hydraulic Tank for wood splitter

[Wowzer]

Hello all,
looking for where you guys looking for info on making a tank, looking at the baffles to be exact. I want to make the tank 36"X 20"x 20" with 4 compartments with the return to come in one end and the suction at the other, that way the oil has time to cool, and if debris gets in the system somehow it should have places to settle. I'am i on the right track or?

Please excuse the awesome drawing. it's just something for reference

 

[Sandhill Crane]

What size pump in gpm?
What size tank, length x width x height?
Is that the proper order? There is an order, isn't there?

 

[Wowzer]

I will be using a 13Hp Honda, and a 2 stage pump Low 16 GPM, and High 4 GPM. 36" X 20" X 20" - 36" long 20" wide, 20" tall.

i'm asking about the proper order i know that there is baffles in a tank. but wondering if what i have pictured is correct / will work.

 

[sundance]

not an expert, but I'd put the middle baffle at the top. Should help with timing the flow.

 

[sam-tip]

Wow almost 62 gallons full. $$$$ to fill it up. You wouldn't want to buy the oil I am using. That much oil might not get warm in the winter. I was told a gallon of storage for every gpm is ok without an oil cooler.

 

[Deleted member 135597]

Wow almost 62 gallons full. $$$$ to fill it up. You wouldn't want to buy the oil I am using. That much oil might not get warm in the winter. I was told a gallon of storage for every gpm is ok without an oil cooler.

Hell just but it in a 55 gallon drum and strap it to the splitter

 

[dave_dj1]

You don't need a tank that big and I don't think the baffles as drawn will work. I have an old tank that was in a factory, it's about a 20" cube, holds 17 gallons according to the tag. I run a 11 HP, 22 gpm pump 4" cyl x 30" stroke and a log lift and I have never seen the temps go over 165 ish. There is a gauge and thermometer on the tank.
If you go with the way you have it drawn, cut some semi circles on the bottoms, that is the way my tank is. Don't dump the return in too high either as you don't want it to blow in and make air bubbles, my return goes in the top but the pipe inside goes almost to the bottom.

 

[cantoo]

Wowser, left you a message in the scrounging thread. You want the return line to dump to the bottom of the tank to prevent it from splashing air into the oil. I bought Princess Auto motor and pump complete, got a screaming deal on a discontinued one.

 

[Patrick62]

No need for giant tank (won't hurt anything, but costly to fill)
baffles really are not needed either... just saying.... somewhere on here the tank should exceed the gallon per minute of the pump, after that, good to go! I have converted old air compressor tanks, and they worked well.

 

[Wowzer]

Haha I am just in the design stage. I have been looking around and they said bigger is better. I have a 4", 24" stroke cylinder I was going to use. Also I would like to maybe put a conveyor on it. Thinking 12ft that's why I was thinking the larger tank.

 

[GM_Grimmy]

You want the oil to flow under the baffles, otherwise you will only be circulating the hot oil. Also if you were to run low on oil, you could starve the intake.....the way you have the baffles right now. With it open on the bottom, it will allow oil to flow to the suction side. Remember hot oil rises, cool oil falls. With a 16 gpm pump, 20 gallons in the system would be over kill, but I wouldn't go any higher than that.

 

[Wowzer]

what about doing up a 20" X 16" x 16" tank with the baffles running the length. and the first one being like 6" tall and then 2" tall and i could cut a half moon in the tall one and put the drain plug in the center there, and then have the Return and suction at opposite ends, or should they be at the same ends or side with the amount of return coming in so that is doesn't come in and back out again. i will put a screen on the suction, and a inline filter on the out side of the tank as well. i think that this would work out to 22 gallons right full, so should have about 16 gallons in it to run if i am reading things correctly?

 

[mohick]

why don't you just get a 150 gallon fuel barrel and plumb it in?? would make about as much sense if you'r going to go extreme over kill go giant overkill!!! you ever had a splitter before???????

 

[sam-tip]

Yes 22 gallons full. I don't know about the screen on the suction side. Is it really needed. After a few minutes everything will have gone through the filter several times.

