Are SEDRA pumps the same as Dolphin/SEN?

[ejmeier]

I have heard that Dolphin submersible pumps are the exact same, or very similar to the Sedra pumps used on the ER and ASM skimmers, minus the needlewheel impeller.

I thought I'd start a thread to document whether or not this is the case, and what is equivalent to what.

For instance, I am pretty sure that the Sedra 5000 = DP-560. Can anyone confirm this? Can you swap out the impellers one for another?

Also, apparently there are some really cheap 'WP' series pumps on aquaticeco.com that are even cheaper. However, I have read of one instance where a person got the pump, only to discover that it used a stainless steel shaft.

Here's the link to the cheapies: http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8787/cid/2142

I've been looking on customaquatic.com to compare specs on the SEDRA pumps to others, and some of the numbers don't QUITE match up. (GPH and/or wattage is not quite the same.)

 

[ejmeier]

^

 

[ejmeier]

One last bump.

I would have thought people would be more interested in this topic - I guess not. You may have a skimmer-pump-in-disguise sitting around at home and not know it - just needs a Sedra NW impeller.

 

[ridinfast03]

I have a sen 500 that came on a won brother skimmer that I too thought looked a lot like a dolphin. Will the needle wheel improve it?

 

[ejmeier]

I'm not sure if the Sen 500 is the same as the Sedra, some of the specs don't quite line up.

Here's a list I made a few days ago, sorry if it gets a little mangled, I imported it from a word processor:

Pump GPH Watts Max Head
Sedra 2500 250 25 7' OR 4'
Sen 300 300 20 6' 3"
DP-270 270 15 5.8'

Sedra 3500 350 35 8'
WP-33 350 31.6 ?
DP-385 385 25 9'

Sedra 5000 500 50 10' OR 13'
DP-560 560 50 9' 4"
Sen 500 474 30 6' 7"

Sedra 9000 900 90 17' OR 15'
Sen 900 900 90 17'
WP-4 950 85 ?
DP-900 900 90 17'

*I found conflicting info on the max head on some of the Sedra pumps, so I listed both ratings.

It looks like the Sen does a similar GPH, but it only uses 30 watts? That seems closer to a Sedra 3500 to me.

Anyway, in terms of improved performance, it depends on how the skimmer works. I'm not familiar with Won bros skimmers, but if it uses a regular venturi, after the impeller, it wouldn't help. (Unless the pump is recirculating the water inside the skimmer.) Otherwise, the venturi would have to be on the intake side of the pump for the needlewheel to be of any effect.