Cartridge Shuttle Valves

Compact Solutions for Load-Sensing and Dual-Pressure Circuits

Cartridge shuttle valves are compact hydraulic components designed with three ports and a common ball or spool check valve. Their primary function is to direct flow from whichever inlet port is at the higher pressure to the outlet port. This makes them essential in load-sensing circuits and applications where two pressure sources must be managed efficiently.

At Hydraulics Online, we supply cartridge shuttle valves from a wide range of global manufacturers including Hydraforce, Atlantic Fluid Tech and many more… with expert advice to help you select the right valve for your system.

Our website shows only a selection of what we supply. For impartial advice and access to our full range of hydraulic components, contact our expert team.

Cartridge Shuttle Valve. For impartial advice and access to our full range of hydraulic components, contact our expert team.

Cartridge shuttle valves automatically select the higher of two input pressures and route it to the output port.

Key features include:

Three-port design –one inlet and two outlets.
Ball or spool check mechanism – ensures reliable switching between pressure sources.
Compact cartridge format – integrates directly into hydraulic manifolds.
Automatic operation – no external actuation required.

Load-sensing capability – ideal for circuits requiring pressure feedback from multiple points.
Compact integration – saves space and reduces external piping.
Reliable performance – robust design for demanding hydraulic environments.
Energy efficiency – ensures only the higher pressure source is utilised.

Versatile functionality – suitable for mobile, industrial, and marine applications.

These valves are widely used in:

Load-sensing hydraulic systems
Dual-pressure source circuits
Mobile machinery (construction, agriculture, forestry)
Industrial automation and process control
Marine and offshore hydraulic systems
Energy and utility installations

They are particularly valuable in systems requiring automatic selection of the higher pressure source.

How do shuttle valves differ from check valves? Check valves allow flow in one direction only, while shuttle valves select between two pressure sources.

Can shuttle valves be used in load-sensing circuits? Yes. They are commonly used to provide feedback from multiple points to a load-sensing pump.

Are cartridge shuttle valves suitable for manifold installation? Absolutely! Their cartridge format makes them ideal for compact manifold integration.