I don't remember ever seeing baffles in any of my hydraulic tanks for my equipment. Don't think baffles are needed. Biggest concern is getting the oil to the pump. But I am using equipment that pumps 36 - 40 gpm with only a 15 gallons supply of oil and a oil cooler. The suction is always at the lowest point in the tank with the tank having one portion taller. This way the bottom level is full and the top level is to monitor the oil level without needing lots of extra oil.

PS I have a magnet on my drain plug.

 

[GM_Grimmy]

I wouldn't go the length of the tank. My last splitter I had, did that, and it didn't work with crap. I had over 20 degrees difference between the site glass thermometer and an installed temp sensor.

Again, you don't want your baffles on the bottom of the tank. You will only be moving the hot oil. Raise them up off the bottom of the tank 2 inches, so the baffles hold the hot oil till it cools.

 

[Wowzer]

why don't you just get a 150 gallon fuel barrel and plumb it in?? would make about as much sense if you'r going to go extreme over kill go giant overkill!!! you ever had a splitter before???????

i have only borrowed peoples splitters before. they both where fairly old and both of them had problems with the oil getting hot as they didn't have big enough tanks / baffles in them. but they did the job.

I wouldn't go the length of the tank. My last splitter I had, did that, and it didn't work with crap. I had over 20 degrees difference between the site glass thermometer and an installed temp sensor.

Again, you don't want your baffles on the bottom of the tank. You will only be moving the hot oil. Raise them up off the bottom of the tank 2 inches, so the baffles hold the hot oil till it cools.

yeah i was thinking that it wouldn't really work just trying to get a different view on it. i think i will hit google again, and take the first sketch and scale it down. the other thing i was thinking was taking the tank and putting a plate half way in it and leaving like 4" open on the far end and have the Return and Suction on one end, but have the return above the plate, and then the suction below. and throw in the magnetic drain plug like suggested

 

[bigbadbob]

I have a GX390 22gpm and a 15 gal tank if you run it for a good two hours in the summer it gets warm not hot, I have one baffle in the tank.
BBB
,

 

[GM_Grimmy]

i have only borrowed peoples splitters before. they both where fairly old and both of them had problems with the oil getting hot as they didn't have big enough tanks / baffles in them. but they did the job.



yeah i was thinking that it wouldn't really work just trying to get a different view on it. i think i will hit google again, and take the first sketch and scale it down. the other thing i was thinking was taking the tank and putting a plate half way in it and leaving like 4" open on the far end and have the Return and Suction on one end, but have the return above the plate, and then the suction below. and throw in the magnetic drain plug like suggested

You can go the length of the tank, but design the baffle differently. Have the baffle go all the way from top to bottom, then cut a round circle in the bottom of the baffle. As per your drawing, the circle would be opposite of the inlet of the tank on the one baffle, then on the opposite side of the other baffle...........making the oil go the length of the tank 3 times before going back to the suction side. I used to have a pic of a tank here at work, but I think I deleted it from my phone. It's really up to what you want to do. 100s of ways to do it. If you find you can get things warm enough in colder weather, take out some oil then. I need to do that on mine, but I try to have everything done before it gets that cold out. I have smaller than I should valves to create heat, to get heat into my system, but I run a temp controller and oil cooler as well, cause I will split when it's 80 degrees out.

 

[GM_Grimmy]

Here's something I drew up quickly to explain what I was talking about, if you go with baffles the length of the tank. The red is the inlet to the tank, blue is the outlet of the tank. Baffles going the length of the tank and the holes in the baffles I put at 3 inches. You wouldn't have to run them all the way to the top of the tank, could leave a few inches, save some steel. I think you get the idea though.

.

 

[Wowzer]

Here's something I drew up quickly to explain what I was talking about, if you go with baffles the length of the tank. The red is the inlet to the tank, blue is the outlet of the tank. Baffles going the length of the tank and the holes in the baffles I put at 3 inches. You wouldn't have to run them all the way to the top of the tank, could leave a few inches, save some steel. I think you get the idea though.

.View attachment 529823

that is awesome. and I like that idea. simple and should do the trick. i guess the only question i would have then is put the drain in the middle or? and the fill level gauge, and temp gauge would be best on the suction side correct?