Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread
- Thread starter tkeracer619
- Start date
tkeracer619
New member
The part you are describing has nothing to do with what I am describing. All easyload heads have them. They keep the tubing from being pulled through the head
You only need one adjustable occlusion head for your water changer. This adjusts how tight the rollers squeeze the tube and therefor how much head pressure they can deliver.
You only need one adjustable occlusion head for your water changer. This adjusts how tight the rollers squeeze the tube and therefor how much head pressure they can deliver.
tkeracer619
New member
They will work but if you have any differences they won't be balanced. You put the adjustable one on the line with the higher head pressure to balance them.
If it is a short run and both runs are equal distance you may not need it but it would suck to need it and not have it. You can use a needle valve to balance them as well but that sucks compared to having an adjustable head.
If it is a short run and both runs are equal distance you may not need it but it would suck to need it and not have it. You can use a needle valve to balance them as well but that sucks compared to having an adjustable head.
If you use the two easy load heads for you AWC then just pic up a standard L/S 17 fixed head (the clear ones) for your ATO, the fixed heads can be had for around $30 bucks or so usually on ebay and will work fine for the ATO pump.
d2mini
Premium Member
Ah-ha! That would be handy!
Oh man, good point!
Except to tkeracer's point, my head pulling out old saltwater and pushing it to the drain is going to be a lot longer than the other. Darn!
Yeah, but don't you already own two adjustable easy load heads? use those two for AWC and buy a second head for AWC. assuming that head would be on a different drive controlled by your ATO.......ATO or to the point of this thread....CA reactor won't work on the same drive as your AWC.......
d2mini
Premium Member
Yes, i already own two identical heads that I was planning to use for the AWC.
They just don't have the adjustment knob, which now that I think about it, I wouldn't be surprised if I need based on the two completely different runs of tubing.
So yes, I could get the cheap head for the ATO, just unsure how the AWC will pan out with the current heads.
I have 3 separate drives. One for CaRx, one for ATO (Fixed rate), and one for AWC.
Theokie
New member
That is how I have mine set up, though on the water change side, I use one pump to fill, and the second dual head to drain from my SPS system, move to my LPS system and then Drain from my LPS system. I lucked out and my tubing runs are only about 2 ft different in length so I haven't noticed much difference, but I do have the adjustable units on the larger I/P range of pumps
It will probably work out fine for AWC. I use three standard fixed (clear type) heads for a three way water change and they are more than accurate enough. Two are dead on and one pumps just a tiny amount faster which I like to allow for adding a little more to the display to account for water removed by the skimmer. Only way to know for sure is to set it up.
Dapg8gt
New member
Are all the Cole parmer heads interchangeable? Like heads from a compact will fit on the others and vise versa? If it says accepts standard and easy load heads like the link posted for the new compact on the first page can I basically get any head offered on eBay? Or would I need a certain one?
If it accepts standard and easy load you can use standard and easy load.
Dapg8gt
New member
QUOTE=zachts;23442200]If it accepts standard and easy load you can use standard and easy load.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I gathered that much already, I guess I should have worded it differently it was late when I wrote it.
The standard heads are the clear ones correct? I guess what I'm asking is with what is written below What standard head should I get to use all the linked items on the first page for L/S 17 tubing? Does the note to only use silicone or "C Flex" tubing in L/S 17 mean anything? Can I get this for example ? I'm thinking it will be fine. Does it matter that it says quick load vs easy load and does not have an L/S in the head name?
http://m.ebay.com/itm/231151263970?nav=SEARCH
I'm going to start with a cheaper head at first before spending $150+ on an easy load since I barely paid that much for 2x new compact units. I'll get one eventually I'm sure but for now I've got other things that I can spend the extra $100 on.
This is what is written..
Drive accepts two different pump head types: Standard and Easy-Load®.
Compact drives are a perfect upgrade from a Masterflex® C/L® tubing pump. Ideal for when you need to pump fluid at a higher rate, but space is limited in your lab.
Use these drives with L/S® precision pump tubing in sizes L/S® 13, L/S® 14, L/S® 16, L/S® 25, L/S® 17. Only silicone and C-Flex® tubing formulations are recommended for L/S® 17 and L/S® 25 size tubing
Yeah I gathered that much already, I guess I should have worded it differently it was late when I wrote it.
