Should I replace my mag pump with a dc pump

[nashorn]

I been using the same mag pump for years.
Hmm..... come to think about it maybe 15? I brought it used from a aquarium store going out of business .
So here's the question should I replace it with one of those new DC pumps ?
Think I'll be saving 10 W maybe a little bit more ?

How reliable are the DC pumps now ?

 

[thewbell]

If you are happy with the Mag I don't think I would replace it to save 10 watts. Do you currently have any temperature issues or a desire to increase or decrease flow through your sump? If so, then I would consider replacement.

 

[solitude127]

Another major difference between mag pumps and DC pumps would be sound. If you're ok with the noise coming out of your stand, then keep the mag pump.

 

[nashorn]

Heat and sound not a factor
Heater seem to be on more then off
I don't seem to hear the mag.....but wait now that you mention it ....I hate you ...lol

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

The DC will be quieter & transfer less heat to the water, sooo the heater will run more & offset some of the savings.

 

[Lsufan]

If u just want to upgrade pumps then I wouldn't narrow your options to only dc pumps unless your not really on a budget & could look at one of the higher end dc pumps. There aren't many pumps I would trade my ac pumps I have on my systems for. To me reliable is a big factor in a return pump that I don't want to take a chance on. If a powerhead stops working that's one thing, to have the return stop working is different to me. I can't go without my return pump for long.

Like I said, there is only about 3 dc return pumps I would want before my fluval sp6 or my ehiem 1262 & they all cost way more then my pumps. I like my ehiem but if I had to recommend a pump it would be the fluval sp series, I love my fluval sp6.

 

[Fig]

+1 on the Fluval SP

 

[Andrew D]

I say keep the mag pump. I've not found anything more reliable.

 

[Arthur1]

Andrew, I can't agree with you more on that one as far as reliability goes and Vinny laid out the rest of the equation.

 

[ericarenee]

I have a magdrive 9.5 that is i know 25 years old and still works like day 1.. it had a impeller replaced maybe 4 years ago... I also have a mag drive 24.. It moves a ton of water but super noisy.. my mag 9.5 is quite quiet.. With that said they do put some heat into the water. Since i am now using a dc pump dcp 10000 the heaters seem to run more in the winter but i think the chiller will run less in the summer.. Chiller uses much more power then the heaters i think. So it most likely does NOT save you any money ..

 

[ca1ore]

Mags, Iwaki, panworld .... all extremely reliable. In about a decade we'll know whether DC pumps can offer similar longevity.

 

[jda]

^ yup. DC pumps have not even been out long enough to know if they are going to last, or not. Many are already on their second or third iteration with a few fixes here and there.

I still use mags and askoll/laguna pumps and won't stop anytime soon.

 

[Cthehentz]

Has anyone actuallly measured the the amount of heat mag pumps add to the system? I too am contemplating switching from my old mag to newer DC pump.

 

[tkeracer619]

Hook it up to a kilawatt meter. If it reads 75w then they it's putting out 75w of heat.

The ehiem is a lot like the mag drive except quiet. They are a workhorse that will last a very very long time.

 

[SethO]

Hook it up to a kilawatt meter. If it reads 75w then they it's putting out 75w of heat.

I see this quoted a lot and it is wrong.

The power consumption at the outlet is the sum of what the pump is using. That is the sum of electrical energy converted to water movement (kinetic energy from motion, potential energy from the height attained) plus energy lost as heat or to overcome friction. The efficiency of your system is what percentage of that electrical power becomes water movement. (After all a pump is supposed to move fluids/air, anything else is a waste).

It is almost impossible to convert energy from one form to another without loss which is why the claims that DC pumps (connected to an AC outlet) are more efficient than AC pumps is wrong without specifying what pumps are being compared. Both have other factors that come to play that determines their efficiencies.

 

[f3honda4me]

I have a magdrive 9.5 that is i know 25 years old and still works like day 1.. it had a impeller replaced maybe 4 years ago... I also have a mag drive 24.. It moves a ton of water but super noisy.. my mag 9.5 is quite quiet.. With that said they do put some heat into the water. Since i am now using a dc pump dcp 10000 the heaters seem to run more in the winter but i think the chiller will run less in the summer.. Chiller uses much more power then the heaters i think. So it most likely does NOT save you any money ..

I just got a brand new mag 9.5 and it's loud just like the rest of the mag pumps I've used or had. The D.C. Pumps are 50x more quiet.

 

[Dross]

I see this quoted a lot and it is wrong.

The power consumption at the outlet is the sum of what the pump is using. That is the sum of electrical energy converted to water movement (kinetic energy from motion, potential energy from the height attained) plus energy lost as heat or to overcome friction. The efficiency of your system is what percentage of that electrical power becomes water movement. (After all a pump is supposed to move fluids/air, anything else is a waste).

It is almost impossible to convert energy from one form to another without loss which is why the claims that DC pumps (connected to an AC outlet) are more efficient than AC pumps is wrong without specifying what pumps are being compared. Both have other factors that come to play that determines their efficiencies.

All the kinetic energy of water movement by the pump is ultimately converted to heat by the frictional drag of water against itself, and corals, glass etc. Even the head energy is given back as the water it is returned to the sump as heat. Ulimately all the energy you are putting into a submerged pump is going into the water as heat, so the kilowatt meter comment is valid. External pumps are partially air cooled, but I think it is a pretty small fraction of the total power consumed.

 

[air2mag]

I have a mag 9.5 and 12 on my new tank. They aren't silent, but they have gotten quieter after running for a month.

 

[running scott]

I've got the same problem! I am using a mag 12 right now, but every time I feed my fish I have to unplug it so the food doesn't just go to the overflows and into my filter socks. Sometimes I forget to plug it back in! I hate that! I want a DC return pump just for the feed button feature, but my mag 12 is quiet, and has lasted forever without problems.

 

[jda]

Get a food ring. It will make the food delivery more effective as well - the fish will learn to go up to it and wait and they will get nearly all of the food.