The "Hitchhiker's Guide" to the Maxi-Stream mod
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hahnmeister
In Memoriam
BigSkyBart, that AC with the broken shaft is of little use. For us to mod it, the shaft needs to be intact.
For the 802, Frunkster...have you managed to use a stopper or anything to keep the prop spinning in the right direction?
Also, anyone have a link or know where I can buy some 3" plastic props like what Frumpster has, 3 blade is better, but I can stack some 2 blade ones as well...
The 3 blade props should be a huge advantage on the Aquaclears. I know before the 3 blade props were speculated as not being a big improvement, but they are. See, normally, 3 blade props are no better than 2 blade because they spin so fast, and the wake of an extra blade can hurt performance as much as it helps (see the bottom weblink below). But compared to a DC racing motor on a speedboat, these powerheads are much slower. So the extra blade is a boost. And I hope to conform it with a test soon, but the Aqua Clear motors seem slower, but stronger...so the either extra pitch, diameter, or a 3rd blade should be nice.
More on prop design and selection here...
http://www.boatfix.com/how/props.html
3/4 of the way down on this page, you can read on 3 vs 2 blade props...
http://www.sailcdi.com/PPfaq.htm
So, anyone know where I can get some nice 3 blade or 2 blade 3" plastic props?
For the 802, Frunkster...have you managed to use a stopper or anything to keep the prop spinning in the right direction?
Also, anyone have a link or know where I can buy some 3" plastic props like what Frumpster has, 3 blade is better, but I can stack some 2 blade ones as well...
The 3 blade props should be a huge advantage on the Aquaclears. I know before the 3 blade props were speculated as not being a big improvement, but they are. See, normally, 3 blade props are no better than 2 blade because they spin so fast, and the wake of an extra blade can hurt performance as much as it helps (see the bottom weblink below). But compared to a DC racing motor on a speedboat, these powerheads are much slower. So the extra blade is a boost. And I hope to conform it with a test soon, but the Aqua Clear motors seem slower, but stronger...so the either extra pitch, diameter, or a 3rd blade should be nice.
More on prop design and selection here...
http://www.boatfix.com/how/props.html
3/4 of the way down on this page, you can read on 3 vs 2 blade props...
http://www.sailcdi.com/PPfaq.htm
So, anyone know where I can get some nice 3 blade or 2 blade 3" plastic props?
dippin61
New member
well.. finally got my maxi 1200 mod done.. had to use a octura 2040 cuz thats all i could find locally. so on the end of the pvc i had to bore out the ID just a little so the prop would fit.
man.. does this thing push alot of water.. i mean alot.. next to my seio 820.. hands down this thing blows it away.
luckily im going BB this weekend, or else i couldnt use this in my old 55 with SSB. it blows every thing everywhere.
man.. does this thing push alot of water.. i mean alot.. next to my seio 820.. hands down this thing blows it away.
luckily im going BB this weekend, or else i couldnt use this in my old 55 with SSB. it blows every thing everywhere.
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
if your super glue is not working, id use Goop. its a lot less brittal than super glue less affected by vibration... down side is it harder to work with and you have to wait 24 hour before it sees water.
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
Oops
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
yes
Barto
Alleged Lounge Moron
hanmeister,
I'm going to try to use my broken AC for a mod, just replace the broken shaft and go forward from there. Not much of a loss if it fails. (Destroy It Yourself, hehehe)
Slightly off track, but related...
Could one of these modded powerheads be used to run a recirc skimmer.
I'm thinking not, because of how the shroud & blade work to flow water rather than pull it in one end and push it out the other, but if the high flow could be aspirated, it might kick some major butt, it's a thought for the more accomplished DIY minds here.
I'm going to try to use my broken AC for a mod, just replace the broken shaft and go forward from there. Not much of a loss if it fails. (Destroy It Yourself, hehehe)
Slightly off track, but related...
Could one of these modded powerheads be used to run a recirc skimmer.
I'm thinking not, because of how the shroud & blade work to flow water rather than pull it in one end and push it out the other, but if the high flow could be aspirated, it might kick some major butt, it's a thought for the more accomplished DIY minds here.
