DIY Wavebox! (With modded MJ)
- Thread starter smcnally
- Start date
daFrimpster
New member
I have another DIY hero! Good job and keep us posted.
northbay-reefer
Active member
I did the same mod months ago using the mjs, and after a week or so, the mj fail. But it did work. you video looks cool though, I think your timer works better than mine did. Good job!
I think it would be better if the pump is DC instead of AC and can be tuned to pulse instead of turning off and on and clicking.
I think it would be better if the pump is DC instead of AC and can be tuned to pulse instead of turning off and on and clicking.
northbay-reefer
Active member
the propeller just got loose from all the clicking
Beenalongtime79
New member
I think for years and years of use, DC must be the way to go. Only a few weeks of wavelike motion just isn't worth it.
Thanks for posting it though. Looks great. I really hope that yours will stand the test of time with the oceanflo kit.
Peace,
John H.
Thanks for posting it though. Looks great. I really hope that yours will stand the test of time with the oceanflo kit.
Peace,
John H.
Beenalongtime79
New member
Also, why not use two floatswitches for your on/off timing?
Peace,
John H.
Peace,
John H.
RandyStacyE
New member
Sounds interesting ... do you have any deatails or plans drawn up? Sounds like something similar to an idea that has been rollin around in my head for a while.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
A rotating gate would work... the rotation speed and shape of the opening would determing the fill and empty timing.
A flapper and solenoid would also work.
With some thought I am sure you guys can come up with some great designs that allow the PH to run unswitched.
A flapper and solenoid would also work.
With some thought I am sure you guys can come up with some great designs that allow the PH to run unswitched.
RandyStacyE
New member
Do you mean 'motorizing a gate valve'? I don't think I've ever seen or heard of anyone do that. That could be an excellent idea even if it doesn't work just like a 'wave box'. It would at the very least be an excellent surge device. If done correctly it could be a 'bubbless surge device'.
Beenalongtime79
New member
They already have motorized ball valves (which could work), but I think speed of rotation (not nearly as fast as floatswitches or a computerized controller) as well as cost would be prohibitive.
At that stage, you might as well spend the money on the actual Tunze wavebox.
Unless, you had a truly huge tank and wanted to use like 3-4 streams in the wavebox... then maybe you could go that route.
Peace,
John H.
At that stage, you might as well spend the money on the actual Tunze wavebox.
Unless, you had a truly huge tank and wanted to use like 3-4 streams in the wavebox... then maybe you could go that route.
Peace,
John H.
RandyStacyE
New member
The Tunze empties the box very quickly similar to the MJ mod and trips a float switch ... the water then refills the box until it trips another float switch up high to kick the pump back on. The Tunze and the MJ are two totally different animals though. The technical specifics between the MJ and the Tunze are greek to me though. I believe the Tunze has a controller that not only ramps the pump up and down (like a throttle), but also controls like a timer I believe.
Yes, I am trying to do it by rotating a plexiglass wheel with big holes drilled in it. My biggest problem is to get a simple-yet salt resistant way to have variable speed control on the wheel.
Actually the tunze is just a pump (stream 6200) in a box with a timer-mine doesnt have a float switch. With the pump on, the box is emptied rapidly which raises the tank volume slightly. When off the water rushes back in. The pump creates nice flow but the harmonics of the tank-like a closed end pipe organ- determine what fraction of time the pump needs to be on to get the wave effect. I had drawn up plans to make one using 2 float switches with a latched relay controlling a bilge pump but the arrival of our daughter, finishing up school (after 32 years) and a move to Tejas put a crimp in my DIY efforts.
Actually the tunze is just a pump (stream 6200) in a box with a timer-mine doesnt have a float switch. With the pump on, the box is emptied rapidly which raises the tank volume slightly. When off the water rushes back in. The pump creates nice flow but the harmonics of the tank-like a closed end pipe organ- determine what fraction of time the pump needs to be on to get the wave effect. I had drawn up plans to make one using 2 float switches with a latched relay controlling a bilge pump but the arrival of our daughter, finishing up school (after 32 years) and a move to Tejas put a crimp in my DIY efforts.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
That latched relay and floats would not work alone. You would need a combination of adjustable floats and an RC circuit to provide delay for fine tuning in releasing or engaging the latch.
The rotating disc as a viable option but the size and shape of the holes are large variables (along with the rotation speed). I spent a lot of time thinking about this. It would take 2 discs with offset holes for adjustment of hole size. Rotation would be provided by a simple mag drive and DC motor mounted in a watertight box. The DC motor would allow easy speed control.
Then again... the tunze box works well and is pretty easy to DIY with a tunze pump. The controller is a fairly simple timer with a variable width for both the on and off portions of each pulse.
Bean
Bean
The rotating disc as a viable option but the size and shape of the holes are large variables (along with the rotation speed). I spent a lot of time thinking about this. It would take 2 discs with offset holes for adjustment of hole size. Rotation would be provided by a simple mag drive and DC motor mounted in a watertight box. The DC motor would allow easy speed control.
Then again... the tunze box works well and is pretty easy to DIY with a tunze pump. The controller is a fairly simple timer with a variable width for both the on and off portions of each pulse.
Bean
Bean
