is supposed to be 1/30" and it was probably about 1/4". We adjusted now so it is really close. After the first log, I could smell the belts were having a hard time.

 

[LouNY]

I would expect that your machine has a shear bar that the knives go past where you are measuring your clearance.
The shear bar edge has to be sharp and square, many shear bars can be rotated and flipped end for end to get to a new square surface.
Also many will have adjustment studs to allow them to be squared with the knives.

OK,looked at that manual you don't have a shear bar. You do have what they call anvils,
if they are rounded over or chipped it will cut hard and possibly slip your belts.

 

[JimR]

Hi Jim,
Yes the disk spins nice and free. After the first time throwing/stretching the belts, that was one of the things we checked. It is supposed to be 1/30" and it was probably about 1/4". We adjusted now so it is really close. After the first log, I could smell the belts were having a hard time.

You got the right clearance. Make sure you have your RPM's up there as per this manual. I run mine at PTO speed. Make sure the belts are tight and the cutters sharp. I sharpen mine on a surface grinder at work. They will cut your finger right off with very little difficulty. Here is the manual for yours. https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-34463188/documents/5bd223202af4cc8xK39a/CH150.pdf

 

[oosik]

Does the system spin freely with the belts assembled? Maybe it's the bearings that the pulleys spin on. What about any idler pulleys? Do all the pulleys that the belts ride on run straight & true?

Maybe worn bearings or shafts. With tightened belts the shafts/bearings could be pulled out of alignment and binding.

 

[ricesinice]

Bearings are a thought. Everything spins nicely though and feels nice and smooth. Under no load and the pto running, all sounds fine. I did notice that the anvil I had adjusted to about 1/30" had moved out to about 1/4" clearance. but, there was not any debris wrapped around the disk to cause any extra load on the belts. The 2 pulleys seem to be lined up pretty nicely, maybe 1/8" out front to back but, but, I cant adjust the pto pulley any more to get it just perfect.
So, no one has had any problems with small chips getting into the pulleys? I had to dig a few out that got wedged in there pretty hard from the belts??
I have another set on order and they will hopefully be here tomorrow, 3rd set of belts and about a wheelbarrow of chips!

Does the system spin freely with the belts assembled? Maybe it's the bearings that the pulleys spin on. What about any idler pulleys? Do all the pulleys that the belts ride on run straight & true?

Maybe worn bearings or shafts. With tightened belts the shafts/bearings could be pulled out of alignment and binding.

 

[MA1920]

Hi, I have a Valby CH150. Built like a tank, but I know what you mean about changing belts...NOT easy. I've only done it once. It is due for another set soon.
I don't have a problem with chips getting into the pulleys. Do you have any problem with chips getting stuck on the flywheel and smoking or basically starting to burn? That is the only complaint I have about the chipper. Thanks

Bob

 

[ricesinice]

To be honest, I don't know why the belts are smoking, stretching and breaking. I am thinking it is from the chips getting into the pulley then causing the belt to stretch and break but, at this point it is only a theory. I did run it for a while the last time without putting anything through it and all seemed fine. So, you get chips in the pulley but, they don't cause a problem except for causing fires occasionally? I am thinking about buying a fish scale to try to get the belt tension somewhere in the ballpark of specs.

 

[MA1920]

Maybe I wasn't clear in my explanation. I don't get chips in the pulley. I get chips stuck on the lip of the flywheel or disc that the knives attach to.

 

[ricesinice]

Hi Ma1920,
Do you think you can send me a picture of your Valby so I can see how far in the belt tensioner is for the belts? I am going to try to clean all of the rust off of the pulleys this weekend and want to have an idea where to set it if I don't get a fish scale to check the tension.

 

[ricesinice]

OK, thanks. I am getting a few in the pulleys also. I wire brushed and sanded the pulleys as much as I could before the back started giving me problems. I ran it with the 2 stretched and one still kind of good belt with the pto going for about 10 minutes and all seemed well. I then ran a couple of 1" branches through it and that worked but, (as I thought) when I went bigger, the other belts broke and stretched beyond any use. So, my question is do you all use regular belts or do you use the kevlar/ better grade belts? I really want to get an hour or so of chipping with the cheap belts before spending $50 on a set of belts. I have been buying D&D PowerDrive A49 belts. Should my tensioner be this close to the pulleys? Well, I tried to attach a picture but for some reason it isn't letting me. At asny rate the tensioner is pretty much an inch off of the disk pulley.

