Your Resident Electrician for all your electrical questions!

[Tft12]

Well, this is embarrassing. I had properly identified my line and load hot wires but I accidentally put my load neutral wire to the line neutral terminal of the receptacle. Problem solved and everything is working as expected. At least I learned about MWBCs. Cool stuff.

 

[Lylelovett]

After 25 years experiance on the field and 15 years at the office, as an electrican I think I can answer most of your questions.

Thanks to my fellow electricians for helping answering your question's.
And the team is:

Myself and
anemonekeeper



:wink:

Good afternoon,

I'm trying to understand the power consumption of my skimmer, Bubble Magus A8. From the company website:

• Pump：Bubble-Magus Rock DSP2000
• DC24V, 18W
• AC/DC： AC 100-240V/ 50/60Hz， DC24V，1.5A

So does it use 1.5A as stated, or based off of the 18W number, only use .15a?

Thanks so much!
J

 

[Brew12]

Good afternoon,

I'm trying to understand the power consumption of my skimmer, Bubble Magus A8. From the company website:

• Pump：Bubble-Magus Rock DSP2000
• DC24V, 18W
• AC/DC： AC 100-240V/ 50/60Hz， DC24V，1.5A

So does it use 1.5A as stated, or based off of the 18W number, only use .15a?

Thanks so much!
J

The pump is 24V, 18W so it will use 0.75A @ 24VDC. This works out to around 0.15A on the AC input side.

The second line is the power supply rating, not power usage.
The power supply can be connected to an AC source of 100-240V and either 50 or 60hz. The power supply is rated to 1.5A on the 24V output.

 

[Lylelovett]

The pump is 24V, 18W so it will use 0.75A @ 24VDC. This works out to around 0.15A on the AC input side.

The second line is the power supply rating, not power usage.
The power supply can be connected to an AC source of 100-240V and either 50 or 60hz. The power supply is rated to 1.5A on the 24V output.

SO helpful! Thank you so much!

 

[ReefSharkBuilder]

Is anyone on here familiar with Arduino?

 

[Paul B]

Is this Bad?

 

[Mark Bianco]

Paul,
Before we can answer. Please define bad... ;Happy;Yuck ROTFLMAO

 

[RamsReef]

Paul, some wd40 and a scotch right pad will buff that out... good as new :O

 

[RamsReef]

Paul, some wd40 and a scotch right pad will buff that out... good as new

 

[Paul B]

I actually tried that on the plate. But it can't cure "melt"

 

[Brew12]

I actually tried that on the plate. But it can't cure "melt"

Think of it as adding character!

But... it won't work if you don't connect wires to it. ;Wideyed

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Hello resident electrical experts; I have a question.
I want use a 12V sla rechargable battery to run a 12V water pump.
The voltage from the pumps controller is 12.9 V, but the fully charged battery's standby voltage: 13.5 - 13.9V.
Q: will the higher battery voltage damage the pump/controller ,,, do I need to use a voltage regulator between the battery & the pumps controller?

cheers

 

[Lawnmowerblenny]

Good evening,

I picked up this older coralife fixture a couple days ago, it had some issues but I scooped it up for $20. I figured worst case scenario that I could use the housing and do a retrofit of some sort. The seller said that the PC lights didn't work, one of the two halides worked and the other they think had a bad bulb because it was making a "buzzing noise" when they tested the light. No worries because I didn't plan on using the PC lights anyway, and of course I knew that new bulbs were a must for the halides the 1ok bulbs that came with it were probably original to the fixture and looked way gone. I had some time today to tinker with the light and ended up taking it apart because the factory paint was bubbling in some areas so I planned on stripping the housing down to clean metal to repaint. Removed all the power compact lights, ballasts, and components, removed all the moon lights and wires/ switches for those lights, removed the old halide bulbs and inspected, notice one of the old halide bulbs appears broken and one of the sockets/terminals looks like may have a burnt area....

I'm now at a stand still and need someone with electrical knowledge to weigh in. Do I need to replace this part/socket? If so can you tell me where I could possible find, are these ballast for the halides ok to use or is there any danger to them being older/ do the ballast need any attention? I'm trying to avoid purchasing a nice bulb and damaging it because of faulty ballast or socket/terminal. Or do you think my best bet is to just trash the halides and use the housing for a retrofit. Be honest it won't hurt my feelings.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Paul B]

Hello resident electrical experts; I have a question.
I want use a 12V sla rechargable battery to run a 12V water pump.
The voltage from the pumps controller is 12.9 V, but the fully charged battery's standby voltage: 13.5 - 13.9V.
Q: will the higher battery voltage damage the pump/controller ,,, do I need to use a voltage regulator between the battery & the pumps controller?

cheers

No, that voltage is fine. It will drop when you connect your pump. Even a car battery will read about 14 volts sometimes.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

No, that voltage is fine. It will drop when you connect your pump. Even a car battery will read about 14 volts sometimes.

Thanks Paul.

 

[Lawnmowerblenny]

Bump.

