DIY Swirler Stein
- Thread starter miwoodar
- Start date
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
Thats VERY good news. As a DIY addict... this is a very appealing project for me!
Is it a feature of the motor or of the motor-shaft connection that alternates the direction of the Powerhead back and forth between a 180° range?
EDIT: Just bought the same model motor that dngspot posted. $16 to my front door isnt bad!.
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miwoodar
Likey the bikey
It's the motor-shaft connection. Here's a video of the assembly in action. Never mind the noise - it's virtually silent - I think my camera turns up the microphone when you're trying to be quiet.
***edit: You can play with the length of the arms to get more or less rotation. Mine are ~90 degrees. I think someone posted in the original thread stating that if you go over ~135 degrees binding will become a problem. ***
***edit: You can play with the length of the arms to get more or less rotation. Mine are ~90 degrees. I think someone posted in the original thread stating that if you go over ~135 degrees binding will become a problem. ***
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MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
Thanks for this video Mike! Im going to be making one that will allow my Stream to sit in the center of my tank along the back and cycle a full 180°, allowing it to basically sweep across the entire reef. This, along with a controller ramping the output up/down will make for some totally random flow. The SPS will love it!
dngspot
Premium Member
I am going to make two of these things to move AC70 streem mods. Those guys put out 3000 gph. I have been using them on a magnet bace but, like the idea of them moving. Being able to remove the cords from view will be nice too.
They will also allow me to use the stock mounting hardware so there will be no mod to the actual housing.
They will also allow me to use the stock mounting hardware so there will be no mod to the actual housing.
dngspot
Premium Member
The mount seen in the pic is what I am using currently. The mount is made from plastic shower heads I have found at ACE Hardware. Top piece is the part of the shower head that screws into a pipe. It is 1/2 inch npt. That will be the piece that will screw onto the down pipe. The wider apron use to be part of the shower head that is cut away. That will be the piece that will connect to the suction cup frame that came with the AC 70/802. This will allow me to aim the power head at an adjustable angle and change the arc direction at the pump. I hope that is clear enough. I will post pics at the project moves on.
Does anyone know of a paint that will stick to PVC?
Does anyone know of a paint that will stick to PVC?
customcolor
New member
try putting on the purple pvc primmer on first. that works for me. the primmer take off all the mold release that still on the pvc and opens up the pores. that should do it for ya.
dngspot
Premium Member
I just sort of finished one of the guys that will be rotating my AC70 mods.
I cut a piece of 1/2 inch grey pvc for the down tube. I cut rings from a 1/2 inch coupler. I drilled a hole in a 2X4X4 plastic box for the down tube. I cut another 1/2 inch coupler and dremeled out the center so the down tube would slide easily. I then took one of the rings and slid it down the down tube about 1/2 inch and glued it. I took the two halves of the coupler and glued one on the out side and one on the inside over the hole drilled for the down tube. I used a piece of scrap pvc to align the pieces.
I cut from a sheet of 1/8 inch thick white acrylic the arm for the motor and the ring with a arm for the down tube. I used a dremel to cut out the cross for the motor and the down tube ring. I went to the hobby store and bought tie rod ends and all thread. That is the black arm in the pic.
The electrical wire is for testing eventually the wire from the power heads will come up from the inside of the down tube and attached to the wires from the motor. Only one wire will be leaving the box.
I still need to make the attachments for the power heads they will happen this weekend.
It rotates 90 deg.
As mentioned earlier, I ordered the motors from EBay; the rest came from Home Depot. I used Super Glue Gel for the whole project.
The items on top of the box are the arm and ring for the next box.
I cut a piece of 1/2 inch grey pvc for the down tube. I cut rings from a 1/2 inch coupler. I drilled a hole in a 2X4X4 plastic box for the down tube. I cut another 1/2 inch coupler and dremeled out the center so the down tube would slide easily. I then took one of the rings and slid it down the down tube about 1/2 inch and glued it. I took the two halves of the coupler and glued one on the out side and one on the inside over the hole drilled for the down tube. I used a piece of scrap pvc to align the pieces.
