Return pump down! ‍♂️

[Rob's Reef]

So I woke up today and noticed my water level was low. So I go and look at my controller and the lights are off. After some inspection it turns out my quiet drive controller fried itself. Of course it didn't happen yesterday when I was home and ecotech was still open...

 

[blaxsun]

Never rains, but it burns... At least it was self-contained. Any ideas what you'll replace it with?

 

[Lavey29]

These are one of the components that you need a backup for in your inventory.

 

[n2585722]

That controller isn't anywhere near you sump is it? If so it could be salt spray and humidity got to it. I have my QD controllers in a seperate cabinet from the sump. In fact all my electronics is separated from the sump except for the probes and pumps themselves that have to be in the water. You may be able to get a replacement controller and power supply from EcoTech.

 

[Rob's Reef]

Controller is 5 feet from the sump.
I'll call ecotech on Tuesday when they reopen. Of course it happened on a holiday weekend... I've got my old pump that's I'm swapping it out with right now. Old Coralife Turbo Sea 1740-P

 

[Rob's Reef]

I'm not a plumber but I put my old pump back on and it has way more flow... ‍

 

[n2585722]

The flow rates in the spec's are no load flow for the pumps. The flow once restricted will affect pumps differently. Some pumps cannot flow if you try to lift 7ft and some will go a lot higher and still have the same flow rating so I can see that older pump might have more flow under the same conditions. I use a Syncra 3.0 and once it is connected through all the plumbing has a flow of 210 gph once everything is adjusted. I think it is rated just above 700 gph. It is a 42 gallon tank so 210 is plenty for the return pump.

 

[Rob's Reef]

My old pump vs new pump. You would think they would be closer to flow than they are... old pump is putting out a lot more! New one is the Vectra L1

Plumbing is about 7'. 6' high

 

[theatrus]

So I woke up today and noticed my water level was low. So I go and look at my controller and the lights are off. After some inspection it turns out my quiet drive controller fried itself. Of course it didn't happen yesterday when I was home and ecotech was still open...

RIP.

If EcoTech doesn’t want the old driver back, crack it open for a post mortem. It could just be limited to the plug end (contacts heat when they’re corroded), at which point it’s very fixable.

 

[Mark Goode]

Thank you for posting this, you have reminded me I need to purchase a backup pump.

 

[n2585722]

My old pump vs new pump. You would think they would be closer to flow than they are... old pump is putting out a lot more! New one is the Vectra L1

Plumbing is about 7'. 6' high

The one on the left can pump almost twice the height. So my guess is with height the Vectra looses it's flow quicker.If I read the Vectra flow chart right at 7ft it would have about 1/2 of it's flow rate. That is not counting any bends or right angles in the plumbing.

 

[Rob's Reef]

The one on the left can pump almost twice the height. So my guess is with height the Vectra looses it's flow quicker.If I read the Vectra flow chart right at 7ft it would have about 1/2 of it's flow rate. That is not counting any bends or right angles in the plumbing.

Yeah I see the head pressure difference is half, it's also claiming half the flow as the vectra. So double the gph of the old pump and cut the head pressure in half and it should be close to the vectra's numbers. That was my thought anyways, but it's not. Lol. Old pump isn't controllable like the vectra though. ‍

 

[jda]

Can you solder? You might be able to pigtail a new male connector onto the power supply and solder the female side onto the board. I have no idea since I have never opened one of those, but if EcoTech tells you to buy a new one, then it is worth considering.