Swapping Kamoer pumps in Hydros Products

[New9742]

I'm having issues with my Hydros dosing pumps; both the Minnow and one of their 12v kamoer versions. Neither one seems ro be able to hold a primed dosing line no matter how much I work and tweak. I'm trying to find cheap pump motors and/or heads I can easily swap into the products to increse their reliability. Any suggestions? Or any ways you know of that I can source OEM without breaking the bank through coralvue? I've found some options on Amazon, but they're not straight matches and I don't know how to tell if they'll work or not.

Thank you!

 

[John Neuzil]

I'm having issues with my Hydros dosing pumps; both the Minnow and one of their 12v kamoer versions. Neither one seems ro be able to hold a primed dosing line no matter how much I work and tweak. I'm trying to find cheap pump motors and/or heads I can easily swap into the products to increse their reliability. Any suggestions? Or any ways you know of that I can source OEM without breaking the bank through coralvue? I've found some options on Amazon, but they're not straight matches and I don't know how to tell if they'll work or not.

Thank you!

That is really odd that the pumps won't hold prime. I have three of the hydros simple pumps running that have never lost prime. Even if the do they don't need to be primed to continue pulling solution.

 

[Aaron Stone]

I'm having issues with my Hydros dosing pumps; both the Minnow and one of their 12v kamoer versions. Neither one seems ro be able to hold a primed dosing line no matter how much I work and tweak. I'm trying to find cheap pump motors and/or heads I can easily swap into the products to increse their reliability. Any suggestions? Or any ways you know of that I can source OEM without breaking the bank through coralvue? I've found some options on Amazon, but they're not straight matches and I don't know how to tell if they'll work or not.

Thank you!

What have you done to try to resolve the issue on the current pumps?

 

[pooootiqe]

Looks like they are using Kamoer KFS pumps. If you can find the pump head by itself that would be the cheapest way to go. Kamoer KEF heads from amazon might work as well.

Regardless what the replacement is, calibration will be needed since the flow rate could be very different from the original.

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

Hey there! Happy to offer some suggestions of help, but make sure to reach out to support for that official guidance!

The Minnow does in fact use Kamoer Dosing heads, replacements are available on the CV Outlet/Parts store, but that is not the issue at hand, we are loosing prime.

It would seem this is happening over the course of a good amount of time? Are we keeping primed in the shorttime?

Make sure you are using the line that comes with the Minnow, not other Silicone Line, as the Minnow uses a PVC line that is a different ID.

 

[New9742]

I'm having issues with my Hydros dosing pumps; both the Minnow and one of their 12v kamoer versions. Neither one seems ro be able to hold a primed dosing line no matter how much I work and tweak. I'm trying to find cheap pump motors and/or heads I can easily swap into the products to increse their reliability. Any suggestions? Or any ways you know of that I can source OEM without breaking the bank through coralvue? I've found some options on Amazon, but they're not straight matches and I don't know how to tell if they'll work or not.

Thank you!

That is really odd that the pumps won't hold prime. I have three of the hydros simple pumps running that have never lost prime. Even if the do they don't need to be primed to continue pulling solution.

I agree with you. I haven't really heard bad things about the pumps so Im both confused and frustrated by this. It's messed with my dosing quite a bit. One of the Minnow heads does really well, the other one doesn't at all (I'm talking it will dose 1-2 ml max at the end of a 10 ml accuracy check from all the air in it.) The kamoer isnt doing much better. The pumps run at least once daily, usually 2-3 times, dividing doses of 15ml or less over that time.

 

[New9742]

I'm having issues with my Hydros dosing pumps; both the Minnow and one of their 12v kamoer versions. Neither one seems ro be able to hold a primed dosing line no matter how much I work and tweak. I'm trying to find cheap pump motors and/or heads I can easily swap into the products to increse their reliability. Any suggestions? Or any ways you know of that I can source OEM without breaking the bank through coralvue? I've found some options on Amazon, but they're not straight matches and I don't know how to tell if they'll work or not.

Thank you!

What have you done to try to resolve the issue on the current pumps?

