Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 30

Thread: woodspliter/jump starter

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Montfort, Wi.
    Posts
    799

    woodspliter/jump starter

    I had a starter added to my Briggs and Stratton wood splitter due to shoulder issues. It has no switch so I have to connect a jump starter to it with an on/off dial and when ready turn the jump starter on to get current to the starter. Many of the newer jump starters don't have a switch, rather they rely on the draw from the car itself once the switch is turned on.

    I currently have this starter: https://www.farmandfleet.com/product...ompressor.html but when it's below freezing it doesn't have enough to start the engine.

    I'm wondering if anyone knows if any of the lithium ion jump starters have a similar on/off switch? Something like that would be much lighter and easier to work with since the larger lead jump starters are bulky and heavy.

    It's frustrating when my Amish neighbors use the splitter for elm and see them pull the rope and off it goes. Oak, cherry and maple they split my hand.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
    Posts
    2,546
    Why not simply add a simple start switch? Maybe a couple short leads to connect your jump pack to. One lead comes off the positive lug on the starter to the switch. The other goes to the small terminal on the starter which is the coil energize part. This is doesn't need to be anything fancy but it can be secured to the shroud easy enough. This way you could hook up to it and then hit the switch when ready. This would be much better than relying on a switch in the jump pack which isn't designed to connect and disconnect under high amperage load.

    I tried to copy and paste a basic schematic showing what it would look like but it really is a very simple circuit and would be in my opinion the simplest fix.
    Last edited by Ronald Blue; 01-13-2022 at 11:20 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE South Dakota
    Posts
    1,538
    Dave,
    I went the same avenue as you describe! I have a 35 ton splitter that was un-startable in cold weather. I have the Fat Max 900 peak.
    It also has trouble turning the splitter motor over in cold snaps! Eventually it will finally start. I'm thinking (at least on my set-up) that when I
    start/attempt to start I'm pulling the cold motor oil AND the cold hydraulic fluid and it provides quite a bit of resistance. If I knew how
    to "isolate" the hydraulics from the motor I'm thinking it might be easier to start?? Trying to start through ~14 gallons of cold oil is hard.
    Perhaps I'm totally wrong here. I thought when splitter is in the "neutral" position that it is not circulating the hydraulic fluid??
    BTW I am looking for a better jump starter also so I will be monitoring this thread.

    Bruce
    Epilog TT 35W, 2 LMI SE225CV's
    CorelDraw 4 through 11
    CarveWright
    paper and pencils

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
    Posts
    2,546
    Bruce most likely you have a gear pump. There is no off to that setup. It's also the most reliable and bullet proof of all hydraulic pumps. You probably have an open center control valve. It free flows until diverted to a cylinder. If you have a pressure gauge in the circuit to monitor the performance it would show virtually no pressure when it's just sitting there running. While there would be more resistance with cold oil it shouldn't be a major factor. What are you using for hydraulic oil?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Montfort, Wi.
    Posts
    799
    Quote Originally Posted by Ronald Blue View Post
    Why not simply add a simple start switch? Maybe a couple short leads to connect your jump pack to. One lead comes off the positive lug on the starter to the switch. The other goes to the small terminal on the starter which is the coil energize part. This is doesn't need to be anything fancy but it can be secured to the shroud easy enough. This way you could hook up to it and then hit the switch when ready. This would be much better than relying on a switch in the jump pack which isn't designed to connect and disconnect under high amperage load.

    I tried to copy and paste a basic schematic showing what it would look like but it really is a very simple circuit and would be in my opinion the simplest fix.
    This is something worth looking into. We take the battery out of the lawn mower each winter and bring it in the garage so it doesn't sit in freezing conditions all winter. I could easily put it in the splitter when I wanted to use it. If you have a diagram or link to one I'd really enjoy taking a look at it. My neighbor is a trucker and does all his own mechanic work so he'd most likely be able to help me.
    Last edited by Dave Fritz; 01-13-2022 at 1:38 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE South Dakota
    Posts
    1,538
    Quote Originally Posted by Ronald Blue View Post
    Bruce most likely you have a gear pump. There is no off to that setup. It's also the most reliable and bullet proof of all hydraulic pumps. You probably have an open center control valve. It free flows until diverted to a cylinder. If you have a pressure gauge in the circuit to monitor the performance it would show virtually no pressure when it's just sitting there running. While there would be more resistance with cold oil it shouldn't be a major factor. What are you using for hydraulic oil?



