Centennial College Automation and Robotics Technology

Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

Lab 3 Counterbalance Circuit
Description:
This lab procedure is designed to demonstrate how a Counterbalance valve can be used to oppose the force
created by the hydraulic circuit. The Power circuit is connected to the hydraulic system and provides the power
to extend and retract cylinder 1.

Cylinder 2 is mechanically tied to the power cylinder 1 causing cylinder 2 to extend and retract when cylinder 1
moves. Note; the hydraulic flow in cylinder 2 is self contained and does not flow into the hydraulic system at
all. Fluid in Cylinder 2 is merely flowing back and forth from its rod end into its blind end repeatedly as cylinder
1 extends and retracts.

Cylinder 2 by itself has little or no affect on the pressure required by cylinder 1 to extend or retract and has no
effect on cylinder 1 speed. However; with the addition of the counterbalance valve whose resistance to flow
can be adjusted, can cause enough resistance to stop cylinder 1 from extending. At this setting of the
counterbalance valve were the cylinder 1 can’t extend, the Extension Force of cylinder 1 is said to be
counterbalance by force created by the counterbalance valve. It will require additional pressure applied to
cylinder 1 to extend the cylinders.

This lab demonstrates the practice of counterbalancing a force using this hydraulic valve. An example was the
counterbalance valve would be used in a manufacturing facility is any application were the load is “over hung”
like that of the weight of a platen on a hydraulic press. This lab also demonstrates the pressure intensification
on the rod side of the cylinder.

Educational Need:
Many times, in industrial hydraulic circuit applications, the over hung load must be counterbalanced to
ensure that the HP required to raise and lower the device by equal. Many examples exist today in the
manufacturing world; two common examples include Hydraulic Presses and Turn Over machines.

All employers using hydraulic equipment will demand that each employee employed as designer,
engineer, technician, technologist, tradesperson, machine operator or manager to have working knowledge of
this traditional counterbalance circuit.

Learning Outcomes:

The student will be able to do the following after completion of this lab:

1. Identify and Locate a Vickers R-Type Valve

2. Configure the Vickers R-Type Valve to an Internal Drain and Internal Pilot operated valve for use as a

Counterbalance.

3. Identify and Record the Piston and Rod Diameter of both the Power and Load simulation cylinders

4. Calculate the maximum Cylinder Extension Force Based on system parameters.

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Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

5. Calculate the Counterbalance Valve’s setting based on the previously calculated Cylinder’s Extension

Force.

6. Assemble, troubleshoot as required and disassemble the Counterbalance Valve Lab circuit following the

ANSI schematic.

7. Adjust the counterbalance valve to stop the cylinders in mid extension stroke.

8. Describe the function of the internal check valve in the counterbalance valve.

9. Identify and describe why a counterbalance valve can be internal drained defining traditional Drain

Theory.

10. Define the hydraulic term “pressure intensification” as seen in hydraulic applications to control “over

hung loads” which use the principles of “meter out” or “counterbalance”

11. Calculate the “pressure intensification” observed during this lab using Pascal’s Law

12. Use ANSI symbology and AutoCAD to illustrate a Counterbalance Circuit.

Procedure:

1. Locate and Record the Piston and Rod Diameters of both the Power and Load Simulation cylinders used in

this lab.

Piston Diameter Rod Diameter

2. Locate and identify the Vickers R-Type Valve to be used in this lab.

3. Looking at the Top Cover Plate of the R-Type Valve identify and record the configuration of the valve’s

Drain. External or Internal

4. Configure the R-Type valve to have an internal drain, if the valve was identified as having an external drain

in Step 3.

5. Looking at the Bottom Cover Plate of the R-Type Valve identify and record the configuration of the valve’s

Pilot. External (Remote) or Internal

6. Configure the R-Type valve to have an internal pilot, if the valve was identified as having an external pilot in

Step 5.

7. Turn the spring tension adjusting knob of the R-Type valve counter clockwise to its lowest setting.

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Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

8. Assemble the Counterbalance Valve Lab circuit following the ANSI as instructed by your lab instructor.

Before turning the training bench “on”, trace the circuit to ensure circuit connections match the ANSI

schematic.

9. Turn the Compensator’s vent line handle to the passing position.

10. Turn the electrical disconnect switch to the “on” position.

11. Release the E-stop button.

12. Depress the training benches “on” push button.

13. Turn the Compensator’s vent line handle to the non - passing position.
14. Set the training bench compensator to 750 psig.