I use voss bottles as dosing containers. Each bottle has a small air hole drilled into it to prevent vacuum. I use RODI line and a bulkhead fitting inside the container. Then RODI line to barbed 3/16 adapter, adapter to 3/16 tubing (very snug fit. I had to push the RODI onto the adapter using the floor as a brace and the tubing is fitting tight over it). Then 3/16 tubing to the dosing pump barb, where it is zip tied snuggly onto it (both in and out sides), then straight shot dosing line for about 4 ft to my sump.

I feel as if I have done about everything I can to seal the lines between the pump and dosing container and avoid vacuum. Although learning the slightly different diameter in the dosing lines from Caralvue's comment is news to me. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work with the zip ties taking up the extra slack at the pump heads.

 

[New9742]

Hey there! Happy to offer some suggestions of help, but make sure to reach out to support for that official guidance!

The Minnow does in fact use Kamoer Dosing heads, replacements are available on the CV Outlet/Parts store, but that is not the issue at hand, we are loosing prime.

It would seem this is happening over the course of a good amount of time? Are we keeping primed in the shorttime?

Make sure you are using the line that comes with the Minnow, not other Silicone Line, as the Minnow uses a PVC line that is a different ID.

I go about a week between checks just due to my schedule and to also see if prime is truly lost or if its just a random air bubble or two. But I have started checking sooner as this persists and I have time. I've noticed a complete loss of prime in as little as 3 days so far. I suspect it's happening much sooner then, but I see no signs of leaks so far at the pump head or anywhere else the tubing runs (and it's easy for me to check).

And I have reached out to you guys. You've been great at giving me time to continue to check and see if the problem is with my set up or not, but the more I check and try, the more I'm not sure it's me. The other dosing head head on the minnow and a second Kamoer pump have been doing well compared to the other two I'm making this post about (much smaller drifts, if at all so far). Part of the reason I'm reaching out about DIY to see what my other options could be if we aren't able to figure it out together.

I appreciate you reaching out on here too. Thank you.

 

[Aaron Stone]

I use voss bottles as dosing containers. Each bottle has a small air hole drilled into it to prevent vacuum. I use RODI line and a bulkhead fitting inside the container. Then RODI line to barbed 3/16 adapter, adapter to 3/16 tubing (very snug fit. I had to push the RODI onto the adapter using the floor as a brace and the tubing is fitting tight over it). Then 3/16 tubing to the dosing pump barb, where it is zip tied snuggly onto it (both in and out sides), then straight shot dosing line for about 4 ft to my sump.

I feel as if I have done about everything I can to seal the lines between the pump and dosing container and avoid vacuum. Although learning the slightly different diameter in the dosing lines from Caralvue's comment is news to me. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work with the zip ties taking up the extra slack at the pump heads.

Have you tried swapping lines from a head that is not losing prime with one that is, just as a trouble shooting measure to see if it is the head and not the line side?

 

[New9742]

I use voss bottles as dosing containers. Each bottle has a small air hole drilled into it to prevent vacuum. I use RODI line and a bulkhead fitting inside the container. Then RODI line to barbed 3/16 adapter, adapter to 3/16 tubing (very snug fit. I had to push the RODI onto the adapter using the floor as a brace and the tubing is fitting tight over it). Then 3/16 tubing to the dosing pump barb, where it is zip tied snuggly onto it (both in and out sides), then straight shot dosing line for about 4 ft to my sump.

I feel as if I have done about everything I can to seal the lines between the pump and dosing container and avoid vacuum. Although learning the slightly different diameter in the dosing lines from Caralvue's comment is news to me. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work with the zip ties taking up the extra slack at the pump heads.

Have you tried swapping lines from a head that is not losing prime with one that is, just as a trouble shooting measure to see if it is the head and not the line side?

I just straight up replaced the problem line with a new package one. Same results.

 

[Aaron Stone]

I just straight up replaced the problem line with a new package one. Same results.

Including all new fittings? Just trying to eliminate the cheaper possible culprits before replacing the head.

 

[New9742]

I just straight up replaced the problem line with a new package one. Same results.

Including all new fittings? Just trying to eliminate the cheaper possible culprits before replacing the head.

Another good point. No, I didnt replace the fittings. But these are also pretty new dosers with low mileage in general. The kamoer is barely a month old at this point. And the Minnow is from late Jan. I can definitely look into that too.