Splitter pump noise

[Phil_Marino]

I just finished putting together an electric splitter ( 6 hP motor from TSC, Speeco 11 GPM pump, and the Speeco 3pt splitter from TSC). I did this because I live in a semi-urban area and wanted a quieter splitter than a gas-powered one. I also like the idea of the reduced maintenance and better reliability with an electric motor.

It works fine, but the pump is VERY noisy. There is a high-pitched whine that seems almost as loud as a gas engine would be. I've even built a sound-insulated box around it and that didn't help much. The pump seems to be performing as expected - it shifts down to lower speed when needed, and seems to have good speed and power. It's just noisy.

My question is - does anyone know if Speeco pumps are noisy compared to others? I am thinking of getting a Haldex pump ( also 11 gpm) and try that instead. But I would hate to waste the time and money.

Anyone have experience with this - a comparison of Speeco and Haldex pumps in terms of noise?

Phil

 

[pipehead]

Your pump may be cavitating. How fast (RPM) is you motor/pump going?

 

[Phil_Marino]

Your pump may be cavitating. How fast (RPM) is you motor/pump going?

Thanks for the quick response.

The motor ( and pump ) are going at 3500 RPM. They're connected with a typical Lovejoy coupling. I'm using a 5 gallon reservoir, that is about 10 inches tall, and well filled with oil. I've got a typical inlet fitting with the cylindrical screen inside the reservoir ( and, a 16 GPM rating, so it should be fine with my 11 gpm pump) . If it were cavitating, would it still be working so well as far as splitting wood? And, how would I fix it?

Phil

 

[pipehead]

Thanks for the quick response.

The motor ( and pump ) are going at 3500 RPM. They're connected with a typical Lovejoy coupling. I'm using a 5 gallon reservoir, that is about 10 inches tall, and well filled with oil. I've got a typical inlet fitting with the cylindrical screen inside the reservoir ( and, a 16 GPM rating, so it should be fine with my 11 gpm pump) . If it were cavitating, would it still be working so well as far as splitting wood? And, how would I fix it?

Phil

I can't say for sure, but 3500 RPM sounds like it might be a little to fast for a hydraulic pump. The electric/hydraulic systems I've seen in the past were all 1750/1725 RPM. Your pump should have a max RPM, is there any way you can find out? Perhaps some one with a bit more knowledge in electric driven hydraulics can step in.

 

[Phil_Marino]

I can't say for sure, but 3500 RPM sounds like it might be a little to fast for a hydraulic pump. The electric/hydraulic systems I've seen in the past were all 1750/1725 RPM. Your pump should have a max RPM, is there any way you can find out? Perhaps some one with a bit more knowledge in electric driven hydraulics can step in.

This pump ( and every splitter pump, as far as I know) is designed for 3600 RPM. So, that's not the problem.

I really think there is nothing wrong with the setup - it's just a noisy pump. Does anyone know if Haldex pumps are quieter? ( this one is a new Speeco) That's what I was hoping someone could tell me.
Thanks

Phil

 

[pipehead]

This pump ( and every splitter pump, as far as I know) is designed for 3600 RPM. So, that's not the problem.

Phil

I had electric motors and such in my head for some reason..... sorry about that.

Are you able to tell how much pressure and actual flow you have? Once these are established, we can start eliminating things. Hydraulics make noise, but they shouldn't be horribly loud, either.

 

[jags]

Being a positive displacement gear pump - it will make noise. Not having a gas engine running next to it, drowning out the pump noise will make it seem that much louder. My guess is that after a few hundred hours it may quite up a little.

 

[nvrs]

http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/article/19409/Super-quiet-hydraulic-pump-developed-for-electric-vehicles.aspx

I think he is trying to see if there is a pump similar to this one that he can use to quiet the whole system down.

 

[fubar2]

Mine cuts loose with a squeal every once in awhile. I got it out of a surplus warehouse so I don't know what it did or for how long before I adopted it. Keeps on pumping so I haven't lost any sleep over it.

 

[pdhowell]

Pump Whine

I am betting your objectionable noise issue will go away if you can find a 1750 rpm motor for your splitter. I have a splitter with a 1750 rpm motor, and the pump whine is very noticeable but acceptably low. I have seen the same model of splitters with 3450 rpm motors and the pump whine was, to me, intolerable, and even ear protection did not help much. I have only seen (heard) MTE pumps and Prince pumps, and not other brands so I cannot comment about Speeco splitters.

Electric motors running at 1750 have twice the torque as the 3450 rpm motors, and, to me, are a better fit for hydraulic systems. There is virtually no cavitation and less friction within the hoses and fittings so there is little heating of the hydraulic oil. The downside is a lower volume of oil being pumped, (in theory, half), so ram speed will decrease. (But seemingly, to my experience, not by much.) I am not sure how big a factor that is for your purposes. Note most tractor pto hydraulic pumps run at 540 rpm and seem to run splitters fine.

Can you slow you motor down with an rpm speed controller, or a pulley system, instead of a different pump? Or try and borrow a motor used to run a larger compressor. That motor would be would be a capacitor start, capacitor run motor. (Usually identified by two rounded humps on the case.) A true, single phase, six horse electric motor would probably pull over 50 amps on 240 volt service, (more at start up) and be the torque equivalent of a two cylinder gas engine. Most log splitters don't need anywhere need that much power. My 1750 rpm electric motor is a 10 amp/240 volt motor and is plenty.

Hope this helps, I have walked this same path earlier.

 

[Phil_Marino]

I am betting your objectionable noise issue will go away if you can find a 1750 rpm motor for your splitter. I have a splitter with a 1750 rpm motor, and the pump whine is very noticeable but acceptably low. .....

What brand of pump are you using? It sounds like it's quieter than mine.

I tried mine with a lower speed motor - it was still very noisy ( and now, the splitter was veeerrryyy slow).


Thanks

Phil

 

[nvrs]

So if your going to run a 1750 or 1725 rpm motor wouldn't you want to step up to a 16 gpm or higher pump? Wouldn't you need a higher hp motor to run that? And I agree with the post above... Aren't some pumps quieter than others?

 

[Phil_Marino]

So if your going to run a 1750 or 1725 rpm motor wouldn't you want to step up to a 16 gpm or higher pump? Wouldn't you need a higher hp motor to run that? And I agree with the post above... Aren't some pumps quieter than others?

That was my original questions : are some pumps quieter than others, and, if so, which ones are quiet???

Phil

 

[nvrs]

That was my original questions : are some pumps quieter than others, and, if so, which ones are quiet???

Phil

exactly... and if there are no quiet pumps and you have to go down in rpm to make it quiet, should you go up in gpm and then what hp difference will be needed to drive the higher gpm pumps? say you go from a 11 gpm to a 16 or 22... what size electric motor spinning at 1725 or 50 will power the pump sufficiently?

 

[kevin j]

when does it make the noise? no load, light load, or high enough to unload the first stage? does it do it all the time, or every once in a while?

They won't be whisper quiet, but you shoudl be able to have a conversation next to it. Gear pumps are noisier than vane pumps, but no two stage vane pump I am aware of for consumer use.

Is this direct drive, or belt/chain drive with a side load?

Are you expecting too quiet? If there really is an issue, I will bet on cavitation (restriction) or an air leak in the suction line, or bearing failing.