Vili_Shark
New member
I know the factory who makes them.
Still new and dont have the experience of RO.
The pump is good though.
Still new and dont have the experience of RO.
The pump is good though.
Octopus Skimmer Mods
- Thread starter JohnL
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Sorry JCTewks no pics but if you look at you post on page 4 my mods are almost identical except I use GG instead of enkamat.
I check the gutter guard and it ends at or before the needlewheel and doesn't rub on anything. The mess job is actually pretty tight and neat.
My venturi is 1/4" id and looks almost exactly like yours (page 4) and I am running at 44w consistently. Just for kicks I put a spare stock needlewheel impellar in and the watts actually went up to 48ish because the stock one pulled less air (the pump also had a hard time even sucking air through my 1/4" line). I also put an impellar in that had both rows of needles and one row of GG, this ran about 46w.
The pump is a little warm but certainly doesn't run hot especially considering it isn't submerged. I'm not sure what is an acceptable amount over the rated wattage.
I guess I am going to have to invest in an airflow meter to see what I am actually pulling. Assuming I an pulling a good SCFH for this set up and the watts are at 44 what else could I do to get the watts down? Thanks
JCTewks
In Memoriam
IME, the watts are lower using the mesh than they are using GG. I've used both, as well as some other scrubberpads. When using mesh, I've found that smaller diameter and thicker is better as long as you aren't rubbing.
Does the end of your venturi that goes into the elbow go all the way through and touch the otherside of the pipe? High water flow will give you high watts...air is easier to move than water. You could always try restricting the output just a tad with a rubber washer or something. Less flow will mean less watts, but at the expense of airflow.
I'm just going to go in the dark and say that your SCFH is prob not that high if you are at 44watts. mine is currently pulling 8scfh at 29 watts with just one layer of mesh inbetween the two NW's. Really the key is the venturi...finding the sweet spot where there is enough restriction to get good air draw, but not so much restriction that the pump cavitates. I say check your venturi and see if it could use any redoing.
Where are you located?
Does the end of your venturi that goes into the elbow go all the way through and touch the otherside of the pipe? High water flow will give you high watts...air is easier to move than water. You could always try restricting the output just a tad with a rubber washer or something. Less flow will mean less watts, but at the expense of airflow.
I'm just going to go in the dark and say that your SCFH is prob not that high if you are at 44watts. mine is currently pulling 8scfh at 29 watts with just one layer of mesh inbetween the two NW's. Really the key is the venturi...finding the sweet spot where there is enough restriction to get good air draw, but not so much restriction that the pump cavitates. I say check your venturi and see if it could use any redoing.
Where are you located?
skimmy
T3am Zissou
yeah, it's kinda like these guys dont own any reef tanks or something, because they keep perpetually making the same mistakes over and over, ie; the plumbing, the neck diameter, the pump, that stupid, stupid venturi they've been using for 2+ years now.
you think they'ed come on here and read what customers think/want of their skimmers, and what we do to them to make them work worth a crap. if i was a skimmer manufacturer, i sure as hell would, i'd be on you guys like glue!
but all in all, they do work good after modification, and they are cheap, so people keep buying them. somehow i think the chinese are happy with that, and feel they dont need to do anything else.
im sure people have tried to email them with suggestions...
JCTewks
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11335128#post11335128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by koraltek
yeah, it's kinda like these guys dont own any reef tanks or something, because they keep perpetually making the same mistakes over and over, ie; the plumbing, the neck diameter, the pump, that stupid, stupid venturi they've been using for 2+ years now.
you think they'ed come on here and read what customers think/want of their skimmers, and what we do to them to make them work worth a crap. if i was a skimmer manufacturer, i sure as hell would, i'd be on you guys like glue!
but all in all, they do work good after modification, and they are cheap, so people keep buying them. somehow i think the chinese are happy with that, and feel they dont need to do anything else.
im sure people have tried to email them with suggestions...
That's why you are seeing two new and comletely different skimmers here! The Coralvue Extreme is just the same old design flaws with a new bubbleplate...i'm sure that it will still work, but not really any progress. The SWC Xtreme is an entirely different skimmer that is actuall designed well...and once they hit the market, their perfoemance should show that!
