A hydraulic pump is one of the most important and critical parts of a log splitter. It is responsible for providing the force used for driving the logs into the wedge for splitting. The quality of the hydraulic pump is of paramount importance while selecting a log splitter. In this article, we are going to discuss the factors that you need to consider while determining the size of the hydraulic pump. Before going into it, let’s look at some of the common pump sizes available in the market.
Common Sizes and Speeds of the Hydraulic Pumps
- 11 Gallon per minute (GPM)
- 13 GPM
- 16 GPM
- 22 GPM
Relationship between Cylinder Size, Force Exerted, and Time
The size of the cylinder is the deciding factor between the time taken and the force produced by it. A big cylinder has a large volume and is thus filled by more fluid as compared to a smaller cylinder. It will exert more force and will need more time to refill the fluid. On the contrary, a small cylinder will take less time to work and will deliver less force. It has a fast working speed. Pascal’s law governs the working of a hydraulic pump. This law states that if pressure is applied to any part of a restricted (inside the cylinder) fluid, the energy applied will be transferred to the entire liquid without any losses. The reason behind this is that there are no external forces acting on it. This principle is used to convert mechanical energy into hydraulic energy, which pushes the log towards the wedge.
When do you need more Force?
When you are dealing with hard logs such as bur oak, red oak, sugar and silver maple, American beech, red alder, balsam poplar, and ash, you need more force. With such hard trees, speed is not a concern; the main concern is to get the work done properly. So an ideal pump in this scenario will be one with a large cylinder capable of delivering more power than a small pump.
When do you need more Speed?
A speedily working hydraulic pump comes in handy when you are cutting softwood. Common softwoods in North America are Douglas fir, eastern white pine, hem-fir, ponderosa pine, and redwood. They can be cut easily without the need for additional force. For these woods, a pump with 11 and 13 GPM will be great.
Pump Adjustment
A log splitter pump needs to be adjusted periodically. Pump adjustments are carried out to keep it filled with fluid. Hydraulic pumps also require maintenance in terms of refilling the fluid inside them and making sure that every other component is working fine. We suggest that you go through the user instructions that come with the pump. These instructions will guide you about pump maintenance, adjustment, fluid volume, and type.
The pump adjustment is needed to increase the pressure during cold weather to keep things moving. If you are using a manual hydraulic pump, you still need to make some adjustments. It is obvious that you can’t make adjustments to the foot panel. What you can do is change the position of the log. You can place the log vertically on the slider and then push it towards the wedge.