closed loop current wave maker ocean motion

[jesserettele]

I want one of these bad boys but would rather build one. Anybody tried this or heard about it working/failing with DIY? I know MAAST has some great DIYers and thought I'd ask.

The housing could easily be drilled or even made from up from parts at a plumbing supply house.

The most difficult part that I see is sealing the hole in the top flange to the shaft of the motor without leaks or corrosion issues. The gear from the motor is bronze and is attached to a steel shaft that goes into the motor housing itself. The motor is not water proof either. So we need to figure out how the motor housing and shaft are sealed off from the water inside the main plastic housing that has the rotating drum. Is it an O-Ring around the drum that seals against the inside of the plastic housing that prevents water from getting around the drum to the shaft at the top of the drum where it attaches? How could we seal it off without introducing drag/friction on the drum to spin around slowly and divert the water into the outputs?

I just replaced the motor on my water softner and did some research on the motors which I found on-line for $27 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=263602_263622
it is a small motor and the gear rotates very slowly and the housing looks identical to the pictures attached.

The attached picutres are courtesy of Oceans Motions web site.

[jesserettele]

I just looked at the motor on my water softner and it is turning too slow for this application. I am sure with a little research the right speed motor could be found.

I tried searching for schedule 80 5 ways and didn't find anything.

I did however find this company that has pre-assembled 5 way diverter valves with multiple options of flow direction and sizing driven manually, pneumatically, or electrically. I e-mailed them for more info, detail, and pricing.
http://www.evsco.com/flow_patterns_4and5.htm
A picture is attached, 1st the electric, next the pneumatic, then the manual, and a stacked valve.
By the looks of it they are going to be just as much as OM's valves.

I found another website for a 5 way valve but it was a little over built, overkill, and not corrosion proof, it's pictured last.

[ErikH]

The main problem that I hear of with the OM's is that they get sand grit in them which eventually stops them from functioning due to seizure from the build up.

[ErikH]

You could use a large return pump and split it into four. Then use those SWCDs.

[jesserettele]

I would like to use the SWCD's but I hear that they also have problems. This is probably due to not being cleaned often enough as well. The other issue is not being able to really control the output for a single line out put at a time takng full advantage of the pumps capability to push the full gph through one line at a time (picky I know). The new 1" inlet/outlets costs $85 each totaling $170, that would be the price to beat with a DIY unit I guess.

I called Evsco and the electric diverter valve pictured below is $503.00 list and the manual valve pictured below is $186 list; both are only available in 1/2" input/outputs and are rediculously priced!

The last picture is a manual 5 way diverter valve that has 1 1/2" slip inlet/outlets available from www.horizonparts.com for $48 list, manufactured by waterway but requires adding a motor to turn the valve.

[jesserettele]

So I found a motor! Slow RPM with high torque and 115 V. It is "wheather" resistant to reduce corrosion.

The valve is 1 1/2 inlet/outlets, the flow pattern is unidirectional with one output flowing at a time. The motor will need an adapter to mount to the shaft of the valve.

So the total so far is;

$48 for the 5 way valve
$59 for the HD 115 V 15 watt motor
total=
$100 for a DIY with no warranty.

hmmmmmmm?

[afgun]

I'm interested in this project... any progress?

Another interesting DIY on this topic is at http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/CirculationSystem.html

I've seen another of somewhat similar design but can't find the URL right now...

[ErikH]

Ok man, just so you know, those drums have problems too. People have had to send them back due to seizing from sand. Just an FYI.

[jesserettele]

I'm interested in this project... any progress?

Another interesting DIY on this topic is at http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/CirculationSystem.html

I've seen another of somewhat similar design but can't find the URL right now...

Not yet. There are so many things that I need to do first in order to get onto the next step. Thanks for the link, I love checking out different ideas and DIY stuff.

Ok man, just so you know, those drums have problems too. People have had to send them back due to seizing from sand. Just an FYI.

I have heard this for every unit out there....it's the cost to a benefit. unions and regular maintenence as well as a filtered input should slow the major issues.

[corruption]

Nice find, Jesse -- I'll be watching your progress here... be interested to see what you come up with

As far as the sticking problem, I hear of it a lot less often with Oceans Motions type drum/motor configs, than I do with the SCWD setups. Those who I know in the maintenance field hate SCWD's, because they're constantly failing to do their job -- but have no such complaints about the OM devices

I'd agree -- its the cost you risk for achieving the means you want.. its all in your maintenance and your risk/benefit concept

-Justin

-Justin