High Tide Aquatics

Why does some of the most expensive equipment use some of the cheapest part *mini-rant*

S

sfsuphysics

Supporting Member
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I'm not going to name any names, but lets just say I have this certain magnetically coupled pump (multiple in fact) and the power supply dies... AGAIN. Of course it's outside that 1 year replacement window, as all good warranties expect, so it'd cost me $50 for a replacement part from the pump manufacturer.

Now there's nothing special about this power supply, it's basically the same type that you can get for roughly $30 online (if you know where to look), yet here this company is charging a premium on top of it (I know they do because I managed to argue them down to $35 the first time I stopped working, and you know they're still making money). No real reason for the premium, it doesn't have a particular unique set of electrical characteristics, it doesn't even have any water tight gaskets or seals that might be useful in the somewhat humid environment that the manufacturer knows they'll be in which I could see the need for a premium price.

But like all good made in china products they're made so that on average they exceed the warranty period by a small fractional amount, then kaput.

So now I need to go find a replacement, luckily in the mean time I can run it off the battery backup, and since I didn't lose power the power should be coming directly from the wall as opposed to the battery (at least I'm hoping it's that way)

Sorry, I needed that rant because well... yeah I needed it :D
 
I know ecotechly what you are talking about. :p I would just get the mp$30 one from Mouser/Newark/Digikey etc.

In fact, you can get one with a current rating to drive multiple pumps ;)
 
Happen to have a link to save me some time? Work starts today, and I'm a little behind on my day1 homework :D

BTW, multiple pumps? Without any franken hacking?
 
I would like a link to, I might actually use my way overpriced doorstop that has gone through two other expensive parts and now the power supply does not work after a total of about 2 months of use....
 
I jsut browsed very briefly. I need to find out the specifics to link a proper replacement (current req, volt, pin polarity and connector size)

estimating those pulled up some $30 supplies.
 
sfsuphysics said:
BTW, multiple pumps? Without any franken hacking?
Click to expand...

Yup. All you need is a way to split the power out to multiple units in parallel (voltage stays the same and current sums). There might be pre-fabbed cables or you'd have to cut and solder wires (all external, no internal hard stuff)
 
BTW: You might even save some power in switching.
Those cheap ones are often far less efficient, and do not have power-factor-correction.
But $30 will not get you a particularly good replacement.

A really good replacement for 2 pumps would be Meanwell SDR-120-24
Assuming above 24V at 2.5A is correct.
About $70
 
Important update:
A lot of the problem could be with moisture.
If your supply is near the sump/skimmer, make sure to get a supply that is IP67 rated.
(The supply I mentioned above is NOT)
Meanwell HLG-150-24 would be a good one for a wet location.
 
handful of good replacements here
http://www.jameco.com

For example, one capable of driving two (2) vortechs:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1940871_-1

one capable of driving one (1) vortech:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1952214_-1

(I'm not sure of pin polarity, which usually is standardized per potential, nor the power connector size)
 
Hmm there doesn't seem to be any economic advantage to get the two vortech driver, its not cheaper than 2 of the others, seems like you'd need to make/buy a splitter, any real savings is one plug outlet :D

Any chance you know if the output pin sizing is the same, I don't have calipers handy to compare.

Pin polarity is easy enough to find out, when I get some time I'll put a voltmeter to one of the working ones.

Thanks for the help Tony.

Mark: I'm not sure there's a whole lot of power to be saved though, while yes you can save power the cost effectiveness of it might not be there.
 
Gomer said:
handful of good replacements here
http://www.jameco.com

For example, one capable of driving two (2) vortechs:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1940871_-1

one capable of driving one (1) vortech:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1952214_-1

(I'm not sure of pin polarity, which usually is standardized per potential, nor the power connector size)
Click to expand...

And you can do will-call at Jameco (San Carlos IIRC)
 
ok I had an few old micrometers downstairs unfortunately they read American, I don't know how to read those in American :D Luckily I can compare the spacing to a tape measure found the width is ~ 7/32 of an inch, which seems spot on with the 5.5mm part, the iffy part is the inside, because it looks like the hole tapers at the top so I'm really eyeballing the width, which I get somewhere along the lines of 3/32" which would work, but I can't be certain, wish I "borrowed" some vernier calipers from work when I worked in the physics lab then I might be able to get the inside diameter a bit more accurately :D
 
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