I cut from a sheet of 1/8 inch thick white acrylic the arm for the motor and the ring with a arm for the down tube. I used a dremel to cut out the cross for the motor and the down tube ring. I went to the hobby store and bought tie rod ends and all thread. That is the black arm in the pic.
The electrical wire is for testing eventually the wire from the power heads will come up from the inside of the down tube and attached to the wires from the motor. Only one wire will be leaving the box.
I still need to make the attachments for the power heads they will happen this weekend.
It rotates 90 deg.
As mentioned earlier, I ordered the motors from EBay; the rest came from Home Depot. I used Super Glue Gel for the whole project.
The items on top of the box are the arm and ring for the next box.
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
How easy are these things to "dial in" when setting the rotation degree? I've purchased a motor from eBay and would like to make a swirler-stein to rotate a modded Tunze 6025 180° along the bottom of my (barebottom) tank. The hope is that the 6025 will keep the deutritus from building up on the bottom of the tank.
Awesome work, BTW. This is a really cool project. Thanks again miwoodar for sharing this!
customcolor
New member
just make the arm on the motor longer i do beleave
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
These mechanisms are 4-Bar linkage systems and are VERY easy to customize to your liking. I have a nifty program (Four Bar Linkage) that can solve your problem the first time. You only need to know some inputs (crank length, ground length, coupler length, and angles of these wrt the ground) to calculate specific motions. There is some technical jargon (Grashof vs. Non-Grashof systems), but for the most part the model is simplictic. Other than just doing it for you, there is really no easy way to explain the process other than learning the methodology behind the calculation. Here is a good place to start to fine-tune your rotation design the FIRST time.
4 Bar Linkage Analysis
HTH,
DW302
dngspot
Premium Member
I can shorten the tie rod to reduce the arc, to about 30 degrees. If I make it any longer it travels over center and binds.
I do not think that it looks any better than what I have seen on the thread, miwoodar you did a great job. These things take a little patience and my hat is off to any one who is willing to sit for a couple of hours to make one.
I do not think that it looks any better than what I have seen on the thread, miwoodar you did a great job. These things take a little patience and my hat is off to any one who is willing to sit for a couple of hours to make one.
Spartan
Member
I am really glad this thread was resurrected.
A few questions:
-is the rc car tie arm from the motor to the pipe needed or can this be fabricated from acrylic also?
-is it necessary to rewire the plug for the mj or can you just run it down along the back of the pipe? Or up through the pipe and then into and out of the box?
-for those of us totally unfamiliar with wiring (and not wanting to burn our house down) can you detail how the wiring is done for the motor?
I guess a step by step idiot proof (or nearly so) assembly guide would be an awesome help. Much thx!!!
A few questions:
-is the rc car tie arm from the motor to the pipe needed or can this be fabricated from acrylic also?
-is it necessary to rewire the plug for the mj or can you just run it down along the back of the pipe? Or up through the pipe and then into and out of the box?
-for those of us totally unfamiliar with wiring (and not wanting to burn our house down) can you detail how the wiring is done for the motor?
I guess a step by step idiot proof (or nearly so) assembly guide would be an awesome help. Much thx!!!
Spartan
Member
I am really glad this thread was resurrected.
A few questions:
-is the rc car tie arm from the motor to the pipe needed or can this be fabricated from acrylic also?
-is it necessary to rewire the plug for the mj or can you just run it down along the back of the pipe? Or up through the pipe and then into and out of the box?
-for those of us totally unfamiliar with wiring (and not wanting to burn our house down) can you detail how the wiring is done for the motor?
I guess a step by step idiot proof (or nearly so) assembly guide would be an awesome help. Much thx!!!
A few questions:
-is the rc car tie arm from the motor to the pipe needed or can this be fabricated from acrylic also?
-is it necessary to rewire the plug for the mj or can you just run it down along the back of the pipe? Or up through the pipe and then into and out of the box?
-for those of us totally unfamiliar with wiring (and not wanting to burn our house down) can you detail how the wiring is done for the motor?
I guess a step by step idiot proof (or nearly so) assembly guide would be an awesome help. Much thx!!!
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