Building a splitter

[Brad Burnette]

Here is a change of what I'm thinking so far. Gonna run 7 gallons of oil. Pipes will be caticorner from each other. Do I need a baffle and if so could somebody do some drawing on my pic to show me an easy way to make one.

 

[kevin j]

Do you have access to the inside of the tank to weld in a baffle? Is the lid or top surface removable?
if not, then it’s a moot point

stainless would be really nice tank no rust inside

 

[sundance]

Do you have access to the inside of the tank to weld in a baffle? Is the lid or top surface removable?
if not, then it’s a moot point

stainless would be really nice tank no rust inside

If it's a sealed tank, (and since it appears you have some pretty good fab skills) an option might be to slice the side of the tank (say about 1/8" from bottom to the top of baffle) so a baffle could be inserted. Probably need a couple plug welds to anchor the far side.
If the attachments worked, Tank 1 is easiest, Tank 2 probably better at ensuring fluid doesn't short circuit.

 

[sundance]

If it's a sealed tank, (and since it appears you have some pretty good fab skills) an option might be to slice the side of the tank (say about 1/8" from bottom to the top of baffle) so a baffle could be inserted. Probably need a couple plug welds to anchor the far side.
If the attachments worked, Tank 1 is easiest, Tank 2 probably better at ensuring fluid doesn't short circuit.

Thinking about it probably easier to slice into both sides, slide in a plate and seal weld each side.

 

[cantoo]

I would cut a slice in from the top and slide a baffle in and then weld the top back shut. Especially if you aren't a real good welder. You don't need to weld it inside as long as it's close that will be fine.

 

[kevin j]

Not tank 2. You don’t want a waterfall effect aerating the fluid if the level is low. Nor forcing the motion up close to surface even if the baffles are submerged.

Crosswise baffles have cutouts along the wall, say 1 or 2 inches wde and 6 to 12 inches high. This forces the flow towards the outside wall and aids cooling. It does waste a lot of dead volume fluid in the center.

You could get fancy and have two baffles the long direction. Return flow goes along one wall to far end, around the end of baffle, back up the center to first end, then along the other wall to far end again to the suction port. That would give good cooling and longest dwell time for de-aeration.

I would cut a round hole in the top of tank, get inside to work as needed, then use a domed ‘JIC tank end cover’ to cover it up. I would put a diffuser on the return line like you have it shown, and weld in a large oring port for suction. No suction strainer, they just cause issues. Depending on tank size, you might want a small horizontal ‘anti vortex’ plate above the suction port to prevent sucking air if the fluid level is low. Like a bathtub drain, it can vortex and take air down several inches. I will look for pic of JIC cover. They are pretty commonly available.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

What do ya'll think of this set up for my hydraulic oil tank. I acquired a 15 gal stainless steel tank and getting it set up like this:View attachment 634224

The return pipe doesn't need to be but a few inches into the oil. Can go in the side, doesn't need to be on the top. The flow will circulate the oil just fine in a small tank.

Suction should be out the side. Suction strainer a good idea. They are around $30 or so.

Going to TIG weld I'd imagine?


I wouldn't bother with a baffle.

One thing if it was on a large piece of equipment that ran on angles or start/stop movement alot and had lots of oil (IE like an excavator, feller buncher, front end loader, etc).

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Look on craigslist or facebook marketplace for tanks. I got a brand new one for $100 that had everything I needed all I had to do was mount it and plumb it, even has a level sight glass with a thermometer in it! YMMV...

 

[Brad Burnette]

10 4 fellers... I greatly appreciate all the help. I think I’m gonna try it without a baffle. If things get to hot I’ll do something different.

 

[Brad Burnette]

Got me a bigger cylinder yesterday. It's a 4.5 x 30 with a 2.25 rod. It should give me plenty of power. Gonna start putting it together on Friday I'm hoping.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

NICE. I was looking for that exact size cylinder myself but ended up rebuilding the dual 3's I already had.

 

[Brad Burnette]

Ok fellers heres where I'm at. I'm about 90% done with the splitter and I just have a question about my tank. I was worried about the size of the tank and the amount of oil it would take for the tank I built. It's a 20 gal. I purchased a 5 gal tank to use instead but will with be big enough for extended use with overheating. Here's a pic of where I'm at and tank I built. Also if I do go with the bigger tank will it hurt anything to mount it on with one end slightly higher than the other(suction on low side) to cause oil to concentrate in a larger amount to get enough flow.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

20 gal would be fine. More oil isn't a bad thing aside from a bit more $$ to fill it.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I built one a few years back from a 3 point tractor mounted splitter that I traded for. I used an 18hp engine off a riding mower and a 28gpm two stage pump. That thing had a 6 second cycle time (that's out and back in 6 seconds ). The build thread is here someplace buried deep. I had a baffle built into my tank but with that amount of flow, it was a surging storm inside the tank. Couldn't run a vented cap, it would spit oil out the vents like it was being pumped out.

Ian

 

[Ted Jenkins]

What I did on my last build was to use heavy gauge tubing directly under the cradle going straight under the top of the slide. I have over 15 gallons capacity with no baffling needed or cooling required. 6'' diam tubing is pretty plentiful. No need for stainless it is more expensive. Thanks

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I built one a few years back from a 3 point tractor mounted splitter that I traded for. I used an 18hp engine off a riding mower and a 28gpm two stage pump. That thing had a 6 second cycle time (that's out and back in 6 seconds ). The build thread is here someplace buried deep. I had a baffle built into my tank but with that amount of flow, it was a surging storm inside the tank. Couldn't run a vented cap, it would spit oil out the vents like it was being pumped out.

Ian

I don't have a baffle in my tank. Have 3 pumps total about 50gpm, the splitter one is 30gpm, 4 sec cycle. The fluid enters at the top, just had a short 90* elbow pointing down.
It will leak out the vent if the oil gets a bit low, I have to keep it fairly full.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

That's a processor I take it. I don't know what was going on in my tank, but it was downright violent. LOL. I had a local shop make it and told them I wanted a baffle in there. I never saw inside it.

 

[dave_dj1]

The baffle in my factory tank isn't solid, it has u shaped cut outs in the bottom and side. If that info helps at all. It's a 17 gal near as I can figure and it had an electric motor on top and the pump in the tank.

 

[Huskybill]

The first log splitter I built I used a new cheap 8hp b&s engine. With no iron sleeve in the cylinder. The local power equipment shop I purchased it from told me it wouldn’t last a year on a log splitter. Well I was putting two stroke mix in it every so often. The motor lasted 25 years for me then I sold it.

 

[Brad Burnette]

My splitter is done. Gonna start a new thread on it. Hope ya'll enjoy!