Using Smaller AC/DC Adapter for more powerful DC Pump - AND IT WORKS!!

[Tuffloud1]

I'm gonna drop out and monitor. I just wanted to let you know about my limited experience so far with your pump.

I appreciate your help, thanks for your time!

 

[zachts]

I have another DC pump used for my salt mixing station, the Speedwave 1320, which is 40 watts.

Since my return was down, I tried using the adapter from the Speedwave pump for the return, and it works exactly the same, pump speed is steady and perfectly matched to the other larger adapter it came with.

So why is this adapter for a pump that is rated almost half the wattage running cooler and pushing this more powerful pump? I run it on max power.

Here is the adapter from the Speedwave that is powering it until I get a replacement, or should I even bother. I just don't understand, if I'm using half the power to drive this pump, yet it is giving me the same flow, always ran the control on 100 percent so what gives???

Easy, it works cause it puts out more than enough power for the 70w pump. 70w @ 24volts is roughly 3 amps (just under actually) that adapter is rated for 4 amps at 24volts so works just fine with 25% overhead, no reason to replace it if you don't want to.

 

[Tuffloud1]

Easy, it works cause it puts out more than enough power for the 70w pump. 70w @ 24volts is roughly 3 amps (just under actually) that adapter is rated for 4 amps at 24volts so works just fine with 25% overhead, no reason to replace it if you don't want to.

Why does the larger adapter run hotter?

 

[Kearnel]

There really isn't a controllable pump out there that isn't a little cost prohibitive. I bought a Jebao DC pump probably going on about a year ago now, the power supply in mine failed about 4 months in if memory serves me correct. I thought it was the controller but it was the power supply. Replaced it with a meanwell unit and it's being going strong ever since but doesn't have the same amount of water turnover, less now. I don't trust these pumps as far as I could throw them, I have a back up that's now prepped and ready to go in. I'll admit that the built in flow control is nice for fine tuning the return flow but it's nothing you can't get from a ball valve and quality pump that won't fail the second your back is turned. As for the larger adapter running hot, it's what slief said, cheap stuff, it's just burning itself up because it can't handle what it's being asked to do. Mine ran hot to, extremely hot but the meanwell is cool to the touch.

 

[Kearnel]

In all of my experience with adapters, when they run unreasonably hot, they will fail, I've taken a few failed ones apart and the evidence shows inside of extreme heat.

 

[mcgyvr]

Why does the larger adapter run hotter?

Lesser quality/lower efficiency/poor design.. plain and simple...

Not all adapters are created equal. Jebao uses the "cheapest" they can find.

 

[zachts]

The bulk of those cheap no name brand laptop style bricks were never intended for continuous use and were cheaply designed to save a few pennies. cheap crap, as someone else mentioned when cracking them open I've found a few that didn't even have a heatsink or didn't have the IC's fastened to the heatsink, just sitting next to it barely touching......

 

[slief]

What American, German or Italian made pump do you recommend as an alternative to the DC9000? I appreciate your help!

Personally, I am not a fan of using DC Controllable pumps for the return pump. I see no good reason to control the return pump for return flow. A return pump should be set it and forget it. I never shut my return pump off unless I need to do some maintenance and the kind of maintenance on my tank that requires the return to be shut off is very rare. If my flow needs adjusting, I have gate valves after the pump for that task but again, that is a one time adjustment. Changing the return pump flow raises or lowers the sump level and upsets skimmer performance. Like my return pump, my skimmer is never shut off off unless I need to do some mainenance on it which in my case is evey 4-6 months. My skimmer cleans itself. All I need to do is drain the cup so by not messing with it, it remains perpetually consistant.

As far as what pump I would use as an alternative.. It would depend greatly on tank size and whether you are also running reactors or a manifold from the return pump as well as whether you are going internal or external. My first choice for a non controllable internal pump would probably be an ATB Flowstar. It uses a proven Laguna Askoll block which is nearly bullet proof. Unlike the standard Laguna, the ATB has a better impeller/volute design. It's suitable for internal and external installations. It not as inexpenive as the Jebao but the quality is far superior. Another althernative would be the Fluval SP4 or SP6. Both are said to use the Laguna Askoll Block. Personally, I prefer external pumps and currently use Reeflo Superdart Golds but those are likely way to powerful for your application.

