UV sterilizer actual vs stated watt draw - Aqua Ultraviolet 57 watt

DrewFish

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I just purchased and installed an Aqua Ultraviolet 57 watt compact UV sterilizer and installed it a couple of hours ago. Despite the 57 watt rating it is only drawing 42 watts. That is a big big delta. 55 would be fine. 50 would raise an eyebrow, but 42 is 26% less.

Is mine unusual? Do I need to return or RMA it?

Screenshot_20200905-140839184.jpg
 
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sam2110

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ac watts and dc watts are not the same you will probably find the fitting is DC, capacitor inside the fitting can boost the watts but you wouldn't be able to measure that with what you have
 

sam2110

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Capacitors are energy storage devices. Once charged, they store energy for eventual release. Because capacitors are frequency dependent, they block direct current (DC) and pass alternating current (AC). Capacitors have a direct relationship with current, where, if you increase the capacitance of a circuit, you increase the AC current. On the other hand, diodes are used to convert AC current into DC current. When this happens, DC current increases
 
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DrewFish

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Capacitors are energy storage devices. Once charged, they store energy for eventual release. Because capacitors are frequency dependent, they block direct current (DC) and pass alternating current (AC). Capacitors have a direct relationship with current, where, if you increase the capacitance of a circuit, you increase the AC current. On the other hand, diodes are used to convert AC current into DC current. When this happens, DC current increases

Thanks! I am hoping that someone has the same unit (or the 40 watt version) and can post their numbers just to verify as well.
 

Reef man 89

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I have the 15 watt hang on UV from them. On my apex it’s only drawing 8 watts. I email them to ask and was told that they don’t check the wattage on there UVs and didn’t know what to do.
 

Reef man 89

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I don’t understand way the wattage goes up and down like this

11FC4BDD-236D-41A0-927B-7119E7FE8426.png
 

Gablami

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Here are some more data points:

 
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DrewFish

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Here are some more data points:

Thanks!

Granted my circuits class was a LOOONG time ago, but I have never heard anyone say that DC watts are different than AC watts. If anything, DC output watts based on an AC input current/voltage should be less because you have to convert the signal by rectifying the sine wave. That necessarily entails a loss. Even if it was using a capacitor to provide the power, that capacitor still need to charge up. So you would see spikes in the current draw that should average out to something in the stated wattage. This is a continuously used device after all. It doesn't just "go off" periodically at a given watt. P (watts) = I (current) x V (voltage). To my understanding that is universal regardless of the power type.

So it sounds like based on the previous thread that their numbers are just made up to give relative sizing compared to other units. Sucks for the poor guy who was reading 22 watts. Yikes! I wonder what the 40 watt units draw. What about those from other manufacturers? If I found out that my competitor's numbers were not true to ratted capacity, I would be all over that in a heartbeat!
 

sam2110

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Thanks!

Granted my circuits class was a LOOONG time ago, but I have never heard anyone say that DC watts are different than AC watts. If anything, DC output watts based on an AC input current/voltage should be less because you have to convert the signal by rectifying the sine wave. That necessarily entails a loss. Even if it was using a capacitor to provide the power, that capacitor still need to charge up. So you would see spikes in the current draw that should average out to something in the stated wattage. This is a continuously used device after all. It doesn't just "go off" periodically at a given watt. P (watts) = I (current) x V (voltage). To my understanding that is universal regardless of the power type.

So it sounds like based on the previous thread that their numbers are just made up to give relative sizing compared to other units. Sucks for the poor guy who was reading 22 watts. Yikes! I wonder what the 40 watt units draw. What about those from other manufacturers? If I found out that my competitor's numbers were not true to ratted capacity, I would be all over that in a heartbeat!
Through capacitor and diodes you can ramp up watts dc (output) from the original watts ac (input). Also the charging of a small capacitor would be difficult to measure on the very basic components of the apex
 
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DrewFish

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Through capacitor and diodes you can ramp up watts dc (output) from the original watts ac (input).
You can continuously boost DC power (watts) beyond what is being input from the AC draw? I could see in bursts thanks to the capacitors, but otherwise power should be a fixed function in relation to voltage and current. I would love to know more if there is anything that you can point me to. Interesting stuff!
 

