Filter install.....upside down????

[isaaccarlson]

I was looking at the speeco splitters today at fleet farm and they have the hydraulic filters upside down. Is there anything wrong with this? Would it trap any air? The reason I ask is because this would be the easiest way to mount mine but I don't want to have any problems.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I doubt it will change the filtering characteristics of it any. The trapped air might reduce the filtering area a tad if there is very much in there. Precharging the filter with hydraulic oil will minimize any trapped air. But then there is the mess of any that gets spilled during a filter change.

If there was no other alternative , I'd say precharge the filter first and go with it.

 

[dingeryote]

I dunno about any trapped air, as it seems like it would work itself out after a bit. The advantage is that the filter wont be sticking out, looking for rocks and stumps when bieng towed in the woodlot.

Maybe one of our Hydraulic Guru's can explain the trapped air concerns.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[mga]

if i was going to do it over again, i'd mount it upside down.

there's nothing worse than removing a filter filled with oil. at least being upside down, it'll be empty.

 

[Tendencies]

I've never seen one completely empty though, what a mess thats gonna be and how would you precharge it? Or am I thinking this wrong, your saying threaded mouth pointing down right?

 

[isaaccarlson]

I am putting it on the supply line so it can do its job....

...keeping crud out of the system. What good would it do if i put it on the return line? The crud will already have gone through the pump and valve, etc... I know it might block flow a little but that is the only good place for a filter.

 

[Fronty Owner]

...keeping crud out of the system. What good would it do if i put it on the return line? The crud will already have gone through the pump and valve, etc... I know it might block flow a little but that is the only good place for a filter.

really, you should filter both the suction and the return.
your sources of contamination are from gunk being pulled into the cylinders and from quick disconnects. the rest of the system is sealed.
If your tank has good baffling and a decent riser on the suction line, anything that does make it back to tank should settle out before the pump gets the oil. If you filter your returns, you have less contamination going into the tank and less need to clean the tank.

 

[isaaccarlson]

there are no baffles.....

I wanted a baffled tank but they did not have one. I am not too worried about baffles because the return is near the bottom of the tank and below the oil level. I am just happy to have a 5 gallon tank.

 

[Outriggers]

How does crud get in the system? It's a small closed loop. I have a splitter we bought new 33 years ago, no filter works fine. We changed the fluid 20 years ago to ATF. Doug

 

[isaaccarlson]

Dust gets in through breather and stuff can fall in while checking the fluid level

It is nice to have insurance against pump/valve/cylinder damage. I used to look at all the forklift filters I changed a Menards and they looked clean at a glance, but if you looked close they were kinda brown from the dust/dirt that made it past the breather with every stroke. A pump may last a LONG time without a filter, but it will last LONGER with one. It only takes a little garbage to wear a lot. I get sick when I see someone assembling parts with grimy/dirty hands. If you saw a piece if sand in your fluid, would you try and get it out?

 

[kevin j]

when you say supply side, if you mean suction side, the filter should be much larger than its rated flow on return side. i.e. spin on 'rated for 15 gpm is maybe adequate for 2-3 gpm on the suction. The pressure drop can cavitate the pump.

If you mean supply after pump = pressure side, then not a spin on. Only good for about 150 psi.


Put a good one in the return line.

 

[isaaccarlson]

what about those huskee and speeco splitters?

They have the same exact filter I have and it is on the suction line. It seems to work just fine for them with 16 gal/min pumps.