Alaskan electric hydrolic pump

[Mike S.]

Well here goes, This is my first post with pictures and is definatley an experience.

So the first pic is in the cabinet just inside the door below the stove.



The second picture is of the valve that lifts or lowers the top.


this picture is of the two valves that divide the volume front to back.


So the pump pressurizes the manifold in picture three, the centre line in the manifold returns throu the valve in picture three to the holding tank, the other two are the valves that go to the rams that lift the top.

It is a fairly simple system that has required little maintenance. I will take it all apart before I put it back on the truck this year the fittings are weeping slightly and need tightened and a general clean up.

I have more pictures but it has been a steep learning curve for me and I will stop here for now.

 

[Ripperj]

The lines are plastic now? Mine were copper. I ended up removing the hydraulics, and bought 12v linear actuators. I ended up scratch building a new lower section,so swapping to the actuators will be pretty simple, won't have them until tomorrow
Thanks for posting

 

[nixfwc]

I am in the process of updating my hydraulic system from manual to electric pump. I am using a convertible top lifting hydraulic motor from a Chrysler sebring that ties into a ball valve to hold the pressure and let the pressure off to lower the top. I still have copper lines and hope to be able to plumb in my manual pump as a back up. I also am going to put pressure adjusting valves in the front pistons to regulate the rate of decline. I am still assembling the parts and will post a photo once I have it working. You can get a view of the new Alaskan hydraulic system in the you tube 8.5 foot Alaskan video. Hope my system works.

 

[nixfwc]

After trying to get the Chrysler top motor to work unsuccessfully, I found a Hypac pump on ebay at a good price. It is similar to what Alaskan uses. The Chrysler pump was to low an output and I could not get a line to the reservoir on the pump without it leaking. If anyone is interested in trying the Chrysler pump I will give them a great deal. The Hypac pump required a check valve on the output and an additional reservoir. The system seems to need about two quarts of hydraulic fluid with the smaller pistons. I instal flow regulating valves on the two front pistons as well as two regulating valves at the pump output. It took em a long time to eliminate all the leaks. I am using the original copper lines. I will probably switch to flexible lines at some point. I also kept the manual pump in the system as a back up; it plumbed through the check valve fitting. I found the check valves on Ebay also. I don't have over $300 invested in it at this point and am happy with it so far. I will try to post the photos; first one is the chrysler pump system, second is the system I am now using.

 

[nixfwc]

Brian at Alaskan was very helpful in getting the flow control valves positioned properly. If any one has a suggestion for sources on flexible hydraulic lines, I would love to hear about them.Thanks. And Rusty I have not put in a limit switch but am considering your advice and am watching closely as the top approaches the end of the piston travel. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mike S.]

My son used air lines and fittings from a semi truck on his home built pop up. They are rated at over 100 lbs so ample for this service. In a semi truck there is always oil and water mixed into the air. The fittings must be cut square as the just push into the fittings that fit where your copper fitting screw in. I have plastic lines but they have the old screw in fittings that I will replace with the push in ones when I clean my lines.

The stainless slides on my Alaskan have a stop on the top so they can not exceed this limit, the pump just bogs down. I guess that it is my limit switch. I have never had a problem with the Alaskan system.

Brian is a great resource and gives his time without making you feel like its a burden. I have had to call on his expertise a number of times.