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Quick Hydro Setup Help

810 views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  jstarnes 
#1 ·
I've got the same setup as in this pic..............................


It will extend out, but won't retract. What am I missing?
 
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#4 ·
CrustyJeep said:
A lot of info :flipoff2:

It LOOKS like a power retracting system, but it it? If so, you must have the valve plumbed all back asswards. Has it ever worked? Details Bubba details ;)

BTW those sure are some cute casters :D
Umm, did you read? It's not my setup, it's Rock Ape's. Mine is almost identical, same ram, same pump. Is there supposed to a be a valve plumbed in somewhere??????????????
 
#7 · (Edited)
I see a double acting cylinder and a power unit, but I can't see the valve. if you have it hooked up directly to the power unit, the ram will extend when you turn it on and you will have no way to retract it.

What you need is a standard 4 way control valve. In the neutral position, flow is bypassed from the pump directly to the tank and the two sides of the cylinder are held. When you move the valve one direction, one side of the cylinder is connected to the pump and the other is connected to the tank. When you move the valve the other direction, the connections switch. This gives you power forward, hold, and power reverse functions.

Northern Tool (www.northerntools.com) sells standard 4 way control valves made my Prince for about $70. You can also get them from the Surplus Center (www.surpluscenter.com) for roughly the same price.

EDIT

Now that I look more closely, I see it looks like there's a car battery (12vDC) powering the unit. Is there a solenoid operated control valve also? If so, it could be designed for use with one way, spring return cylinders. In that case you would need a different solenoid valve. If not, you should be able to power the oposite side of the solenoid valve (revese polarity maybe) to change the direction of flow.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yeah Bubba, I got what you said about it being a picture of someone elses setup...

I looked more closely, and assuming it's the same as yours, I think Bandit pretty much nailed it. That looks like an ordinary power unit, so it probly has a release valve and is designed to work with an auto-retracting single acting cylinder, and that looks like a double acting cylinder. Not gonna work right without some fawking around.

But don't reverse polarity! You'll pressurize the oil tank! BAD idea!

You should be able to retract the cylinder by hand if you open the release valve on the pump... Can you?

To do it right, just do what Bandit said and get a 4-way valve, turn the motor on, and use the valve to control the cylinder in both directions.

I would also check your pressures. That power unit could very well be designed to run at 10K PSI, while the ram is designed for 2500 or 3000 PSI... Might wanna be careful with that :D ... Although the right valve should have an adjustable pressure byass correct for the cylinder.
 
#12 ·
my set up is 12v lift gate motor and it uses a electric flow valve that switchs flow to reverse fluid flow
I now have a trash compactor power unit that is 110v and it it also has a electric flow control valve to change fluid direction
so my question is do you have this valve or manual valve
 
#13 ·
Wouldn't the "down" button on the control work for this? I can hear it clicking the solenoid. Could having the hoses hooked up wrong have something to do with this? If this is the case, any particular way to unhook the hoses, while the ram is extended and keep from squirting fluid all over, or am I screwed??????????:grinpimp:
 
#14 ·
Bubba Ray Boudreaux said:
Wouldn't the "down" button on the control work for this? I can hear it clicking the solenoid. Could having the hoses hooked up wrong have something to do with this? If this is the case, any particular way to unhook the hoses, while the ram is extended and keep from squirting fluid all over, or am I screwed??????????:grinpimp:

IF (IF) you here the solenoid clicking when you push the down (in) button you may just need to energize the motor to pump fluid to the in stroke of the cylinder

more than likely though if that power pack was designed for a lift gate down may be gravity down the solenoid just lets the oil flow to tank (or stops the oil from going to tank holding a load up)
 
#15 ·
jstarnes said:
IF (IF) you here the solenoid clicking when you push the down (in) button you may just need to energize the motor to pump fluid to the in stroke of the cylinder

more than likely though if that power pack was designed for a lift gate down may be gravity down the solenoid just lets the oil flow to tank (or stops the oil from going to tank holding a load up)
Okay. I'm really clueless when it comes to this stuff. How do I energize the motor? And if the second scenario is true, wouldn't the ram start retracted if I was putting pulling force on it????????
 
#16 ·
Bubba Ray Boudreaux said:
Okay. I'm really clueless when it comes to this stuff. How do I energize the motor? And if the second scenario is true, wouldn't the ram start retracted if I was putting pulling force on it????????
1-depends on the switch

2- depends on the force (how hard did you push and did you have the down switch pushed at the same time)

this isnt the same powerpack but read up
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=302155
 
#17 ·
did you buy the power unit new or used and do you know what the application of it was it sounds like you have a power up and gravity down system and to manually retract it can take alot of pressure to get it to move
do you have a part# for power unit
 
#18 ·
jstarnes said:
1-depends on the switch

2- depends on the force (how hard did you push and did you have the down switch pushed at the same time)

this isnt the same powerpack but read up
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=302155
I just reversed the hoses and the button on the control retracted the ram, and the other button still makes the solenoid click, but nothing.

My pump has the relief valve on one side, but no direction valve. On the other side, there's a bolt in the side, across from the relief valve.

Do I need to put a direction valve in here???????

:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
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