 

[LouNY]

A couple of questions for you on your belts,

when you buy them are you getting matched sets or just the same numbers?
for multiple belt setups they used to all ways recommend matched sets.

are your belts the proper width, they should not touch the bottom of the pulleys,
and should sit just a bit higher then the outside of the pulleys.

Also there are multiple belts in one that can transmitt much more power then multiple single ones,
such as the Goodyear HY-T Torque Team, if this link works it would be on or about page 55;
866-711-4673 Goodyear Rubber Products Goodyear_Industrial_Power_Transmission_Belts

 

[JimR]

OK, thanks. I am getting a few in the pulleys also. I wire brushed and sanded the pulleys as much as I could before the back started giving me problems. I ran it with the 2 stretched and one still kind of good belt with the pto going for about 10 minutes and all seemed well. I then ran a couple of 1" branches through it and that worked but, (as I thought) when I went bigger, the other belts broke and stretched beyond any use. So, my question is do you all use regular belts or do you use the kevlar/ better grade belts? I really want to get an hour or so of chipping with the cheap belts before spending $50 on a set of belts. I have been buying D&D PowerDrive A49 belts. Should my tensioner be this close to the pulleys? Well, I tried to attach a picture but for some reason it isn't letting me. At asny rate the tensioner is pretty much an inch off of the disk pulley.

You need to run Kevlar belts on any type of equipment that has and interrupted cut. The Kevlar bands keep the belt from stretching out and breaking. My 72 inch rear mower belt will last about 2 minutes if it is standard V-belt. A Kevlar belt will last me more than a Summer on the big deck. You should be running matched belts or better yet a banded belt. Basically there is 3 belts all made together with a tough band around the outside to keep them from stretching at all. I have one of these on my stump grinder. Look up banded belts with the size of your belt.

 

[ricesinice]

I have not been buying matched sets. I am pretty sure that they are the correct width and depth, they fit in the pulley fine. I did just order 4 kevlar belts (not matched). If they work better then I might go for the banded belt but, I want to get a couple of hours run time on a single set of belts. I did notice that the pulleys are't perfectly lined up so, I will have to move the disk a bit to get them perfect.

 

[JimR]

I have not been buying matched sets. I am pretty sure that they are the correct width and depth, they fit in the pulley fine. I did just order 4 kevlar belts (not matched). If they work better then I might go for the banded belt but, I want to get a couple of hours run time on a single set of belts. I did notice that the pulleys are't perfectly lined up so, I will have to move the disk a bit to get them perfect.

I build machinery for a living. Your belt pulleys should be as close as possible to dead on parallel. Belt manufacturers will tell you that you are allowed a 32nd of an inch offset per foot on a belt. Another words if your belt where it leaves the pulley and meets the other pulley is one foot distance then you are allowed 1/32nd of an inch of being off. We use a straight edge on the pulley faces to make sure that the pulleys are as close to dead on as possible for the longest belt life. YES, you should be running matched belts when there is more than one belt on a pulley. It does make a difference as V belt runs will have slightly shorter and slighter longer belts in different runs. Most of our machines have 4 - 5 belts on the drive motor. The HP runs from 10 - 50 HP.

 

[MA1920]

Hi Ma1920,
Do you think you can send me a picture of your Valby so I can see how far in the belt tensioner is for the belts? I am going to try to clean all of the rust off of the pulleys this weekend and want to have an idea where to set it if I don't get a fish scale to check the tension.

I'll get a picture this weekend. Sorry for the delayed response.

 

[MA1920]

You need to run Kevlar belts on any type of equipment that has and interrupted cut. The Kevlar bands keep the belt from stretching out and breaking. My 72 inch rear mower belt will last about 2 minutes if it is standard V-belt. A Kevlar belt will last me more than a Summer on the big deck. You should be running matched belts or better yet a banded belt. Basically there is 3 belts all made together with a tough band around the outside to keep them from stretching at all. I have one of these on my stump grinder. Look up banded belts with the size of your belt.

Thanks to Jim I learned something new today. I never heard of banded belts. The last time I replaced the belts on my chipper, I obviously bought the same part number belt. This spring, I noticed one belt was a little stretched. It appears banded belts would eliminate that.

 

[MA1920]

Hi Ma1920,
Do you think you can send me a picture of your Valby so I can see how far in the belt tensioner is for the belts? I am going to try to clean all of the rust off of the pulleys this weekend and want to have an idea where to set it if I don't get a fish scale to check the tension.

I took a couple pictures today. I hope it helps you.

 

[JimR]

Your belts should be tight so that there is no slippage. Not too tight that they are like piano wires, but tight.