Choosing the correct GPM valve

[burroak]

Need to replace the valve on my log splitter, but I'm having a hard time choosing the correct GPM valve. How much does the GPM matter? Current valve is a "Energy Manufacturing 20038" but I can't find what GPM it's rated at. If it's a 25 gpm valve, and I go with a 30 GPM, will it matter?
Thinking of going with a 30 GPM valve:
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Brand...ve-Wolverine-by-Prince-Mfg-WLS800-9-12474.axd

 

[farmer steve]

Need to replace the valve on my log splitter, but I'm having a hard time choosing the correct GPM valve. How much does the GPM matter? Current valve is a "Energy Manufacturing 20038" but I can't find what GPM it's rated at.
Thinking of going with a 30 GPM valve:
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Brand...ve-Wolverine-by-Prince-Mfg-WLS800-9-12474.axd

What brand of splitter? FWIW I put the 30 gpm dirty hand tools valve on my tractor supply 25 ton splitter that surplus center has.

 

[sean donato]

You just need to be under the rated flow of the valve. The gpm is the "max" fluid it can flow through it. Ports are sized according to this. I have a valve rated for 25gpm on my loader with a 8 gpm pump. Works just fine. Have a 16gpm pump on my splitter and the valve for that is 30gpm. It will be fine.

 

[burroak]

You just need to be under the rated flow of the valve. The gpm is the "max" fluid it can flow through it. Ports are sized according to this. I have a valve rated for 25gpm on my loader with a 8 gpm pump. Works just fine. Have a 16gpm pump on my splitter and the valve for that is 30gpm. It will be fine.

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[Del_]

3/4 inch valve ports.

 

[Chevboy0167]

http://www.energymfg.com/pdf/broch_hydraulicvalve.pdf

 

[sean donato]

Just a heads up, since your getting a new valve, get one with auto return. Make life a lot easier.

 

[ericm979]

Your valve and other components should be rated for at least 25% more than the expected flow rate in order to not be a restriction. For most uses you also do not want valve to be too much larger than the flow rate. If they are it becomes difficult to "feather" them. For a splitter it's less of an issue. It's really rare for me to feather the splitter valve. It's either on or off.

If you don't know the flow find the displacement on the pump info plate and use the larger value to calculate the flow at engine rpm which is usually 3600 rpm for industrial engines.

You do want an auto return valve though, so you can go get another round while the ram is retracting. And make sure the valve will be operating in the correct direction for the way it is mounting. They are made both ways. It'd be confusing to push the valve back to get the ram to extend.

 

[sean donato]

Your valve and other components should be rated for at least 25% more than the expected flow rate in order to not be a restriction. For most uses you also do not want valve to be too much larger than the flow rate. If they are it becomes difficult to "feather" them. For a splitter it's less of an issue. It's really rare for me to feather the splitter valve. It's either on or off.

If you don't know the flow find the displacement on the pump info plate and use the larger value to calculate the flow at engine rpm which is usually 3600 rpm for industrial engines.

You do want an auto return valve though, so you can go get another round while the ram is retracting. And make sure the valve will be operating in the correct direction for the way it is mounting. They are made both ways. It'd be confusing to push the valve back to get the ram to extend.

Can always swap the lines if they are the flexible type, but yes something to be aware of.

 

[loadthestove]

Both valves on my splitter have a small.plate where the handle attaches that you can rotate to change the pivot to make them operate in a different direction

 

[burroak]

Just a heads up, since your getting a new valve, get one with auto return. Make life a lot easier.

For sure, I've never had one with auto-return, but always wanted one. I'm pretty sure the one I ordered has auto-return. It says "Pressure-release operated detent on return stroke with spool in, spring center on extend with spool out." Which I took for technical lingo for "auto-return." Do you think I'm wrong?
This is the one I ordered:
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Brand...ve-Wolverine-by-Prince-Mfg-WLS800-9-12474.axd

 

[sean donato]

Yep it's an auto return. Good choice, I like the wolverine series for an economical valve.

 

[kevin j]

Buy the largest you can get.

It gets confusing because of all the marketing BS. There is no single ‘rating’ like on a fuse for instance. Roughly 20 amps, blows, less than 20, fuse works ok. On a valve, it is mostly a matter of pressure drop. Pressure drop is a function of flow squared, so 2x flow = 4x pressure drop. It increases rapidly with increasing flow. And pressure drop is heat.

So one company might rate a valve at 20 gpm at say 100 psi drop, another rate the same valve at 25 gpm but at 150 psi drop. ‘25 gpm, or 20 gpm, I will buy the bigger one’, marketing……..

At some really high flow, the pressure drop and forces can cause unbalanced forces on the spool and mechanically malfunction, but that’s way beyond discussion here.

20-30 gpm is a common range of most small valves due to spool size and manufacturing reasons. And it covers most small mobile equipment needs.

Some are offered with 1/2 NPT ports or 3/4 NPT ports. Same internal spool cuts, same casting passages, just different ports. Same pressure drops in the actual valve, but bigger ports do allow bigger adaptors, which does reduce the pressure drop.