DaScubaSteve

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My tank has been running a little over 2 months.... my brown diatoms phase maybe starting... no hair algea yet, hopefully I wont get it in the display.. Im running a clear water algea scrubber (20hrs a day) and have a filter roller as well. My tank water is Extremely Clear though and I only have to use the magnet cleaner maybe once a week. Auto water change 1 gallon a day... 100 gallon system. So far 2 clowns 1 foxface 1 watchman, hermits and snails that i feed algea wafers.

I run the UV in the return line straight back to the display at about 600 gph. Right now being summer I keep my house Ac at 74 and the tank only needed a small fan for the really hot days we had this summer in CT. My sump in the basement helps keep it a bit cooler.

I have obviuosly never run a tank without a UV so dont know what it would be like but between this thing and the algea scrubber if my tank never sees algea then I think its a winning combo.

I also run my lights at about 30 percent 10 hours a day until i get corals... 2 xr15pro with dimmable t5s also at 30 percent.

Been running the lights a little over a month after the tank cycled.
 
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DrewFish

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My tank has been running a little over 2 months.... my brown diatoms phase maybe starting... no hair algea yet, hopefully I wont get it in the display.. Im running a clear water algea scrubber (20hrs a day) and have a filter roller as well. My tank water is Extremely Clear though and I only have to use the magnet cleaner maybe once a week. Auto water change 1 gallon a day... 100 gallon system. So far 2 clowns 1 foxface 1 watchman, hermits and snails that i feed algea wafers.

I run the UV in the return line straight back to the display at about 600 gph. Right now being summer I keep my house Ac at 74 and the tank only needed a small fan for the really hot days we had this summer in CT. My sump in the basement helps keep it a bit cooler.

I have obviuosly never run a tank without a UV so dont know what it would be like but between this thing and the algea scrubber if my tank never sees algea then I think its a winning combo.

I also run my lights at about 30 percent 10 hours a day until i get corals... 2 xr15pro with dimmable t5s also at 30 percent.

Been running the lights a little over a month after the tank cycled.
My tank is about the same age, but a little larger. I started a fuge with some chaeto. Verdict is out on if the chaeto was too old to really get going (the arm for the fuge light was back ordered and I had already bought the chaeto)
 

DaddyFish

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You absolutely cannot create watts by converting from AC to DC, or through any circuitry magic. There may be an inaccuracy of the measuring device/system that's reporting an incorrect wattage consumption.

But an accurately measured and operational 57-watt lamp, should be drawing at least 57-watts plus a small percentage more for circuitry resistance/loss.

The largest UV unit I currently use is 36-watts that draws 41.x-watts, 18-watt that draws 20.x, and several 9-watt that draw 11.x.

I would be concerned if I purchased a 57-watt unit that draws 20+ percent under it's rating. Somebody is cheating in their stats!
 
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DrewFish

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You absolutely cannot create watts by converting from AC to DC, or through any circuitry magic. There may be an inaccuracy of the measuring device/system that's reporting an incorrect wattage consumption.

But an accurately measured and operational 57-watt lamp, should be drawing at least 57-watts plus a small percentage more for circuitry resistance/loss.

The largest UV unit I currently use is 36-watts that draws 41.x-watts, 18-watt that draws 20.x, and several 9-watt that draw 11.x.

I would be concerned if I purchased a 57-watt unit that draws 20+ percent under it's rating. Somebody is cheating in their stats!
Ok that is what I thought, and your numbers make far more sense. There is a power loss to heat in the rectification of the AC signal. If you don't mind me asking, what brand are you using?
 

DaddyFish

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Ok that is what I thought, and your numbers make far more sense. There is a power loss to heat in the rectification of the AC signal. If you don't mind me asking, what brand are you using?
I primarily use Coralife TurboTwist units. Also have one Oase and two 36-watt/24" Chinese units that I can't recall the brand at the moment. In case you can't tell, I run UV on everything! I may even have one plumbed to my electric razor cleaning station.
;)

Edit... Just re-checked several UV wattages so I'm being more accurate than just using recall.

As reported by KASA ENERGY function:
9w Coralife UV = 10.9 - 11.2
18w Coralife UV = 21.2 - 21.6 w
36w Chinese UV = 33.7 - 34.1 (looks like the recently replaced knockoff lamp isn't doing so well!)
 
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