I like DC pumps since I run the at a lower than the max speed.....longer life.....Less problem....more time to enjoy the hobby or to deal with other issues
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I like DC pumps since I run the at a lower than the max speed.....longer life.....Less problem....more time to enjoy the hobby or to deal with other issues
Thank you for writing the article!
longer life.....Less problem
Now we are speculating 40 years in the future!
Here's my prediction: As long as the alternative costs more, AC pumps will be more popular.
As it stands, the only alternatives that are "competitive" in your scenario (sales numbers) are the chinese-branded ones. Limited popularity.
By contrast, the brands that seems to be generating all the buzz cost an order of magnitude more than "ordinary" high quality AC pumps.
I don't care how much buzz you see online, $400 return pumps are never going to replace $50 or $90 return pumps.
Return flow isn't even a variable speed application, so the alternative makes no logical sense at all in that situation. (Notice I'm not basing my prediction on this point. People act contrary to their interests all the time. Less-so with money.)
I am guessing that it is a combination of several factors. I agree that all pumps aren't made as well as they used to be. DC pumps have 2 big reliability disadvantages. First is the controller which provides a failure mode AC pumps just don't have. Second is that they run at lower voltage so they have higher current. This means they run hotter, which leads to more thermal expansion. I wouldn't be surprised if DC powerheads are more likely to develop housing cracks than AC powerheads for this reason.I know of those two AC pumps and they are not made in Asia unlike most of the current DC pumps.
I wonder if it has to do with quality control rather than a DC pump.
Of course I also still have this projector that also runs perfectly. For you youngsters, this was the cell phone video machine of the fiftees. (I Phone - 57)
Second is that they run at lower voltage so they have higher current. This means they run hotter,
A simplified heat loss equation would be W(power losses due to heat)= IxIxR so heat losses due to current are squared.This wasn't an issue with small powerhead DC pumps but appear to be more of an issue with larger return pump DCs?
Is this simply due to the fact of higher amps on larger DC return pumps?
More current does dictate thicker wires, but I'm not sure this drives much cost. The copper weight in these pumps is very small and copper wire costs under $6/pound. The difference in copper costs would be marginal compared to the other costs.My guess is that more current dictates thicker wires, which are expensive.