DIY "Stream" Style Pump
- Thread starter thunt
- Start date
niko5, sounds good to me! Electricity is like magic to me, I have a very limited understanding of it.
The only problem with the gray sch 80 pvc is the inside diameter is a little smaller(like 1/8" i think) making the tube wall thicker.
So the prop might have to be trimmed if it's close. It's worth a try anyway.
The only problem with the gray sch 80 pvc is the inside diameter is a little smaller(like 1/8" i think) making the tube wall thicker.
So the prop might have to be trimmed if it's close. It's worth a try anyway.
Yes, the purple's a good option. And yes the sch 80 is more expensive. I probably won't buy a whole lenghth. I'll get a 5 or
6" nipple and cut it down.(in plumbing a nipple is usually a small lenghth of pipe with threads at each end, incase you didn't know). Those are $2 or $3 each.
Patrick
6" nipple and cut it down.(in plumbing a nipple is usually a small lenghth of pipe with threads at each end, incase you didn't know). Those are $2 or $3 each.
Patrick
I thought I would post my slight modification to the impeller design.
I started out by trying to do what was said earlier in this thread by cutting a notch in the maxi-jet magnetic cylinder plastic and the acrylic tubing so they would fit togeather like this picture.
The first time I started up the pump it immediatly ripped off both of the notches. So thats where the modification begins. here is a diagram of what I ended up doing.
What I did was I bought a plastic washer from HomeDepot that was about 1/2" in length and could fit a piece of flexible airline tubing easily. Then I basically put the flex tubing through the washer and then shoved the hard acryic tubing in one side, the magnetic cylinder in the other and it held. The only problem with it is that the impeller assembly is not as perfectly straight as the other version was.
Here is the assembed impeller assembly.
Just yesterday I made one finaly modification to it that fixed all of my problems with it spinning the wrong direction. Since the impeller assembly is one piece I don't depend on the length of the assembly being almost the same as the titanium rod. So what I did was cut the acrylic tubing back so that there was only 1/2" sticking out past the propeller (I left this so I could eventually add another propeller). What this does is when the propeller spins backwards it pulls the entire assembly out of the maxi-jet impeller hole and thus stops the impeller from spinning. Then the magnetic pull from the maxi-jet pulls the impeller back in and it starts spinning again. It repeats this process until it starts spinning the right direction. The only downside to this that I can see is that when it goes back into the hole it goes in with some force. I don't know if that will cause problems in the long run.
All in all this was a fun DIY project. Thanks.
I started out by trying to do what was said earlier in this thread by cutting a notch in the maxi-jet magnetic cylinder plastic and the acrylic tubing so they would fit togeather like this picture.
The first time I started up the pump it immediatly ripped off both of the notches. So thats where the modification begins. here is a diagram of what I ended up doing.
What I did was I bought a plastic washer from HomeDepot that was about 1/2" in length and could fit a piece of flexible airline tubing easily. Then I basically put the flex tubing through the washer and then shoved the hard acryic tubing in one side, the magnetic cylinder in the other and it held. The only problem with it is that the impeller assembly is not as perfectly straight as the other version was.
Here is the assembed impeller assembly.
Just yesterday I made one finaly modification to it that fixed all of my problems with it spinning the wrong direction. Since the impeller assembly is one piece I don't depend on the length of the assembly being almost the same as the titanium rod. So what I did was cut the acrylic tubing back so that there was only 1/2" sticking out past the propeller (I left this so I could eventually add another propeller). What this does is when the propeller spins backwards it pulls the entire assembly out of the maxi-jet impeller hole and thus stops the impeller from spinning. Then the magnetic pull from the maxi-jet pulls the impeller back in and it starts spinning again. It repeats this process until it starts spinning the right direction. The only downside to this that I can see is that when it goes back into the hole it goes in with some force. I don't know if that will cause problems in the long run.
All in all this was a fun DIY project. Thanks.
niko5
New member
i used a piece of 1/4" ice maker type tubing to slide over the acylic tube and MJ Mag shaft that way you dont have to put the airline tubing and the washer on it... just 1 thing.
Mine have the same gap as you did with yours at the end to allow them to come out but most of the time they just sit there and pop back and fourth untill i squirt some air into it and it starts the rigth direction... why? I have no clue
Glad we have 1 more moded MJ out there
Mine have the same gap as you did with yours at the end to allow them to come out but most of the time they just sit there and pop back and fourth untill i squirt some air into it and it starts the rigth direction... why? I have no clue
Glad we have 1 more moded MJ out there I have found that it pops back and forth because it takes too much power to get the impeller started again. Your prop needs shaved down a little bit and it should fix that problem. The reason the added air makes the difference is because it makes it easier for the prop to spin.
aaronlovesshel
New member
Thanks everyone for an awesome DIY. I made mine based on your ideas and it works wonderfully. The output is so much more than the output on the impeller version of the powerhead. Thanks!!!!!, THANKS!!!!!, thanks!!!!!.
Aaron
Aaron
millzhouse
In Memoriam
man doesnt work for me it does push some water in the surface of the water then once it's fully submerged the pump stops
I have been running mine for a couple of months now and I have begun to notice something with this stream pump.
What I have noticed is that the constant pressure from the propeller pushing the impeller assembly inward is causing a hole to be worn in the end of the red plastic end cap.
I tried to fix this by supergluing a small piece of the acrylic tubing to the end of the red end cap, and also to the end of the magnetic cylendar, but they seem to be worn away even faster.
Has anyone else noticed this?
What I have noticed is that the constant pressure from the propeller pushing the impeller assembly inward is causing a hole to be worn in the end of the red plastic end cap.
I tried to fix this by supergluing a small piece of the acrylic tubing to the end of the red end cap, and also to the end of the magnetic cylendar, but they seem to be worn away even faster.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Kevin, it sounds like the shaft is spinning. If you have the caps on tightly it shouldn't. I'm using 3/32" 316 stainless steel shaft which is slightly smaller than the stock 2.5mm MJ shaft.
( difference of only .005") If your using the titanium shaft it's probably the same size as mine.
What i did is wrap a piece of clear tape around the ends of the shaft where the caps go on. Go around once only maybe trimming with a razor blade to be sure. Then press the caps on.
Hope this helps, Patrick
( difference of only .005") If your using the titanium shaft it's probably the same size as mine.
What i did is wrap a piece of clear tape around the ends of the shaft where the caps go on. Go around once only maybe trimming with a razor blade to be sure. Then press the caps on.
Hope this helps, Patrick
No, that isn't what I meant. The shaft itself isn't spinning.
What is happening is the plastic at the end of the magnetic cylindar is constantly rubbing up against the red plastic end cap. This constant rubbing is causing the magnetic cylindar to bore a hole into the red end cap. This hole is basically enlarging the hole that already existed for the titanium shaft to sit in.
Is anyone else experiencing this problem?
What is happening is the plastic at the end of the magnetic cylindar is constantly rubbing up against the red plastic end cap. This constant rubbing is causing the magnetic cylindar to bore a hole into the red end cap. This hole is basically enlarging the hole that already existed for the titanium shaft to sit in.
Is anyone else experiencing this problem?