15. Record the pressure seen on the system main pressure gauge.

Main Pressure gauge reading psig

16. Energize the DCV solenoid selector switch to both extend and retract the cylinders.

17. Observe and record the gpm being produced by the pump as seen on the Flow Meter

GPM

18. De-energize both solenoids by returning the DCV solenoids selector switch to the center position

19. Identify and record which cylinder is being used as the “power cylinder” for this Lab.

Cylinder Number

20. Identify and record which cylinder is being used as the “counter force cylinder” for this Lab.

Cylinder Number

21. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch, extend the cylinders while observing and recording the time

required to extend the cylinder.

Time taken to extend (seconds)

22. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch, retract the cylinders while observing and recording the time

required to retract the cylinder.

Time taken to extend (seconds)

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Centennial College Automation and Robotics Technology

Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

23. Extend the cylinders and record the pressure observed on gauge PGM when the cylinders are fully

extended.

PSIG

24. Retract the cylinders and record the pressure observed on PGM when the cylinders are fully extended.

PSIG

25. Extend the cylinders and record the pressure observed on gauges PG1 and PG2 when the cylinders are fully

extended.

PG1 PSIG PG2 PSIG

26. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch retract the cylinders.

Note: Now, the cylinders are extending and retracting at a rate of speed equal to the pump’s delivery

and at pressures required only to move the cylinders as no Counter Force (resistance) is be applied by

the counterbalance valve as its setting is ZERO

27. Turn the adjusting knob on the counterbalance valve half way in. This should begin to apply counter force

to the extend motion slowing the cylinder’s extend speed.

28. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch, extend the cylinders while observing and recording the time

required to extend the cylinder.

Time taken to extend (seconds)

Did the cylinder slow down compared to its original time?

Yes or No

29. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch, retract the cylinders while observing and recording the time

required to retract the cylinder.

Time taken to extend (seconds)

Did the cylinder slow down compared to its original time? Yes or No

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Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

30. Extend the cylinders and record the pressure observed on gauges PG1 and PG2 when the cylinders are fully

extended.

PG1 PSIG PG2 PSIG

31. Continue to turn the adjusting knob on the counterbalance valve, until your adjustment stops the cylinders

from extending. At this time the extend and counter forces are equal.

32. Record the pressure observed on gauges PG1 and PG2 when the cylinders are fully stopped.

PG1 PSIG PG2 PSIG

33. Which pressure gauge illustrates the Counterbalance valve’s setting?

PGM PG1 PG2

34. Using the DCV solenoid selector switch, retract the cylinders while observing the retraction speed.

Using the DCV solenoid selector switch extend the cylinders and observe.

Note: The cylinders may extend only for a slight distance and then stop as you would expect due to the counter

force equaling the extend force. This slight movement you observed is “trap air” in the counter force cylinder.

As air is compressible, the cylinders may move slightly until the trap air was compressed.

35. Depress the training benches “off” push button.

36. Depress the E-stop button

37. Turn the electrical disconnect switch to the “off” position

38. Disconnect the hydraulic circuit and clean up the area around the bench (fluid etc.)

Lab Reports:

1. The lab report must include the complete lab assignment documentation as provide by the instructor

including any and all observations recorded in the spaces provided.

2. In addition to the lab documentation provide by the instructor, each student must submit an individual lab

report as identified below.

a. Title:

b. Objectives: as identified by the learning outcomes

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Robo-231 Hydraulics System 2

c. Lab procedure: reference may be made to the procedure provide by the instructor; however, please

highlight in your own word’s key procedure.

d. Equipment List: only list equipment not found on the Parker Training Bench

e. Observations:

i. Calculate the area of the blind end and the rod end of the cylinder 1.

ii. Calculate the area of both the rod ends of the cylinder 2.

iii. Calculate the volume of fluid required to fill the blind end of the cylinder 1 when fully

extended (area X stroke)

iv. Calculate the volume of fluid required to fill the rod end of the cylinder 1 when fully

retracted (area X stroke)

v. Calculate the piston speed in inches per minute when the cylinder 1 is extending and

retracting using only the volume produced by the pump

Flow (cubic inches per min) X 0 .3208

Piston Speed (s) =

Area to be filled in square inches

vi. Calculate the Counterbalance Valve setting which is required to stop the cylinders from

extending when the system compensator is set to 750 PSIG

f. Hydraulic Schematic Drawings:

i. Using AutoCAD and ANSI symbology, draw the schematic diagram for the Counterbalance

circuit.
g. Conclusion: Clearly state your conclusions based on your observations made during the lab. Your
conclusion should include but not limited to:

i. State the configuration of the pilot and drain of an R-Type Counterbalance Valve.

ii. State why the counterbalance valve can be configured to have an internal drain. .

iii. State why the pressure at PG2 is greater than the pressure at PG 1 when the hydraulic forces

are “counterbalanced”.

iv. State why the retraction speed of the cylinders did not change as the Counterbalance Valve’s

setting was increased.

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