controlling the 110v koralia

[madadi]

so been thinking of a way i can control my hydor koralia so it can switch from 100% voltage to 30% or so voltage every 30 minutes.

i found a switch that can turn off 110v every 30min automatically. i also found a switch that can reduce the voltage from 100-0%. this witch does not work by interrupting the ac current many times a minute but actually reduces the current.

if i hard wire the koralia to both switches will it work? if one switch is delivery 100% voltage and the other 30%, will the pump turn on at full speed when both switches are on and stay at 30% voltage when the 100% voltage switch is off.

i hope this makes some sense to someone. i know someone tried to put a koralia on a dimmer and it actually "dimmed". it was a light dimmer and most of those are the type that just interrupt the current many times a second. im not sure if thats good for the motor for long term use. this one i found works by reducing the voltage and i think it should work, IF the current travels like i want it to when i connect both switches to the koralia.

 

[renisel]

I believe that what will happen is that at 30%, it simply won't spin at all. What alters the speed of the propeller isn't the magnitude of the voltage or the current applied, but the frequency of the oscillation of the input voltage. Controlling that--especially with a 110 volt input--requires some much more complicated circuitry.

 

[madadi]

so a regular 110v fan controller wont work?

its a fan controller that has settings for 30% 60% and 100% fan speed.

 

[madadi]

its an electronic switch and works with ceiling fans. could it be possible it does reduce the frequency? it works with a motor, koralia is a motor also, no?

i was going to incorporate this into the new electrical panel im going to build for the tank. i should say my electrician dad is going to build for me.

this is my "cool" diagram. i should probably stop messing with this idea before i electrocute myself to death.

 

[121a]

no i don't think it would work either, just like computer fans they have a starting voltage usually 7v. Your talking trying to start a 110v pump at 33v, just not going to happen. However the same concept can be applied to their new 12v pumps.

 

[renisel]

I seriously doubt that it varies the frequency. Variable frequency drives require pretty expensive components (which is why Vortechs, Tunzes and Koralia controllers are so expensive). I think that fans are typically DC motors, so their speed can be varied just by varying the input voltage.

 

[madadi]

so theoretically, if i don't very the voltage but very the frequency it should work? if both switches are working at 110v and one is 60hz and one is 30hz it should very the pump from 100% speed to 50% speed. is that how it works?

 

[renisel]

Yeah, more-or-less. I think it's a bit more complicated than that, and electric motors aren't my area of expertise--but if you kept the voltage constant and cut the frequency in half on an AC motor, you should get the prop spinning at about half the speed.

 

[918ReefCpl]

Controller

Controller

Have you loooked into the SEIO controller . It has the capability of going from 30% to 100% and cycling the pumps. A disclaimer on the package states that it should only be used with SEIO series pumps (models #'s on pkg). BUT, we have heard it is capable of running the Koralia's as it doesnt shut down the pump (stopping the impeller) just slows them down. We have one on order and will be using it with out Koralia #4's to see how it works out....the RC - sales forum had a few recently in the $100 range.

 

[madadi]

i thought the seio turned it off completable. in that case, ill just get one of those. 100bucks is cheaper then what it would have cost me to build it with parts that might not even work.

please post here and let us know how the controller works for you. i have 2 K4s and if the controller works for you and the pumps are not shut down completely. im getting one right away!

thanks

 

[renisel]

I've heard the Seio's work too, but I also remember reading about some kind of problems with them--either the controller is just of a low quality in general, or its long-term compatibility with the Koralias is questionable (i.e. they seem to break quickly with it). But that could also have just been anecdotal. Hope it works out for you.