JCTewks, I am beginning to think my watt meter (Reliance Controls) is a POS or I am not using it right. I tested a MJ600 in the sink that should be 7.5w and it read 11w. In some of the meter info I found a side note that says to plug it in to a 15A outlet, many of my circuit breakers are 20A, not sure if this could be affecting my numbers.
The venturi goes all the way across the elbow and is the same general shape in your picture. The skimmer is actually working well, I may have to pick up a flow meter to see where I am at. What specs should the flow meter have for this purpose?
I am in NH.
Thanks for the help.
The venturi goes all the way across the elbow and is the same general shape in your picture. The skimmer is actually working well, I may have to pick up a flow meter to see where I am at. What specs should the flow meter have for this purpose?
I am in NH.
Thanks for the help.
Pogodzib,
I am running a Sealine SL-6520 rated at 32w (running at 44) and also have the original OTP1000 that is rated at 18w. Both pumps have had the same mods done to them . The impellar I am running now has 1 layer of original needles and two layers of gutter guard. I think I am going to try 1 layer of GG with one row of needles on my spare impellar and pop it in and see what happens to the watts. I still think my meter might be part of the problem.
Thanks
I am running a Sealine SL-6520 rated at 32w (running at 44) and also have the original OTP1000 that is rated at 18w. Both pumps have had the same mods done to them . The impellar I am running now has 1 layer of original needles and two layers of gutter guard. I think I am going to try 1 layer of GG with one row of needles on my spare impellar and pop it in and see what happens to the watts. I still think my meter might be part of the problem.
Thanks
JCTewks
In Memoriam
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/flow/SeriesRMPrice.cfm#CRA
I would at least get a 5" scale meter (RMB series). I like the SS valve on mine. The cheaper 2" (RMA) meters add too much rectriction when you hook it up to the skimmer and the readings are low. A 10" would be better (RMC series) but they are pricey. I have rthe RMB 52 SSV. Remember that these are all airflow meters to measure the amount of air being drawn into the skimmer. It is difficult to get an accurate reading of water flow from the pump on a recirc skimmer.
THe fact that your meter is hooked up to a 20 amp main circuit will not effect your readings. Does your meter have volts/A/VA/PF/watts? If so what are all of those #'s?
I would at least get a 5" scale meter (RMB series). I like the SS valve on mine. The cheaper 2" (RMA) meters add too much rectriction when you hook it up to the skimmer and the readings are low. A 10" would be better (RMC series) but they are pricey. I have rthe RMB 52 SSV. Remember that these are all airflow meters to measure the amount of air being drawn into the skimmer. It is difficult to get an accurate reading of water flow from the pump on a recirc skimmer.
THe fact that your meter is hooked up to a 20 amp main circuit will not effect your readings. Does your meter have volts/A/VA/PF/watts? If so what are all of those #'s?
My meter has Amps and Watts, here it is http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?THP103
Thanks for the help with the flow meter also, I just have to decide if I want to spend the coin.
Thanks for the help with the flow meter also, I just have to decide if I want to spend the coin.
Just got my NW-200 in from marinesolutions and to my surprise, it has a 2 1/4" needlewheel. :dance:
Hopefully this is the old pump. I got a RMB-52-SSV on the way so I can see what I am pulling.
Drilled the venturi to 11/64" while retaining the elbow, bored the elbow to skimmer to 5/8", and did some mild porting on the volute. Next is to get a kill-a-watt and some enkamat.
Hopefully this is the old pump. I got a RMB-52-SSV on the way so I can see what I am pulling.
Drilled the venturi to 11/64" while retaining the elbow, bored the elbow to skimmer to 5/8", and did some mild porting on the volute. Next is to get a kill-a-watt and some enkamat.
Okay I tested the meter to a 60w incandescent bulb in the same outlet my pump is plugged in to, it read 58w.
I also spent the whole day Sat. screwing around with the venturi and spare needlewheel for a slight 1w improvement. At this point I am just going to let it run and keep an eye on it.
I also spent the whole day Sat. screwing around with the venturi and spare needlewheel for a slight 1w improvement. At this point I am just going to let it run and keep an eye on it.
flyguy7150
New member
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Kill-A-Watt...ryZ50625QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
is that a decent kill a watt????
is that a decent kill a watt????
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