For a controllable pump, there are only two that I would use. One of which I have on hand and will be replacing my Dart Closed Loop pump with. That would be the Royal Exclusiv Red Dragon RD3 Speedy 80w pump. I plan on controlling it via my Apex and creating some ramping profiles that will coincide with my Tunze profiles. It's very expensive but it's far superior to any of these cheap DC pumps which are all essentially the same. The other controllable pump that is built like a tank is the Abyzz pump. Again, very expensive but it's also very well made.

 

[Tuffloud1]

Lesser quality/lower efficiency/poor design.. plain and simple...

Not all adapters are created equal. Jebao uses the "cheapest" they can find.

The brand is the same on both the small and large adapter.

What I am not understanding is why is the larger, more than capable adapter getting hotter than the one that is slightly more capable to push the pump.

It would seem to me that the larger adapter would run cooler because it isn't having to push power anywhere near it's full capacity.

 

[Tuffloud1]

Personally, I am not a fan of using DC Controllable pumps for the return pump. I see no good reason to control the return pump for return flow. A return pump should be set it and forget it. I never shut my return pump off unless I need to do some maintenance and the kind of maintenance on my tank that requires the return to be shut off is very rare. If my flow needs adjusting, I have gate valves after the pump for that task but again, that is a one time adjustment. Changing the return pump flow raises or lowers the sump level and upsets skimmer performance. Like my return pump, my skimmer is never shut off off unless I need to do some mainenance on it which in my case is evey 4-6 months. My skimmer cleans itself. All I need to do is drain the cup so by not messing with it, it remains perpetually consistant.

As far as what pump I would use as an alternative.. It would depend greatly on tank size and whether you are also running reactors or a manifold from the return pump as well as whether you are going internal or external. My first choice for a non controllable internal pump would probably be an ATB Flowstar. It uses a proven Laguna Askoll block which is nearly bullet proof. Unlike the standard Laguna, the ATB has a better impeller/volute design. It's suitable for internal and external installations. It not as inexpenive as the Jebao but the quality is far superior. Another althernative would be the Fluval SP4 or SP6. Both are said to use the Laguna Askoll Block. Personally, I prefer external pumps and currently use Reeflo Superdart Golds but those are likely way to powerful for your application.

For a controllable pump, there are only two that I would use. One of which I have on hand and will be replacing my Dart Closed Loop pump with. That would be the Royal Exclusiv Red Dragon RD3 Speedy 80w pump. I plan on controlling it via my Apex and creating some ramping profiles that will coincide with my Tunze profiles. It's very expensive but it's far superior to any of these cheap DC pumps which are all essentially the same. The other controllable pump that is built like a tank is the Abyzz pump. Again, very expensive but it's also very well made.

Thanks for all your input, really appreciate it.

Right now I am running this DC9000 on my 90 gallon with sump/fuge, total of 110 gallon system.

I am using 3/4 pvc and running 2 reactors inline carbon and gfo (gfo currently offline). 7 - 90 degree elbows, 2 - unions, 1 ball valve.

I have 5 feet of head, 4 feet of horizontal.

With all that, my total gph seems to be around 700 or so gph according to the reef central calculator.

I'm running a Vertex Omega 180i, I am feeding relatively heavily with a medium stocked tank full of sps frags. My Nitrates stay right around .25 - .5.

I am running a 24/7 auto water change system changing out 1.5 gallons per day.

In your opinion, does my return gph seem like a good match for my setup?

 

[slief]

Thanks for all your input, really appreciate it.

Right now I am running this DC9000 on my 90 gallon with sump/fuge, total of 110 gallon system.

I am using 3/4 pvc and running 2 reactors inline carbon and gfo (gfo currently offline). 7 - 90 degree elbows, 2 - unions, 1 ball valve.

I have 5 feet of head, 4 feet of horizontal.

With all that, my total gph seems to be around 700 or so gph according to the reef central calculator.

