Battery Powered Log Splitter

[Big_Eddy]

300 splits would be about a cord of wood, if you start with 12” diameter blocks and split each block into quarters. Would take one person about an hour with a regular splitter. Then wait 3.5 hours to recharge.

13 secs is probably the longest I’ve ever seen described as a “fast cycle time”. I chuckle every time I see 9 sec splitters described as fast. After running my latest splitter at ~4 secs the previous one seems downright glacial at 8 or so seconds.

 

[Stihl Sharp]

300 splits would be about a cord of wood, if you start with 12” diameter blocks and split each block into quarters. Would take one person about an hour with a regular splitter. Then wait 3.5 hours to recharge.

13 secs is probably the longest I’ve ever seen described as a “fast cycle time”. I chuckle every time I see 9 sec splitters described as fast. After running my latest splitter at ~4 secs the previous one seems downright glacial at 8 or so seconds.

What brand and model splitter do you have that`s cycling at 4 seconds ?

 

[Big_Eddy]

Big Eddy Mk III. Home made. 28GPM with a 4" cylinder and autosplit valve.
Technically it's just over 5 seconds for full out and back, but when we get in a rhythm, we short stroke it at about 20" and it's slightly more than 4 seconds split to split.

My Mk II splitter has a 16GPM pump with the same cylinder size and it's half the speed.

 

[Stihl Sharp]

Big Eddy Mk III. Home made. 28GPM with a 4" cylinder and autosplit valve.
Technically it's just over 5 seconds for full out and back, but when we get in a rhythm, we short stroke it at about 20" and it's slightly more than 4 seconds split to split.

My Mk II splitter has a 16GPM pump with the same cylinder size and it's half the speed.

I kinda figured it must have been home built with having a cycling speed that fast.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Asking folks to keep the political stuff in the P&R section, and keep this thread on the feasibility, desirability, advantages , limitations, expectations, and experiences with a battery powered tool in this application.

Thank you.

Philbert

Any further climate change posts will be deleted, please report them and they will be taken down.

 

[fields_mj]

wood like know to the replacement price of a batter pak for this. I know that 60v paks for some of mowers and various other tools are north of $250 ea. my computer system is blocking any posting of a question to northern regarding this.

I'm guessing this splitter doesn't run on a "battery pack". It most likely runs on two deep cycle Li batteries, the kind you would buy for a solar power storage system, or for a Camper/RV or your trolling motor. The ones I've looked at run between $1,000 and $2,000 each.

Realistically, if you're wanting the advantage of a battery powered splitter, I think you'd be better off buying or building a 110V or 230V electric system and then buying an appropriately sized inverter that you could use to run it off of the batteries. That will give you a system that will run on your home's electrical system (which will always be more cost effective than charging a battery) but can also be used in locations where 110V isn't readily available. The individual components (ie Battery and inverter) would be easy to replace down the road with ANY comparable replacement part instead of being stuck buying a specific battery or electrical component from company XYZ who's been defunct for several years. If need be, such a splitter could also run off of an appropriately sized generator if needed.

Besides, I'd rather run an extension cord out to the splitter every time I used it than have to carry a 50 lb - 100 lb battery back and forth and $1K will go a long way towards me permanently running power out to my wood pile.

 

[Big_Eddy]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned that benefits any kind of electric splitter, is the motor does not need to consume any energy if the cylinder is not moving. On a gas splitter, the engine runs continuously and the fluid flows continuously, contributing noise and using fuel. One COULD build an electric splitter where the electric motor just replaces the gas engine, but I have to expect this splitter is designed so the motor is only active to move the cylinder out and back, then goes dormant. Like the pump on a dump trailer etc. Much more energy efficient overall. Energy is only consumed when work is being done.

Those DC motors require some serious amperage to develop any kind of flow x pressure, so a high capacity battery and heavy cables will be needed.
Using batteries, you can provide more juice when needed than can be supplied over a typical 12 or 14ga extension cord. If you wanted to go straight electric, you would need a much more substantial power source and heavy wiring to support the peak loads.

300 cycles sounds like a lot when you compare it what you might expect from a deep cycle battery on a dump trailer, so the batteries must be pretty substantial. But 300 cycles should be enough to split a full cord of wood without a recharge. That's more than enough to cover the majority of non-commercial use cases.

 

[fields_mj]

"Delivers an impressive 350 PSI with 11 GPM flow rate" 350 psi is way low, I'm thinking that's a typo.

