HOT! Hydraulic oil tank! Chipper!

[VenasNursery]

I’m not sure what a “heavy vs light” setting is either. Pardon if I asked before, what model is this machine? And can you put up a couple pictures, specifically of this setting you speak of, and a picture of the hydraulics on the right side of the infeed?

Edit: If Heavy vs Light is an option on your brake controller, set it on Light and that should fix the problem. Some controllers have a Boost function, where extra braking power is applied initially when you touch the brakes, to help the trailer slow down faster. Prodigy controllers have that, and at least on their higher end controllers it’s adjustable between four settings. Turn on the Boost though and it will lock up the brakes on a trailer with strong brakes.

I think light vs heavy meant the feed wheels I believe Vermeer has a similar option
Not sure why a chipper would need this just more sensors to go bad that are not needed imo

 

[Anonymity]

Heavy and light are on the chipper controller screen…

 

[Reach]

Heavy and light are on the chipper controller screen…

Thank you. I have not seen that control screen yet, that’s a new one to me. It looks even more space aged than the screen on the chipper we bought last month. I’m not sure what to tell you about the “heavy” and “light” that you see you there, other than read the manual and see what it says.

I do not see a feed wheel speed control valve, so unless it’s on the other side, which would be new to me, I don’t think you have one. That is a good thing, in my opinion they’re unnecessary, and don’t really serve much purpose other than to overheat hydraulic oil.

Do you have a temperature gun, or some way to measure the temperature of your hydraulic oil? I’m curious how hot it is getting, as 150° is not a real high temperature for an oil, but it is hard enough that you can’t lay your hand on the tank without burning your fingers.

 

[Anonymity]

ya, it’s a brand new computer screen even to the bandit guys they say…they are great guys there, they’re trying to help with some computer glitches (I think), so we’ll see…

The temperature gun is a great idea! Thanks I’ll have to grab one or a high temp thermometer

I read the manual, the high low setting description seems a little confusing to me, but I’ll figure it out I recon? Thanks for all the help

This new chipper is a big step for me and my business! I know it’s always relative…it’s a small chipper for lots of guys and a little tiny bit of money…but not for me! So they help is a big deal for me

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I'm not familiar with current controls. I look in on this thread occasionally so what I'm guessing may have been covered.

Could the heavy/light adjustment have to do with down pressure of the infeed drum. LIght for big wood, heavy for brush crushing.

 

[SBTC]

First thing I would check is your hydraulic pressure, hook you winch up to a tree or something that won't budge and Max out the winch with the gauge on. I believe it's supposed to be low 2000's but I would double check with bandit. My chipper ran a little high from the factory, it was beginning to smell burnt in the tank after about 200hrs. New fluid now and a little adjustment, no problems. Good luck you'll get it sorted.

 

[Anonymity]

Was running the 12xp today and for some reason the auto feed didn’t work, and the engine even stopped! Anyone else have that? I didn’t think I’d have problems like that with a chipper that has 15 hours on it!

 

[Reach]

Was running the 12xp today and for some reason the auto feed didn’t work, and the engine even stopped! Anyone else have that? I didn’t think I’d have problems like that with a chipper that has 15 hours on it!

Which engine is on that? Most common reason the AutoFeed will stop working is the engine speed sensor (threaded in the lower front side of the clutch housing) works itself out and gets too far from the flywheel to read properly. Check that first, make sure it’s adjusted properly; unplugging it to see if anything changes is the easiest way.

The engine shutting down (if you didn’t stall it due to a lack of AutoFeed) usually is caused by the drum hood safety plug working loose. That’s the plug attached to the rod that holds the plate closed on top of the drum; the place you open to change knives. Those often wiggle loose and shut down the engine at random. I’ve owned a number of chippers where that plug had been previously disabled for that reason.

 

[Anonymity]

Which engine is on that? Most common reason the AutoFeed will stop working is the engine speed sensor (threaded in the lower front side of the clutch housing) works itself out and gets too far from the flywheel to read properly. Check that first, make sure it’s adjusted properly; unplugging it to see if anything changes is the easiest way.

The engine shutting down (if you didn’t stall it due to a lack of AutoFeed) usually is caused by the drum hood safety plug working loose. That’s the plug attached to the rod that holds the plate closed on top of the drum; the place you open to change knives. Those often wiggle loose and shut down the engine at random. I’ve owned a number of chippers where that plug had been previously disabled for that reason.

O that’s very informative! I’ll check those things, but yes the engine stalled because the auto feed didn’t work 100% sure if that

Thanks so much!

 

[Anonymity]

Ok, so wanted to just give an update on the auto feed issue…Bandit guys said they are very confident it’s a belt tension issue and that all I need to do is tighten the belt…I hope they are right! I’m going to do that tomorrow, I know the specs (I guess) are 33lb of force with 5/16’s deflection. But I measured it today and they were arguably set correctly with those tolerances.

So what should I do? Make it tighter than bandit says? I don’t really want to leave it and watch it completely stall out the chipper when I put something big in!

I figure I’ll make it tighter than their specs, but could that cause other problems? Looking for input on chipper belt troubleshooting…overall

Thanks!

 

[Reach]

Ok, so wanted to just give an update on the auto feed issue…Bandit guys said they are very confident it’s a belt tension issue and that all I need to do is tighten the belt…I hope they are right! I’m going to do that tomorrow, I know the specs (I guess) are 33lb of force with 5/16’s deflection. But I measured it today and they were arguably set correctly with those tolerances.

So what should I do? Make it tighter than bandit says? I don’t really want to leave it and watch it completely stall out the chipper when I put something big in!

I figure I’ll make it tighter than their specs, but could that cause other problems? Looking for input on chipper belt troubleshooting…overall

Thanks!

Keep in mind, that is 33 pounds PER BELT and you probably have a four-vee belt, which means 122 pounds of force on the whole belt to hit your deflection number. That belt should be really tight!

Belt dressing may help too, as will a light touch with emery paper to break up the glaze that probably came about from the belt slipping while it was too loose.

 

[Anonymity]

It’s 1 big belt that fits into pulleys with 4 groves…

Here’s a screen shot from a demonstration video of adjusting a bandit 12xp belt

Reach you’re a super guy!!! Alway looking out for me! Hope someday I get to meet you and shake your hand (and a few more like you on here) tree guys are some of the best!

 

[Reach]

It’s 1 big belt that fits into pulleys with 4 groves…

Here’s a screen shot from a demonstration video of adjusting a bandit 12xp belt

Reach you’re a super guy!!! Alway looking out for me! Hope someday I get to meet you and shake your hand (and a few more like you on here) tree guys are some of the best!

That’s what I thought was on there, it’s actually four belts attached together to make one - you can run four individual belts instead, but the one big belt can’t flap against itself and flapping between belts makes heat and heat kills belts.

I’m happy to help. I’ve been doing this a while, and have learned a few things along the way. I see it as only right that I share what I’ve learned with others. Hopefully once you get that belt properly tensioned it runs like it should!

 

[Anonymity]

That’s what I thought was on there, it’s actually four belts attached together to make one - you can run four individual belts instead, but the one big belt can’t flap against itself and flapping between belts makes heat and heat kills belts.

I’m happy to help. I’ve been doing this a while, and have learned a few things along the way. I see it as only right that I share what I’ve learned with others. Hopefully once you get that belt properly tensioned it runs like it should!

Well it tightened the belt even tighter than I think bandit specs call for, but auto feed sometime doesn’t kick in and work, sometimes (must with bigger wood). Only happened once today, but I should have it at all in my opinion. Maybe I should take that glass of the pulley that you mentioned reach? I wonder if that would be enough?