DC Pump Users

jhmeresqu · Aug 14, 2014

Anyone use the

Reef Octopus RODC 5500 Water Pump? Any insight as compared to the Waveline DC6000 Internal/External Pump w/Controller?

chk4tix · Aug 14, 2014

Is there a DC pump for a high head (10-15ft) system?

schooleyosis · Aug 14, 2014

Not sure about the RO DC pump but they all pretty much look the same to me on all the websites. I can't wait to get my Speedwave pump so that I can compare it to Jebao DC pump I already have.

I'll report back when I compare the 2.

NeveSSL · Aug 14, 2014

I'm anxious to see what you find, too, Ryan.

Brandon

ReefPiracy · Aug 14, 2014

2 Dead jebao DC-12000 in 6 months has me giving up on them. Others have had the same problem.

schooleyosis · Aug 14, 2014

SloppyWhenWet said:
2 Dead jebao DC-12000 in 6 months has me giving up on them. Others have had the same problem.

Any idea what was the root-cause of failure? Magnet, motor, power supply?

ReefPiracy · Aug 14, 2014

schooleyosis said:
Any idea what was the root-cause of failure? Magnet, motor, power supply?

Nothing blocked pump or got stuck in intake. I ran on 6/6. I do feed a fuge and tank with 1.5 inch header to 1 inch feeds with 5/6 head feet. Came home both times and pumps were dead. If I helped the rotor spin it would take off for a second and stop again. Must be circuits or windings in pump. Seen the power supplies go bad as well but that never happened for me. I find the flow rate to be lowered then advertised.

schooleyosis · Aug 14, 2014

SloppyWhenWet said:
Nothing blocked pump or got stuck in intake. I ran on 6/6. I do feed a fuge and tank with 1.5 inch header to 1 inch feeds with 5/6 head feet. Came home both times and pumps were dead. If I helped the rotor spin it would take off for a second and stop again. Must be circuits or windings in pump. Seen the power supplies go bad as well but that never happened for me. I find the flow rate to be lowered then advertised.

I have seen the pumps not start before when I was vinegar bathing one of the units I was using but never had the issue actually happen once hooked up to the aquarium. I thought it had something to do with the "run dry" protection that they supposedly have built in. Are you sure all the air bubbles were out of the pumps?

ReefPiracy · Aug 14, 2014

The out of water protection is thermal based I bet. It doesn't detect the presents of water. Just if pump is over amp/producing too much heat. This is I last 3 months and break. I am not the only one. Tank has ATO and full apex. I cleaned pump and wanted to get it working again but it wouldn't go. Even the first one I got had the rotor rubbing on the motor and didn't flow more then my 1262 eheim. I was wanting more flow and for 99 bucks in a group buy figured why not plus everyone was on his low watts dc pump kick. Well sorry I wasted my time and money. Just saying with over 5k in corals not worth it and I wouldn't tell anyone else to buy one. Coralvue even retired this pump line already.

schooleyosis · Aug 14, 2014

SloppyWhenWet said:
The out of water protection is thermal based I bet. It doesn't detect the presents of water. Just if pump is over amp/producing too much heat. This is I last 3 months and break. I am not the only one. Tank has ATO and full apex. I cleaned pump and wanted to get it working again but it wouldn't go. Even the first one I got had the rotor rubbing on the motor and didn't flow more then my 1262 eheim. I was wanting more flow and for 99 bucks in a group buy figured why not plus everyone was on his low watts dc pump kick. Well sorry I wasted my time and money. Just saying with over 5k in corals not worth it and I wouldn't tell anyone else to buy one. Coralvue even retired this pump line already.

Good to know. Thanks for the info!

VicD81 · Aug 14, 2014

Just ordered a second one because my original has a voltage leak and throwing off my apex salinity readings. Hope it's just an isolated issue as I do like the pump. Small foot print and quiet.

schooleyosis · Aug 14, 2014

Vic, what brand?

NeveSSL · Aug 14, 2014

And how much voltage?

Brandon

iiluisii · Aug 17, 2014

Am I wrong but I thought dc current would not affect anything

schooleyosis · Aug 17, 2014

Oooh. Good point Luis!

schooleyosis · Aug 23, 2014

Ok so all of these pumps are the same. I just put the front cover (volute) from the Jebao on the Speedwave so I don't have to change my plumbing. The Speedwave is now in a vinegar bath and will be hooked up to the system soon.

Everything is pretty much the same, including the quality check stickers on the bottom of both pumps. Lol