Hydraulics Anywhere

[terrifictimbersllc]

Search on “solder” and username pnyberg

[barbender]

Yep, even if we start on hydraulics and end up on a pulled pork recipe, aren't we all the richer for it?😊 I view it the same as you Ted, a conversation among friends- which it absolutely is!👍

[47sawdust]

Kinda like being at a party where everyone has that attention disorder.

[Southside]

Maybe train a chicken to run the hydraulics when you are at the far end? 

[Percy]

Maybe train a chicken to run the hydraulics when you are at the far end?  

Then eat the chicken 🤣

[PAmizerman]

When I did mine I ran both a hot and ground wire. Later I put them in a split loom protective sleeve . The back and forth in the track was wearing through the jacket. 

[thechknhwk]

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=7789.msg242177#msg242177

Here's what I did, following this example.  It works very well, and took about a day of easy labor to implement.  

From looking at those pictures.  I just don't understand how to route the cables so they aren't ripped off when the mill head goes down to the far end.  Like there has to be a cable connected to the hyd pump from the battery at all times, and when the cat track is coiled in a "U" shape at the end away from the hitch how in the world can the cable stay in the cat track and still be connected to the pump?  Anyone have any other pictures or videos for this dummy it would be greatly appreciated.

[SawyerTed]

The cables run from the hydraulic box, down the frame of the cat track to the middle of the frame.  The cables then enter the cat track at the bottom stationary part.  They route through the cat track to the head/solenoid. 

The section between the hydraulic box and the stationary end of the cat track is what Bibbyman later posted he installed in conduit.  

[YellowHammer]

I looked t several different types of cables and went to my local welding shop and they had some "super duty" cable that had slightly thicker insulation than usual but was amazingly flexible.  I also ran a ground wire because some of the issues I had been having was due to the grounding system.  

As Sawyer says, the cables need to come right into the stationary frame at the start of the cat track just like all the other lines and they should lay easily and loose in the track.  

[thechknhwk]

Thanks fellas, I figured it out last night.  Then realized my wire is about 10' short

[YellowHammer]

Just cut shorter logs??

[thechknhwk]

Thought I would add some pictures for the learning disables like me

Pic of the battery box mess ahead of time with crappy corroded positive clamp.




Pic of cluttered relay enclosure with relay still in place.




Coil removed.




Pic of where the cables need to go.




Cable location and my splice from erroneous wire length procurement.




1/0 welding cable in the cat track.  I later zip tied it between every zip tie that was already there being careful not to go too tight.




Battery box after cleanup.




Couple pics of the hydraulic box post install.  Also needed a new pump motor, hydros are nice and fast (normal again)







I forgot to take a pic of the coil box, but I eliminated the coil so my hydraulics will work without the key which is neither a negative or positive to me, but it did give me more room to make the redundant positive connections and route my negative wire from the battery through.  I'll try to remember to take some more pics.

[GAB]

Thanks fellas, I figured it out last night.  Then realized my wire is about 10' short

Count your blessings it was all at only one end.
GAB

[PAmizerman]

Keep an eye on the cable to make sure it doesn't rub through. I put mine in a protective sleeve like all the other original wires after it wore through in a few places 

[Sod saw]

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It appears that the positive wire to the hydraulic pump is attached directly to the positive terminal of the battery.

If I am wrong, please ignore this note.

If I am correct, please add a fuse (Fuses are sized by wire size and motor size) at the battery to protect that long unfused wire to the hydraulic pump.   

Without a fuse to protect that long wire a fire could be the result of a mouse or wearing thru of the insulation.  Even the best quality wire is prone to wear and tear and mice don't care about burning your mill and buildings.

note to Yellowhammer:   Your high quality flexible wire might be the result of flexible rubber insulation, and/or smaller more flexible strands within your wire jacket.  More quantity of smaller gauge strands will help with flexibility .  Higher quality wire sometimes equals more dollars, but well worth it in my opinion.


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