350 psi likely where the pump switches stages. It flows the full 11 gpm up to 350 psi and then kicks over to the high pressure stage. Looks like a standard 11gpm 2 stage pump switches over at 650 psi, so this unit switches a lot lower meaning that it probably always runs in its high pressure stage while its in the split (slow). The 13 sec cycle is likely VERY optimistic as is the 300 splits. Still, it would probably do quite a bit of work before it needed to stop and recharge, especially if you don't need to split every piece or if you don't need to run the full stroke on every split. I can't speak for everyone, but most of my stuff splits after only 2 or 3" of movement of the ram.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned that benefits any kind of electric splitter, is the motor does not need to consume any energy if the cylinder is not moving. On a gas splitter, the engine runs continuously and the fluid flows continuously, contributing noise and using fuel. One COULD build an electric splitter where the electric motor just replaces the gas engine, but I have to expect this splitter is designed so the motor is only active to move the cylinder out and back, then goes dormant. Like the pump on a dump trailer etc. Much more energy efficient overall. Energy is only consumed when work is being done.

Those DC pumps require some serious amperage to develop any kind of flow x pressure, so a high capacity battery and heavy cables will be needed.
Using batteries, you can provide more juice when needed than can be supplied over a typical 12 or 14ga extension cord. If you wanted to go straight electric, you would need a much more substantial power source and heavy wiring to support the peak loads.

Agreed. I looked it up today and you'd need a 6 hp motor to run an 3000 psi pump at 3gpm which would align with what most 11gpm 2 stage pumps do. It would be a struggle to get that with 230V. You'd have to build in a lot of surge capacity into the electrical circuit. Doing it with 110V would be even worse. Since these gas powered splitters generally have 6.5 to 7 hp engines on them, the information lines up pretty good.

The math (11 gpm at 350psi) says that the NorthStar splitter is running a 2.5hp electric motor assuming they are allotting for 85% efficiency, or 2 1/4 hp if they are assuming zero losses. According to google, that takes roughly 2500 watts to run which comes out to a little over 200 amps for a 12V system. That's roughly what a 13K winch pulls under full load. It would take some serious cabling to accommodate anything close to a 100% duty cycle. Their 60v is an odd size for a DC motor, but it would take 5 batteries and drop the amp draw down to just over 40 amps. I would have thought they would have gone with a 6 cell 72v setup but I don't know a ton about DC motors so I could be out in left field again. Either way, it would be easy to wrap up a couple grand in batteries and a motor to power this splitter.

At the end of the day I don't have much confidence that NorthStar will be around 10 years from now. Even if they were still around, I have even less confidence that they would still be supporting their 1st generation of battery powered splitter and replacement parts for the DC system are going to be expensive. Push come to shove, it wouldn't be technically challenging to replace the batteries themselves with something that's readily available, but it wouldn't' be cheap, compact, or light weight either. At the end of the day, if I were really wanting a non-gas/diesel powered splitter that was capable of doing what most splitters do, I'd go with an electric Super Split. It doesn't get you the remote use that a battery system does, but everything is a sacrifice and there's no way I'd sacrifice that much $$ without a high degree of certainty that product support was going to be available for at least a few decades.

 

[sean donato]

Northstar as a brand has been around for quite a many years now, not that they are an oe just rebadged like most of Northern tools stuff is. Either way I agree, I doubt there will be long term support.

 

[user 188535]

60a Li battery…I bet the shipping/hazmat charge is third of the cost, lol.

Shipping is surprisingly free.

 

[user 188535]

wood like know to the replacement price of a batter pak for this. I know that 60v paks for some of mowers and various other tools are north of $250 ea. my computer system is blocking any posting of a question to northern regarding this.

They just want you to buy another splitter. Planned obsolescence caught red-handed . This would be perfect for a virtue signaler to tow behind his or her Rivian toy.

 

[user 188535]

Any further climate change posts will be deleted, please report them and they will be taken down.

Ok.

 

[Stihl Sharp]

And to think, i towed a brand new 40ton GAS POWERED log splitter home today behind my gas powered truck.

All i needed a battery for today was, to start my truck, so i could go pick up the new GAS POWERED log splitter.

I don`t even like battery powered hand drills. I`ll not contribute to a lithium waste land.

 

[user 188535]

I'm guessing this splitter doesn't run on a "battery pack". It most likely runs on two deep cycle Li batteries, the kind you would buy for a solar power storage system, or for a Camper/RV or your trolling motor. The ones I've looked at run between $1,000 and $2,000 each.

