automatic water change

So I was cleaning up my office today and went to clean out my NAS box and noticed the power supply met my qualifications, I decided to give her a go cause the pump was laying right there, plugged it in and away she went, all 4 motors run like a top on this power supply.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Pin-DIN-N...US_Monitor_Power_Supplies&hash=item20ddf514a5

Im not sure what it is, Ive tried the wifes 24v 5A laptop psu, phone chargers, drill charges with various voltages in range and this seems to be the only one that just works

may try this seeing as its the same specs
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-100-240V...ing_Parts_and_Accessories&hash=item3cd8917ee6
 
I remember years ago radio shack made a universal power supply with multiple tips and a voltage selector on the plug. They no longer make the unit (I tried to get another about a year ago) however I recall having to determine if various equipment was using + or - tipped connectors. perhaps that could have been the issue with some of the supply supplies you attempted to use?
 
So, My Ametek pumps haven't arrived yet but I just saw that the seller raised the price to $75 and now has listed them as MasterFlex with Ametek motor and gear box. I guess buying a few he looked closer and realized what he had..............

Man these had better get here soon, I'm getting all excited now!
 
You'll be happy once it's up and running... I haven't had to manually do a water change in ages and I absolutely love it that way... but may do one tomorrow for detritus removal :-P
 
smb2415 said:
I remember years ago radio shack made a universal power supply with multiple tips and a voltage selector on the plug. They no longer make the unit (I tried to get another about a year ago) however I recall having to determine if various equipment was using + or - tipped connectors. perhaps that could have been the issue with some of the supply supplies you attempted to use?
Click to expand...

I reversed the polarity on all the supplies that I used and it made no difference whatsoever, well it made a small difference when I reversed the leads but not enough to make em run.
 
zachts said:
So, My Ametek pumps haven't arrived yet but I just saw that the seller raised the price to $75 and now has listed them as MasterFlex with Ametek motor and gear box. I guess buying a few he looked closer and realized what he had..............

Man these had better get here soon, I'm getting all excited now!
Click to expand...


I think this listing got him some attention...when i ordered the shipping price jumped $5 from when it was originally listed....I get home tonight, so mine should be on its way or shipping soon (i asked for a deferred shipment...)
 
I said it before. I can't wait to see how these work, but apparently they are the same MaterFlex pumps, with a different motor.

Keep us informed man.

Eric,

What's happenng with your setup? are you keeping it ot going to the LiterMeter?
 
Sacohen said:
I said it before. I can't wait to see how these work, but apparently they are the same MaterFlex pumps, with a different motor.

Keep us informed man.

Eric,

What's happenng with your setup? are you keeping it ot going to the LiterMeter?
Click to expand...

Getting tired of these flakers, I'm sticking to the masterflex set up. Aside from "calibrating" them, I haven't touched them since. I'm focusing on my frag tank addition right now, that itself is a bigger project.

These pumps are weird, like I've said, I'm currently using a 5VDC at 1.2amps. Turns every time, this was after chopping up a lot of wall chargers. I don't get it myself, I had a 12VDC at 1.5amps barely turned it.

Eventually I will set it up within the next few weeks but I've got a lot of cleaning to do before I can move the water mixing tank.
 
rps3 said:
Getting tired of these flakers, I'm sticking to the masterflex set up. Aside from "calibrating" them, I haven't touched them since. I'm focusing on my frag tank addition right now, that itself is a bigger project.

These pumps are weird, like I've said, I'm currently using a 5VDC at 1.2amps. Turns every time, this was after chopping up a lot of wall chargers. I don't get it myself, I had a 12VDC at 1.5amps barely turned it.

Eventually I will set it up within the next few weeks but I've got a lot of cleaning to do before I can move the water mixing tank.
Click to expand...

I'm just going to throw this back out there but has anyone who's having weird results tried adding a new diode to the pump? Maybe the diode is bad as was stated earlier. I believe removing it was tried but what about adding a new one? On some other pumps I'm playing with that diode can make all the difference. It is possible that the suhat seem to work might have something like this or some other "protection" circuit or something built in that enables the pumps to overcome the extra start up load. Likewise it is possible that some supplies just cant generate the needed startup current which could be 3 or 4 times the operating current.

Another very likely possibility for some is that adding a second pump head may be overloading the motor and gear box and it simply can't generate the needed torque to turn over. (this would be supported by statements that they worked fine until adding the second pump head).