    I believe SAE 20
    Epilog TT 35W, 2 LMI SE225CV's
    CorelDraw 4 through 11
    CarveWright
    paper and pencils

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
    Posts
    2,546
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Fritz View Post
    This is something worth looking into. We take the battery out of the lawn mower each winter and bring it in the garage so it doesn't sit in freezing conditions all winter. I could easily put it in the splitter when I wanted to use it. If you have a diagram or link to one I'd really enjoy taking a look at it. My neighbor is a trucker and does all his own mechanic work so he'd most likely be able to help me.
    This was the simplest diagram I found without an extensive search. What does the starter look like? If it has more than one terminal on it then it should have a solenoid mounted on it. If the battery cable just attaches to the body then you will have to get a remote for it to work as suggested. Either way you want to get a "momentary" type switch. Normally off and when operated completes the circuit then as soon as you release it returns to off.

    https://i0.wp.com/2img.net/h/i607.ph...ingDiagram.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
    Posts
    2,546
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Volden View Post
    [/B][/I]

    I believe SAE 20
    While there are better choices it isn't really a big enough deal to change to something different. ATF or Automatic transmission fluid is a relatively inexpensive option as well.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Shenandoah Valley in Virginia
    Posts
    919
    why do you not use regular hydraulic oil ?? it is what the pump and cylinders are designed for.... Autozone, Tractor Supply, Advance Auto, NAPA, etc all sell it and it is actually cheaper than regular car oil or transmission fluid....

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
    Posts
    2,546
    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Aumiller View Post
    why do you not use regular hydraulic oil ?? it is what the pump and cylinders are designed for.... Autozone, Tractor Supply, Advance Auto, NAPA, etc all sell it and it is actually cheaper than regular car oil or transmission fluid....
    There are lots of systems running 10,20, or 30 wt engine oil. Most trucks with hydraulic systems (hoist, crane, grapple, etc) are running a straight weight engine oil. There is a lot of construction equipment also running engine oil for hydraulic fluid. Where I worked our equipment ran ISO 32 or 46 hydraulic fluid. The drawback to this and I saw it first hand more than once is if for whatever reason water finds it's way into a system you end up with a mess. Most of the time the intrusion was the result of a bucket accidentally getting water in it. The benefit of engine oil is it doesn't emulsify water. It separates out and can be extracted. Water lessens lubricity and leads to critical component (pumps and motor) failures.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Fritz View Post
    I had a starter added to my Briggs and Stratton wood splitter due to shoulder issues. It has no switch so I have to connect a jump starter to it with an on/off dial and when ready turn the jump starter on to get current to the starter. Many of the newer jump starters don't have a switch, rather they rely on the draw from the car itself once the switch is turned on.

    I currently have this starter: https://www.farmandfleet.com/product...ompressor.html but when it's below freezing it doesn't have enough to start the engine.

    I'm wondering if anyone knows if any of the lithium ion jump starters have a similar on/off switch? Something like that would be much lighter and easier to work with since the larger lead jump starters are bulky and heavy.

    It's frustrating when my Amish neighbors use the splitter for elm and see them pull the rope and off it goes. Oak, cherry and maple they split my hand.

    I have a 10 HP Briggs, 5250 watt generator, to which I added electric start. There are MANY you tubes on doing this conversion. Search adding electric start to a generator. I use a HF jumper box, which rescued from dumpsters. Had to open battery (again you tubes showing how,) and add water to the cells. After charging jump box, I keep a Battery Minder hooked to it. On generator, I have a couple leads from an old jump box (for connecting directly to a battery,) along with studs to which I can connect jump box. In addition, I have a solenoid from riding mower and push button switch to control it. Same would apply to your log splitter.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Montfort, Wi.
    Posts
    799
    Thanks Bruce. Why couldn't I simply use jumper cables and use a fully charged battery?

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Fritz View Post
    Thanks Bruce. Why couldn't I simply use jumper cables and use a fully charged battery?

    You can, but each time you connect / disconnect from starter, you create an arc, which will erode the post. On my generators (3 all total,) I added solenoid (Oregon part # 33-330,less than $15 on either Ebay, or Amazon,) and a momemtary push button switch from Lowes ( about $5.) Wiring can be #10, however I used battery cable from Walmart. Having a cable crimper made it easier, but you can do it with a hammer, vise grips

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,882
    Ford has used a nice remote starter switch for decades. usually mounted on the inner fender. Run main battery positive to the switch then out of switch to motor. Simple low power push button switch from power input to the coil terminal and go.
    Bill D

    https://www.amazon.com/JDMSPEED-Star...a-738174861328

  15. #15
    Because both solenoids referenced use 5/16-24 threads, on the side to which you would connect jumper box / cables, you could use a 5/16-24 coupling nut in place of original hex nut. This would give you a place to connect jumper cables / jump box. On the frame of the motor, you could also use a coupling nut to create a place to connect cables. Just a thought that is worth what you paid for it.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •