Frequently Asked Questions

The LH*A family of valves has been optimized to be used in a package to provide a power source for hydraulic tools. We can quantify the performance of the valve in static conditions but we cannot tell you how it will do in your application.

For instance: You want to use the valve as a compensator for a load-sense power steering package. When you are steering the machine and raising an implement, the valve is in a bypass mode (throttling on the bypass side). When the implement actuator bottoms out, pressure jumps to maximum and now the valve needs to change to the restrictive mode. Since the LH*A is balanced against pressure on the bypass side the only thing moving the spool is its own spring. The time this takes is dependent on where the spool was to begin with and where it has to go.

During this transition the steering will see the pressure differential across it suddenly change from about 150 psi (10 bar) to a system pressure of say 3000 psi (200 bar) and suddenly back down to about 150 psi (10 bar). When this scenario was described to me it was termed the broken thumb syndrome.

Sun does not and cannot provide technical support for this type of application. The valve has been successfully used in similar applications. What is necessary to make it work is up to whoever is doing the application.