Realistically, if you're wanting the advantage of a battery powered splitter, I think you'd be better off buying or building a 110V or 230V electric system and then buying an appropriately sized inverter that you could use to run it off of the batteries. That will give you a system that will run on your home's electrical system (which will always be more cost effective than charging a battery) but can also be used in locations where 110V isn't readily available. The individual components (ie Battery and inverter) would be easy to replace down the road with ANY comparable replacement part instead of being stuck buying a specific battery or electrical component from company XYZ who's been defunct for several years. If need be, such a splitter could also run off of an appropriately sized generator if needed.

Besides, I'd rather run an extension cord out to the splitter every time I used it than have to carry a 50 lb - 100 lb battery back and forth and $1K will go a long way towards me permanently running power out to my wood pile.

I don't think that the batteries are interchangeable. Kind of like the ones on the poopyobi zero-turn mowers

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Shipping is surprisingly free.

Not exactly what I meant...the cost is still there and the customer ultimately pays it

 

[user 188535]

Not exactly what I meant...the cost is still there and the customer ultimately pays it

Yep.

 

[Philbert]

I have no personal or financial interests in this product, other than noting
it as a new option, which might appeal to some, but not all users / applications. Never used one, but hoping for some local demos.

As far as technical issues with the splitter, visit the company’s web page and look up their history. This guy started out selling hydraulic parts, and splitter plans, 40+ years ago, before growing it into a large retail and manufacturing company.

Chances are that any log splitter sold in the past 40 years has been influenced by this company.

Philbert

 

[OM617YOTA]

This looks like a great way for a homeowner to power a much larger splitter than would normally be possible from a 120v outlet. Leave it plugged in and charging while you're using it, the 120v outlet supplies what it can, and the battery covers the peak power demands above what the 120v outlet can supply. The splitter won't be pulling peak power all the time, and the 120v outlet can recharge the battery in between those peaks. Limited remote use might just be a bonus.

I looked for a 240v plug in splitter for a long time, something comparable to a decent gas splitter, but electric. I only split at home, have the 50a circuit and 8awg extension cord for the welder already, and *really* didn't want another gas engine to maintain. The only serious size electric splitters I found were significantly more expensive than a normal gas splitter. I could have bought a gas splitter and swapped on my own 7.5hp electric motor, wiring, and a switch for less.

I wouldn't buy this one either, also because of the one-off proprietary battery issues. Curious what it has under the hood, though. Lifepo4 batteries(not lithium ion, like this machine has) in form factors and voltages designed to directly replace deep cycle lead acid batteries are getting more common and less expensive every day. If it had that kind of battery, I'd have given something like this a very serious look.

 

[fields_mj]

I looked for a 240v plug in splitter for a long time, something comparable to a decent gas splitter, but electric. I only split at home, have the 50a circuit and 8awg extension cord for the welder already, and *really* didn't want another gas engine to maintain. The only serious size electric splitters I found were significantly more expensive than a normal gas splitter. I could have bought a gas splitter and swapped on my own 7.5hp electric motor, wiring, and a switch for less.

Seems like you're best bet would be to shop around for a deal on a used gas splitter and convert it. Around here, if you're patient you can find them for around $500. A quick google search seems to indicate that you could get a 7.5hp motor for around $200. Fab up a mount, add a pair of pullies and a V belt, a plug and a you're in business for under a grand total. Its just a question of whether or not its worth $500 to convert it or not.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Seems like you're best bet would be to shop around for a deal on a used gas splitter and convert it. Around here, if you're patient you can find them for around $500. A quick google search seems to indicate that you could get a 7.5hp motor for around $200. Fab up a mount, add a pair of pullies and a V belt, a plug and a you're in business for under a grand total. Its just a question of whether or not its worth $500 to convert it or not.

The market is different around here. A log splitter that goes for $1299 new in the store will be $1250 used. No point buying used. I priced out building my own, and was up to the cost of a new splitter just in hydraulic parts, before spec'ing in steel or turning on my welder.

I have a buddy who will loan me his 37 ton splitter any time I want to go get it, as long as I set it back up to store before I bring it back. Drain the gas, run it dry, fog the cylinder, etc. If I get into big stuff, game on. I told him if he ever wants to sell it, let me make him an offer on it first.

Between the expensive used market and open access to a 37 ton splitter, I rolled the dice on a $300 5 ton 120v electric splitter, and have been pleasantly surprised! Not perfect, but entirely sufficient for what I do. Almost ten cords with it split now, and less than 10pcs that it wouldn't split. 100% would do again. Only maintenance it's needed is a couple fluid changes.