I'm running a Vertex Omega 180i, I am feeding relatively heavily with a medium stocked tank full of sps frags. My Nitrates stay right around .25 - .5.

I am running a 24/7 auto water change system changing out 1.5 gallons per day.

In your opinion, does my return gph seem like a good match for my setup?

4-5x turn over is fine. Personally, I run a bit more on my tanks but I think you are ok. Your nitrates are another issue and in my opinion are likely due to a lack of enough biological filtration. That and potetially tank maturity as I don't know how long your system has been up. Live rock and lots of it can be very helpful in maintaining low levels of nitrates. I've got nearly 1000 pounds of it in my 650g system.

I have a lot of fish (50+) in my 480g display, many of which are 7-8 inches long. My system is fed multiple times a day and fed very heavily and I don't have any detectable nitrates. I don't dose anything either. I attribute this to a very good skimmer, plenty of biological filtration, use of filter socks, daily automated water changes of 5 gallons a day, lots of flow with virtually no dead spots for detritus to collect and a very mature tank. In addition to my live rock, I have a very large refugium with a good size deep sand bed and lots of macro. My system has been up for 18 years with exception of one break down 12 years ago for a redo on my aquascape and a sanding and polishing of the viewing panes. It went back together using my existing live rock. As such, my system is about as mature as it gets and the biological aspect of it is near bullet proof and can handle anything I dish out.

 

[Tuffloud1]

4-5x turn over is fine. Personally, I run a bit more on my tanks but I think you are ok. Your nitrates are another issue and in my opinion are likely due to a lack of enough biological filtration. That and potetially tank maturity as I don't know how long your system has been up. Live rock and lots of it can be very helpful in maintaining low levels of nitrates. I've got nearly 1000 pounds of it in my 650g system.

I have a lot of fish (50+) in my 480g display, many of which are 7-8 inches long. My system is fed multiple times a day and fed very heavily and I don't have any detectable nitrates. I don't dose anything either. I attribute this to a very good skimmer, plenty of biological filtration, use of filter socks, daily automated water changes of 5 gallons a day, lots of flow with virtually no dead spots for detritus to collect and a very mature tank. In addition to my live rock, I have a very large refugium with a good size deep sand bed and lots of macro. My system has been up for 18 years with exception of one break down 12 years ago for a redo on my aquascape and a sanding and polishing of the viewing panes. It went back together using my existing live rock. As such, my system is about as mature as it gets and the biological aspect of it is near bullet proof and can handle anything I dish out.

.2 is a lot of Nitrate?? Anything under 1 is minuscule from all the advice I get.

 

[slief]

.2 is a lot of Nitrate?? Anything under 1 is minuscule from all the advice I get.

I wouldn't consider .2 alot but the jump from .2 to .5 can be considered by some to be a big jump. I've always strived for 0 detectable nitrates and try to plan my systems accordingly. If you are showing nitrates, then it would be reasonably easy to have them increase as the biological filtration isn't necessarily keeping up with the load.

 

[mcgyvr]

The brand is the same on both the small and large adapter.

What I am not understanding is why is the larger, more than capable adapter getting hotter than the one that is slightly more capable to push the pump.

It would seem to me that the larger adapter would run cooler because it isn't having to push power anywhere near it's full capacity.

Pull the covers off/snap pics and we will see..

Your theories are correct though.. But again even with the same manufacturer, 2 different products can perform differently..

 

[Tuffloud1]

I wouldn't consider .2 alot but the jump from .2 to .5 can be considered by some to be a big jump. I've always strived for 0 detectable nitrates and try to plan my systems accordingly. If you are showing nitrates, then it would be reasonably easy to have them increase as the biological filtration isn't necessarily keeping up with the load.

I have about 90 lbs of live rock in my tank. My tank has been up for 11 months.

I have nothing in my refugium, it seemed chaeto always broke apart and diminished even with high flow and moderate light.

Maybe a deep sand bed? I have to blow the algae off my rocks once per week, my phosphates are at 0 without running gfo anymore.

With my current nitrate level, what do you think would be the best thing to put in my refugium?