anyone tried to using Jebo WP40?
- Thread starter chercm
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PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
It is the process of modulating a signal by turning it full on and full off very, very fast. The period of the cycle and the ratio of on to off determines the percentage (E.g. half on and half off = 50% of the available current). It is how most of the LED dimmer modules work.
Yes, PWM would be the best way of harnessing these pumps. Hook them up to a microcontroller like the Arduino with an H-Bridge for the 24V and you would have a good system for a fraction the of the price of a single Vortech.
Oh, and PWM would give you infinite speed control.
Dennis
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symon_say
New member
Before using PWM module we need to know if pump use PWM or analog 0-10v, probably 0-10v instead of analog because tunze use 0-10v and this pump is a tunze copy.
But we need to know this or if this can be done, for example koralia controllable pumps use a weird power source to be controlled, that's way only koralia controller can control it.
Another thing from what i have read from Ron this pump work different to the tunze and vortech because this one completely stop and none of the other do that, they just slow down, this stop start thing concerns me about how controllable the pumps really, maybe the controller is simply a timer with functions to start-stop the pump and the knot control how long it stay on-off, and not a controller that speed up and down the pump.
But we need to know this or if this can be done, for example koralia controllable pumps use a weird power source to be controlled, that's way only koralia controller can control it.
Another thing from what i have read from Ron this pump work different to the tunze and vortech because this one completely stop and none of the other do that, they just slow down, this stop start thing concerns me about how controllable the pumps really, maybe the controller is simply a timer with functions to start-stop the pump and the knot control how long it stay on-off, and not a controller that speed up and down the pump.
2dawghouse
New member
Thanks for the U tube link Ron...that pump has some serious undertow!
For right now, I'd say buy one and see what you think. The hum/whir that it makes is weird. We can sit at the dinning room table and at 5-6' we can hardly hear it. But at my computer in the living room 15-18' away I can hear it. It's not loud, but then my wife will tell you I half deaf (but it's the high pitched stuff I can't hear). I think 2 WP40's could be enough. And if not, buy a third or get a WP25 when they come out and put it on the back glass? So understand, I'm not recommending them, I'm saying they'll move your water. You have to decide if they work for you and if the sound is accepable.
Floyd, please share more info. I do 120v stuff all the time, but DC and small motors are very new for me. What do I need to look for in a PWM module? Do I need to match voltage, amps, watts? And what does PWM mean anyway?:lmao:
Hope that helps.
My cat could care less about my tank...
PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
It is the process of modulating a signal by turning it full on and full off very, very fast. The period of the cycle and the ratio of on to off determines the percentage (E.g. half on and half off = 50% of the available current). It is how most of the LED dimmer modules work.
Yes, PWM would be the best way of harnessing these pumps. Hook them up to a microcontroller like the Arduino with an H-Bridge for the 24V and you would have a good system for a fraction the of the price of a single Vortech.
Oh, and PWM would give you infinite speed control.
Dennis
Thanks Dennis! This is a great explanation of the PWM Module. I think this will work. You would probably need to put the pump in full blast mode and then use the pot or controller to regulate the modulation ie; on off cycles to control speed. So to get wave action at less velocity you will need a controller to do this. essentially replacing the control box just utilizing it as a power supply. The PWM module that I have is rated at 24 Volts up to 10 amps so it would handle it easily. The modules are on ebay and are cheap. They utilize a pot or 0-10v signal from a controller.
If it's a simple on/off controller how does the light sensor slow down the pump?
From what I've read the light sensor automatically powers down the pump, reducing its overall speed.
Hmm, I just went and looked at the images on Fishstreet and the connector to the pump has three terminals, so it may not be a simple DC motor, or there is some sort of feedback signal.
If the pump operated on a 0-10V servo signal, that would be even better as that is easily supported.
I just hope it is not something weird like 3 phase.
We need a nerd who owns one of these to hook up a meter and/or a scope to the connector to the powerhead and see what the controller is actually using.
Dennis
Ron Reefman
Active member
I'm not going to say I recommend it (yet) and then have the wheels fall off next week, or the pump whir/hum go up 20dB. It's all of 2 days old so no, I won't say I recommend it. I will say mine is working well and it moves a ton of water! Actually it moves 18 tons of water per hour in the high speed mode! It's quiet enough for me, but that's me. Some people may find it's louder than they can deal with, or maybe mine is the only quiet one. And I'm really not a fan of not being able to control the pump speed. If you have to run the pump up to 4500gph in every mode but one, you need a big tank. I hope that with some help from people here on RC we can figure out a way to control the speed, but if that doesn't happen, that's a serious knock against this pump and makes it's usefulness much more limited. If my tank were any smaller, I'd probably be pulling it out because it's too strong. I haven't tried blocking some of the inake vents to slow down the flow. That's kind of a last resort for me as it may be hard on the pump.
Once more people get these and we all have similar results and common issues or concerns... and it runs for more than 2 days... then I may recommend it. But it sures moves water when it's new! :beer:
Ron Reefman
Active member
The lock function works as you said, it locks the use of the rheostat that controls the intervals. I guess I'd have made it lock out the mode button as well. I do have a cat and she is more likely to step on the mode button than turn the knob. :lmao: I find the lock function as not very important to me, but for reefers with small children...
It sure does. And given no speed control, I wouldn't recommend this for any tank under about 120g. And even then I'd say you run a serious risk of over powering the tank.
Dennis,
I don't have a scope, but I have a good quality multimeter. That kind of helpful info can I try to capture?
symon_say
New member
Maybe the sensor just pump the pump in the low setting.
By the way this are just guests I know nothing about this pump, just trying to help a little bit to make this even better, I'll contact Roberto from Reef Angel to see if he can figure something out about this pump, it will be really nice if somebody make it work with a controller.
SeedlessOne
Member
I already sent a PM to Robeto last week. He didn't have to much to say other than he thought it could not be controlled.
Actually Ron there is one test that would be helpful. If you could unplug the pump from the controller (with the power off) and then check the resistance between all 3 of the terminals on the pump end. If they are all the same (or close the same) resistance to one another, then it is probably a 3 phase brushless DC motor (BLDC). Not that any in tank motor is going to have brushes :spin3:
I am pretty certain the motor is going to have 3 coils, so doing an DIY controller is going to be a lot more involved. Not impossible, just not as simple as PWM or 0-10V.
Hoping I am wrong.
Dennis
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Saltydog2
New member
Ron, I agree with you, I have had the pump running for just a couple days and so far I am very pleased. Time will tell how it really does. I don't mind the small whir of the pump ramping up and down. It is definately better than the the clacking noise that I get from some of my maxi jets on a wave maker. I had to take those off and forget the wave maker because it drove me crazy. The wp40 is a great addition to the other pumps that I am running.
SimonSKL
New member
That was the initial idea brought up which I think is the simplest way to test. Variable DC power supply is quite inexpensive. You can probably find one on Amazon for less than $10.
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