The standard heads are the clear ones correct? I guess what I'm asking is with what is written below What standard head should I get to use all the linked items on the first page for L/S 17 tubing? Does the note to only use silicone or "C Flex" tubing in L/S 17 mean anything? Can I get this for example ? I'm thinking it will be fine. Does it matter that it says quick load vs easy load and does not have an L/S in the head name?
http://m.ebay.com/itm/231151263970?nav=SEARCH
I'm going to start with a cheaper head at first before spending $150+ on an easy load since I barely paid that much for 2x new compact units. I'll get one eventually I'm sure but for now I've got other things that I can spend the extra $100 on.
This is what is written..
Drive accepts two different pump head types: Standard and Easy-Load®.
Compact drives are a perfect upgrade from a Masterflex® C/L® tubing pump. Ideal for when you need to pump fluid at a higher rate, but space is limited in your lab.
Use these drives with L/S® precision pump tubing in sizes L/S® 13, L/S® 14, L/S® 16, L/S® 25, L/S® 17. Only silicone and C-Flex® tubing formulations are recommended for L/S® 17 and L/S® 25 size tubing
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The quickload uses the same bolt pattern as the standard head. and yes they are the clear ones though they also come in black.
My suspicion on the recommendation to only use silicon tube with the drive is that it is a lower torque motor and might not have the power for the more ridged pharmed or norprene tubing in the larger LS 17 size. So you'd have to change out tubing much more often.
alternatively depending on the drive speed you probably would have ample flow rate if you went with LS 16 tubing (roughly 1/8" ID x 1/4" OD) (I use this on my pump heads for various applications including AWC. just needs a different combo of adapters also avalable at US Plastics.
Do you have a link to the drives or a model number?
Dapg8gt
New member
Yeah I ended up grabbing two of these..
http://www.coleparmer.com/Product/M..._variable_speed_drive_115_230_VAC/EW-77200-20.
I think that's where I was confused is most of the used standard pump heads on eBay don't lIst a size tubing they accept but knowing what the O. D. Is of the different tubes will help me out. knowing the bolt pattern is the same I think I'm going to swoop that quick load head up now since it will be easier to do the swaps of the tubing especially if I have to do it more often if I need to use the precise tubing and it's only like $40 . It also lists on CP site that it accepts a wider range of tubing. Appreciate the assistance.
Ok, that's kind of what I thought. it's only designed for a single pump head. Most of the larger drives people are using can run multiple heads so tubing type isn't an issue.
If you want to use the pharmed longer life tubing go with the LS 16 size. which should give you adjustable flow between 28 and 160ml/min with the drive speed of 35-200rmp.
LS 17 tubing would give you flow between 98 and 560ml/min. which might be too fast at the lowest speed for CA reactor since it seems most are running around 30-60ml/min it seems.
It's too bad those drives don't go all the way down to 1 rpm.
Just google the part number for ebay pump heads to find what tubing they use.
The quick load head takes both sizes of tubing, and a few others. So if 28ml/min is still too much you could use a smaller yet tubing size if needed.
Dapg8gt
New member
Awesome thanks for the help I think 16 should do it for me as my tank is consuming some serious 2 part so I don't think I'll have an issue with the higher effluent rate.
I've been slowly grasping what I need to get and between building my dual stage and randomly finding these pumps for a killer deal I'm on overload of info. I also have a quote in for a easy load head that accepts only 2 hose sizes so the info you provided is very much helpful..
Thanks again.
tkeracer619
New member
The heads that only accept 2 sizes are likely ls15 and 24. Hard to get tube for.
You really want to aim for the precision sizes (L/S® 13, L/S® 14, L/S® 16, L/S® 25, L/S® 17.)
You really want to aim for the precision sizes (L/S® 13, L/S® 14, L/S® 16, L/S® 25, L/S® 17.)
Dapg8gt
New member
OK that is exactly the sizes it so takes so ill pass on the easy load head.
I'll focus on these quick load heads that are the older clear models for now . Have you any experience with them? Seems like to swap the tube I would just need to take out two of the four screws, seems easy enough for me to save the money.
Is the reason for the easy load heads being preferable just due to the ease of swapping tube or is it just a better performing head?
tkeracer619
New member
They perform the same. It is indeed the ease of swapping the tube.
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