This thread kept me up all night thinking about the old 802 I've not used in years. At 2 am I went to check for it and laughed my *** off at the fact it had a fixed axle. I was looking at modding either me eheim or rainbow .
This got me thinking of the reverse direction problem.
I am wondeing if this is because of the AC. I can't remember crap about induction motors, but 50% of the time the AC is positive and the other 50 % the voltage is negative. I wonder if that is the reason you guys are seing flips in rotation direction. It may be dependant on the initial state of the AC when the power is given to the powerhead.
If so. There may be a circuit to solve this problem an ensure it always starts in the same direction. Any electricals out there with a better understanding of this than me ?
This got me thinking of the reverse direction problem.
I am wondeing if this is because of the AC. I can't remember crap about induction motors, but 50% of the time the AC is positive and the other 50 % the voltage is negative. I wonder if that is the reason you guys are seing flips in rotation direction. It may be dependant on the initial state of the AC when the power is given to the powerhead.
If so. There may be a circuit to solve this problem an ensure it always starts in the same direction. Any electricals out there with a better understanding of this than me ?
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
first i thought no way, but realy you could. it would be more of a electric air stone rather than a recriculating skimmer. you would have to make i needle wheel / impeller. i dont think it would look much like what we are doing here though. very interesting. man thats a good thought i like it. im on it. wait im going to pantent it:lol:.
tgunn
Active member
The problem is that the starting position of a small motor like a powerhead is dependant on where the motor stopped...
The magnetic field produced by this type of motor is always going to be the same, but depending on the orientation of the rotor magnets when the motor stopped, the motor may turn clockwise or counterclockwise..
That's on reason why Tunze uses DC motors; you can control the start direction. The other reason is of course being able to control the speed.
Tyler
Not entirely true. AC induction motors can be designed to always rotate in the same direction. The powerhead is most likely a single phase induction motor which is the most common and chaep motor. The way it starts is dependant on a starting circuit, which my guess is here uses an induction coil and thereby dependant on the initial polarity applied.
However you may be right that the position of the rotor when its stoped might influence this direction and blow any way to fix this. Unless you make it stop always in the same spot.
However you may be right that the position of the rotor when its stoped might influence this direction and blow any way to fix this. Unless you make it stop always in the same spot.
ejmeier
Active member
I don't get it - why would the fixed shaft be quieter? It seems that whether or not the shaft is supported on one end or both ends would be irrelevant. The impeller would still vibrate the same amount regardless of how it was supported, right?
Just trying to figure this all out....
FWIW, Graupner makes three blade and even four blade props up to about 2.36" (60mm) but the bigger ones are only right-handed. Looks promising to me, though you'd have to remove the insert first to use it.
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/grboatprop.htm
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
Ti
$19!?????
$19!?????
???
Yes that propeller pictured above is listed for $19 on Tunze's website.
-EDIT-
Go to http://tunze.com/149.html?&L=1&C=US&user_tunzeprod_pi1[predid]=-infoxspare_9999.999
Look up Hydro propeller for 6100.10,6260.10 which the propeller for a Tunze 6100
Yes that propeller pictured above is listed for $19 on Tunze's website.
-EDIT-
Go to http://tunze.com/149.html?&L=1&C=US&user_tunzeprod_pi1[predid]=-infoxspare_9999.999
Look up Hydro propeller for 6100.10,6260.10 which the propeller for a Tunze 6100
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
dh, you are good.
Powerheads are not induction motors. They are usually referred to as AC synchronous motors. There is a permanent magnet on the rotor of the motor in a powerhead. Induction motors have "squirrel cage" style rotors which is how they get the name INDUCTION motors. Current from the stator induces current in the squirrel cage which generates a magnetic field that is constantly chasing the magnetic field generated by the switching current in the stator.
They are not speed controllable in the way that an induction motor is unless you change the frequency of the power source, which is what is being done inside the new Seio controller. Changing the frequency of an AC source is extremely expensive and inefficient, usually resulting in more power being consumed to change the frequency then you're losing by slowing the speed! Ironic huh.
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