BRS Doser - EE / speed control question

LongBeachReefer562 · Oct 21, 2020

I have a question on AC motor speed control I'm hoping someone might know the answer to.

I dose 2 part using the BRS 1.2ml/min dosers. My Alk doser runs 1.2 but the calc is almost double at 2.1 so I'm trying to figure out how I can adjust the motor speed. Pretty much every BRS doser varies from 1.2-2.2 ml/min, it's a crapshoot what you get. It would be awesome if we could tune these to the necessary speed vs diluting which is the traditional solution to using these dosers with different outputs.

The BRS doser uses the below AC motor, unfortunately I cant find the datasheet on the OEMs website so the below pic is the only info on the motor I have.

I am wondering if I could use this AC motor controller to slow down the doser motor a bit which is made to work with AC fans from 8-50 watts. Does anyone know if this may or may not work?

I'd cry if I burnt out the motor on my new doser so hoping I can get some feedback before attempting.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00809BQZG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

laverda · Oct 24, 2020

It should work, but AC motors don’t like to be adjusted that way. Why not just adjust the time you dose for to match how much you want to dose? The BRS dosers I have are very consistent with each other. I calibrated each when I first got them.

LongBeachReefer562 · Oct 28, 2020

Yeah that'

laverda said:
It should work, but AC motors don’t like to be adjusted that way. Why not just adjust the time you dose for to match how much you want to dose? The BRS dosers I have are very consistent with each other. I calibrated each when I first got them.

Yeah that's the conclusion I've drawn, seems like the solution for adjustable and precision dosing is to go with a DC stepper motor.

Yeah they're def consistent for better or worse. I currently run Alk & Ca on the same timer so I'd need to add a 2nd timer.

I dose every 3 hours (8 intervals) and typically have to increase my dosing schedule every 7-10 days. I typically bump each dosing interval up by a minute so my hesitation is because I'd have to start adjusting 16 times instead of 8...thus twice the chance I'll screw it up one of these 16 adjustments and overdose.

laverda · Oct 28, 2020

What are you controling them with?

LongBeachReefer562 · Oct 28, 2020

laverda said:
What are you controling them with?

One of these guys, theyre pretty bullet proof and have battery backup. I like the reliability.

As for the future plans of using steppers... I'll either control with my reefpi or maybe an apexEL if i get enough giftcards for christmas