Let me know if you have any input please

 

[steamman]

I just ordered this optical sensor from Amazon for $25. It didn't come with a wiring diagram. I believe L and N are Hot and Neutral. Would anyone like to advise as to how to hook up the pump wires? I think the other four terminals are NO and NC. But why have two sensors?

This is from the manufacturer:

Descriptions:

When the level status LED (D3, D4) on the module are working.

This product is for liquid level sensing, convenient to get aware of liquid level and easy to adjust.

MPN Does Not Apply
Brand Uxcell
Cable Length 50cm/19.7"
IR Sensor Double IR Sensor
IR Sensor Size 20 x 25mm/0.8"x1"(D*H)
Main Color Black, Blue, Green
Material Plastic & Electronic Part
Main Body Size 71 x 45 x 24mm/2.8"x1.8"x0.94"(L*W*H)
Working Voltage AC 85~265V
Working Current Max. 100mA
Output Up to 30A
Response Time Less Than 500ms
Insulation Resistance 100M Ohm
Working Temp -30~80C
Operating Humidity 0~100% RH
Net Weight 94g

I am stumped. I connect power L and N. I have continuity between the first two terminals and the second two terminals powered or not. I do not have continuity between terminal one and three or one and four or two and three or two and four. Keep in mind this is all not powered.

If I power the board there is no change to terminal continuity. If I drop one sensor in the water in a time I get no change in continuity and no power across any two terminals. Same if I take the first sensor out and drop the other sensor in the water.

If I put both sensors in the water I get continuity across all terminals although still no power.

 

[steamman]

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[ReefSharkBuilder]

I just ordered this optical sensor from Amazon for $25. It didn't come with a wiring diagram. I believe L and N are Hot and Neutral. Would anyone like to advise as to how to hook up the pump wires? I think the other four terminals are NO and NC. But why have two sensors?

This is from the manufacturer:

Descriptions:

When the level status LED (D3, D4) on the module are working.

This product is for liquid level sensing, convenient to get aware of liquid level and easy to adjust.

MPN Does Not Apply
Brand Uxcell
Cable Length 50cm/19.7"
IR Sensor Double IR Sensor
IR Sensor Size 20 x 25mm/0.8"x1"(D*H)
Main Color Black, Blue, Green
Material Plastic & Electronic Part
Main Body Size 71 x 45 x 24mm/2.8"x1.8"x0.94"(L*W*H)
Working Voltage AC 85~265V
Working Current Max. 100mA
Output Up to 30A
Response Time Less Than 500ms
Insulation Resistance 100M Ohm
Working Temp -30~80C
Operating Humidity 0~100% RH
Net Weight 94g

I am stumped. I connect power L and N. I have continuity between the first two terminals and the second two terminals powered or not. I do not have continuity between terminal one and three or one and four or two and three or two and four. Keep in mind this is all not powered.

If I power the board there is no change to terminal continuity. If I drop one sensor in the water in a time I get no change in continuity and no power across any two terminals. Same if I take the first sensor out and drop the other sensor in the water.

If I put both sensors in the water I get continuity across all terminals although still no power.

I'm interested in this as well. I purchased one and have yet to decide it as well

 

[Brew12]

I just ordered this optical sensor from Amazon for $25. It didn't come with a wiring diagram. I believe L and N are Hot and Neutral. Would anyone like to advise as to how to hook up the pump wires? I think the other four terminals are NO and NC. But why have two sensors?

This is from the manufacturer:

Descriptions:

When the level status LED (D3, D4) on the module are working.

This product is for liquid level sensing, convenient to get aware of liquid level and easy to adjust.

MPN Does Not Apply
Brand Uxcell
Cable Length 50cm/19.7"
IR Sensor Double IR Sensor
IR Sensor Size 20 x 25mm/0.8"x1"(D*H)
Main Color Black, Blue, Green
Material Plastic & Electronic Part
Main Body Size 71 x 45 x 24mm/2.8"x1.8"x0.94"(L*W*H)
Working Voltage AC 85~265V
Working Current Max. 100mA
Output Up to 30A
Response Time Less Than 500ms
Insulation Resistance 100M Ohm
Working Temp -30~80C
Operating Humidity 0~100% RH
Net Weight 94g

I am stumped. I connect power L and N. I have continuity between the first two terminals and the second two terminals powered or not. I do not have continuity between terminal one and three or one and four or two and three or two and four. Keep in mind this is all not powered.

If I power the board there is no change to terminal continuity. If I drop one sensor in the water in a time I get no change in continuity and no power across any two terminals. Same if I take the first sensor out and drop the other sensor in the water.

If I put both sensors in the water I get continuity across all terminals although still no power.

I'm not sure that I would design a product like this, but here is my take on it.

Power to the board is only for control.

I'm guessing that the 2 optical sensors are for redundancy. I would do a check where I put both of them in the water and take one sensor out to see if it opens the connection between the contact pairs or if it stays closed until both sensors are removed.

I also see no reason for two terminals on each side of the switch. I see no markings indicating a normally closed connection, only normally open. To wire a pump into this you would take the hot from the power supply to one set of contacts. Run a wire from the other side to the pump. Connect the neutral from the pump to the power supply.