I would imagine the issues are a combination of factors not just one.
 
zachts said:
I'm just going to throw this back out there but has anyone who's having weird results tried adding a new diode to the pump? Maybe the diode is bad as was stated earlier. I believe removing it was tried but what about adding a new one? On some other pumps I'm playing with that diode can make all the difference. It is possible that the suhat seem to work might have something like this or some other "protection" circuit or something built in that enables the pumps to overcome the extra start up load. Likewise it is possible that some supplies just cant generate the needed startup current which could be 3 or 4 times the operating current.

Another very likely possibility for some is that adding a second pump head may be overloading the motor and gear box and it simply can't generate the needed torque to turn over. (this would be supported by statements that they worked fine until adding the second pump head).

I would imagine the issues are a combination of factors not just one.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm just being ignorant, since I have mine working perfectly and at a good water exchange rate I'm not going to go through the hassle. I want to tell you guys if your power supply isn't working, try other ones with higher amperage. It's been flip flopping back and fourth on what does and doesn't work.
 
Higher Amps doesn't always work.
I tried 12v 4 amps and it wouldn't turn over the motor, buy my 12v 1 amp will do it 90% of the time.

In my case more voltage works fine. I plugged in a 24v 500ma and it runs like a radio controlled electric car, (too fast for my taste).

I think it has to do with the PS and if it has circuitry for a higher initial load or not.
 
My Ametek pumps arrived this morning. YAY! Fired one up and all three heads turning drawing 300mA from an old 24v 2A Epson printer power supply I had laying around. These things are beastly, with the hefty mounting bracket they weigh like 5-10lbs. Found specs on the motor and it is capable of driving more than 3 heads I would bet, as it's rated to draw up to 1.9 amps at maximum continuous torque!

Not to loud but too much running full throttle for sitting in my living room, but it's going in the basement assuming it will pump high enough and I have no reservations about it being able to hadle pumping 12'. I'll do some tests with water tonight after work and check flow rates.

the heads make a sort of clicking sound as they rotate, is that normal on everyones pumps? I think it's just some slack in the tab that connects each pump head's shaft to the next one as if I hold my fingers on the end that sticks out the mounting bracket and apply a little resistance against the way it is turning the noise subsides.

Automatic water chantes here I come, my fish and corals will thank you all for turning me on to this great idea. Now I just need to get some tubing ordered.
 
The ThermoFisher D3138-13 motor that I got with my MasterFlex pumps is supposed to be able to handle 4 pumps.

Mine runs great on a 24v 500ma PS.

Try a 12v PS if you have one. I want to see if it has problems or not on 12V.
 
Higher the volts, the quicker it spins. I saw a big difference between the 12v and 5v.

The story as to why some work and don't, I have no idea. I do my that mine works now. LOL
 
Yeah. That's the whole idea of DC current and why you can show the Jebao pumps down by decreasing the voltage.

Remember when you were over I said to you that if decreasing the voltage will slow it down then increasing it should speed it up.

I go back to my last statement that I think some PS have circuitry to increase the voltage at the initial load that is why some are working and some aren't.

I know my 12v will work, but there is a small chance that it won't kick in if there is too large of a gap between when it turns on.

I think ambient temperature might have something to do with it too in my case at least.

When I had it inside the house it was starting all the time, but when I put it in the garage and it was hot all day long that's when I started having problems with it again.
 
Sacohen said:
The ThermoFisher D3138-13 motor that I got with my MasterFlex pumps is supposed to be able to handle 4 pumps.

Mine runs great on a 24v 500ma PS.

Try a 12v PS if you have one. I want to see if it has problems or not on 12V.
Click to expand...

Every power supply I had laying out turns these Ametek motors, I haven't tried under load of pumping water yet with all PSUs But they all start right up 5v it draws (fluctuates with each revolution 110 to 330mA) , 14v it draws (220 to 290mA), and 24v it draws (~300mA after a brief 450ma startup surge). Not a whole lot of noise difference due to the heads clicking loudly once every rotation, otherwise the motor and gears are not all that loud if it werent for the clicking it would be quieter than my overflow (I find the sound of trickling water peaceful and relacing, click clack not so much, good thing they are going in the basement)

This gear box has a 65.5:1 ratio so it don't take much to get it moving.
At 24v it is having no trouble pumping water from my basement up 12'! Whoo!
 
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