The poppet serves the purpose by closing the port, the pressure from the load in the bucket reacts on the back side of the poppet. When the pressure on the spool side exceeds the pressure on the bucket side it opens the poppet allowing flow to the loader cylinders.
Ahhh, makes perfect sense Gil. I haven't encountered these before, thanks for the tip.
May I add this; when the pressure on the spool side exceeds the pressure on the bucket side,
plus the additional pressure of the poppet spring, it opens the poppet allowing flow to cylinders. The additional pressure of the spring would require the spool side pressure to be slightly greater than cylinder side to open poppet. Which is why a broken spring would cause leak down upon feathering valve. Without the spring (or broken spring), the spool side would just need to be equal to the cylinder side to lift poppet, but it could leak down through the partially open return to tank port of the feathered spool. Does that make sense? (go ahead and take another asprin!)
As for my above post, I see now I was referring to a different type of valve than the one on the 1845. I was referring to a control valve that has an internal power beyond chamber and related poppets, which is not what we're discussing here. My bad.
ointhead :tong