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View Full Version : Powerhead controller/Wave maker


whitesquall
03/15/2011, 10:06 AM
Hey all,

Does anyone know of a device that will enable me to alternate the speed of several powerheads.....basically, I have three maxijet-1200's with the Sureflow 1600 impeller kits on them, I would like a device that will slow them down but not turn them off completely, then ramp them back up to full power several times an hour...

Only because i've heard these Sureflow impeller kits dont last on a wavemaker which turns the powerheads on and off.

some reason like... when the powerhead kicks back on, if the impellar starts turning in reverse it hits the reverse stop then start the correct way, BUT that the reverse stop wears the impeller down until it fails.

If there isn't a unit available commercially... has anyone made a DIY device which I could try to build???

Thanks All
-Alex.

johnstelting
03/15/2011, 10:41 AM
Most powerheads have warnings that you should not do this as it will cause the motors to burn out sooner.

Most vendors have wave makers available to do this.

arentspowell
03/15/2011, 12:38 PM
If you want something like that then you should get something that is meant to be sped up and slowed down like the vortech or the tunze powerheads. By slowing them down will burn them out the same way if you were to turn them off and on.

MaxxdOut
03/15/2011, 02:11 PM
If you want something like that then you should get something that is meant to be sped up and slowed down like the vortech or the tunze powerheads. By slowing them down will burn them out the same way if you were to turn them off and on.

I'm not sure I agree that slowing down the pumps will burn them out. Can you explain your logic?

whitesquall
03/16/2011, 09:13 AM
Yes.... please do explain, I thought that all motors could be slowed down....

I know you could use a RIOSTAT to slow down an electric motor but that manually.

anything out there electronic that can slow down and speed up say three motors randomly?

arentspowell
03/16/2011, 10:24 AM
I could be wrong, but by the way that the magnet was designed by slowing it down I though it might not be balanced or running how it was meant to be. Generally when a product is used not how it was originally intended it will fail sooner. Does anyone make a wakemaker by slowing down the speed or were you going to make one yourself?

parrthed
03/17/2011, 12:28 AM
Seio makes one that drops speed down to 30% then back to 100%. I have used the seio with seio and hydor pumps. Tunze nanostreams vibrate at the lower end of the ramp.

strgazr27
03/17/2011, 06:19 AM
The new Evolutions from Hydor can be used with wavemakers. 12v powerheads are the easiest to do variable speed control on.

You could also use one of the available Wave timer strips that are cheap and a simple solution.

Most of what you need can be found on this page.

http://www.marinedepot.com/wavemakers__index-ap.html