DC Pumps

[RaymondL]

Are DC pumps completely silent compared to AC pumps? When I say completely silent, I mean no humming sound at all. Are there any disadvantages of DC pumps over AC types? If it holds true that it's quieter why wouldn't one choose a DC version over the AC version?

 

[dstockwell]

My Hygger D/C is silent. Advantage for me is I can tune it to the overflow, I'm running at 32%. If you have too big of A/C you will need another solution (valve) to tune with.

 

[theMeat]

Dc pumps use less electric, therefore generate less heat. They are easily adjustable. They make less noise. The only draw back I have found is on high head height they don’t last. At first they work great. Over time they do not.

 

[RaymondL]

Dc pumps use less electric, therefore generate less heat. They are easily adjustable. They make less noise. The only draw back I have found is on high head height they don’t last. At first they work great. Over time they do not.

Thanks - interesting you mentioned that they do not last as long as their AC counterparts, I would have thought they last longer....I wonder why.

 

[theMeat]

Thanks - interesting you mentioned that they do not last as long as their AC counterparts, I would have thought they last longer....I wonder why.

Did not say they don’t last as long. Said for high head they don’t. It’s not that they stop working. They start out fine, producing acceptable gph. Then after some months the gph starts to diminish. On tanks that aren’t high head they work fine.

 

[mtraylor]

Submerged dc pump would be pretty quit. Especially if on a mat

 

[RaymondL]

Submerged dc pump would be pretty quit. Especially if on a mat

But given that DC pump shares mechanically the same components as an AC pump, there would still be a hum to it no?

 

[theMeat]

Much less

 

[exnisstech]

I have jebao dcp 3500 next to my bed and it is silent. It is submerged and on a silicone mat.

 

[RaymondL]

I have jebao dcp 3500 next to my bed and it is silent. It is submerged and on a silicone mat.

I think this might be subjective - a friend said his pump is dead silent, but I can clearly hear a rather 'loud' hum. Again, my sense of loud is different than his. In your case if I might ask, surely you must hear something from the DCP 3500...if anything a slight hum, a whoosh, etc.

 

[exnisstech]

I think this might be subjective - a friend said his pump is dead silent, but I can clearly hear a rather 'loud' hum. Again, my sense of loud is different than his. In your case if I might ask, surely you must hear something from the DCP 3500...if anything a slight hum, a whoosh, etc.

Sound is definatly subjective along with most of our senses. I can hear water trickling into the filter sock but I can't here the pump unless I open the cabinet and lean down to get close to it and the water trickle is still louder So I guess it isn't totally silent and pretty much all pumps will make some noise if you get close enough to them.
I guess I should have said my pump is silent when I'm laying in bed but if I get really close to it I can hear it ;)

 

[mtraylor]

But given that DC pump shares mechanically the same components as an AC pump, there would still be a hum to it no?

There will be no 60hz hum as its DC. All of that is gone. As you are stating. The pumps will share a similar impeller magnet etc. Some of the pumps come with a really nice rubber feet which help to dissipate any humming noise to which I think you are referring too. The design of some pumps are engineered to reduce vibration. Its immediately obvious when you hook different ones up. You take a well engineered pump on a mat and its a good thing.

As others stated. A fish tank is going to make some noise. Its reducing each portion as much as you can that makes it nice. Some people may have really good hearing and a tank may never be an option for them. I really like Ecotech pumps on a mate if external and no mat internal works for me.

 

[doubleshot00]

Mine all all dead silent. I hear the water ripples over everything imo.