Eclectric or Hydraulic wraps?

[Robert2181]

Looking to replace the tall wraps in our tunnel. Electric or hydraulic, Pros and Cons. (Belanger wraps). Any info or suggestions.
I realize when a hydraulic line goes, but what about maintenance and reliability.

Thanks

 

[Earl Weiss]

A Major consideration would be what the current wraps are. It would seem if they were electric or Hydraulic the lines and support equipment would already be in place. Some decades ago we had electric driven equipment in the tunnel. Great when new but before you know it years have passed and corrosion sets in. Now are your own guys going to be able to swap out motors, conduit and wiring or hydraulic hose and motors.

 

[MC3033]

I would definitely agree with above, if you have have hydraulic already with a reliable pack stick with it. Otherwise there is a strong argument for electric or hydraulic

Recently went to electric and love it so far. The safety aspect of it is very appealing. The VFD can help detect irregularities (ie resistance) and then the wraps will retract when rotation stops.

The other reason I like electric is because of maintenance cost IMO is lower. I get a lot more time out of an electric motor then a hydraulic motor. Additionally not having to replace hydraulic lines, deal with hydraulic packs, oil changes and oil on brushes is huge IMO.

The issue with electric however is less people are comfortable doing the wiring on a motor swap. Depending on how the system is setup troubleshooting could be a bit more difficult as well. Depending on the setup you may have gear oil to change on the wrap.

My best advice would be whatever you do, do it right. If you go hydraulic run stainless tube as far as you can. If you go electric consider future corrosion and either use corrosion resistant conduit or have junctions along the way in case you need to pull back wire/cut bad conduit

 

[jfmoran]

I've run tunnels with both, they both have their pros and cons. Hydraulic is pretty bullet proof as long as you are diligent about preventative maintenance, inspecting fittings and hoses for any sign of wear or leaks. Nothing destroys a busy day faster than a hydraulic leak that shuts you down, while you clean up the mess.

When we quote tunnels for customers, if the customer does not have a preference then we typically will go with electric motors on any equipment above the waist and hydraulic below the waist. Space is a consideration sometimes because of the power pack necessary for hydraulic. Service is also an issue, a hydraulic motor is fairly easy to replace if it fails and you do your own maintenance, whereas, some will be leery of messing with an electric high voltage motor.

 

[Axxlrod]

I have both types in the my different washes. Hydraulic is more maintenance after about about the 6 year mark.

My next wash that I build will be all electric. Except conveyor and wheel brushes.