Kessil

DC pump good/bad?

Most of the "good price" DC pumps are virtually identical, except for some lipstick and makeup differences, they're all pumped out of the same factories, they have the same components, you'll be good with just about any. Speedwave, waveline, diablo, all the same.
 
I have been using a Jaebo DC6000 for a few months now. Works great. Low power, quiet.
BUT....
For both Jaebo and Waveline, do not expect much of any customer service.
The power supply is cheap.
If I switch to more DC pumps (likely), I will also get a nice 24V supply to replace them.

Make sure you get the GEN2 pumps, and gen2 controllers.
DC6000, not DC5000 for example.

Note that the Red Dragon DC pumps are not the same as the other 3. Made in Germany, very expensive.
 
rygh said:
Note that the Red Dragon DC pumps are not the same as the other 3. Made in Germany, very expensive.
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Which is why I said the "good priced" ones are all clones. Red Dragon is far from being a "good price', I think they make Vortechs look not so expensive by comparison :D
 
Yeah, but the red dragon has some sort of extended housing with a propeller attachment.
So you can do a closed loop design at 26,000 GPH. :eek:
Fun stuff.
Until they get recalled again....

Side note:
These (regular) DC pumps do not have real NPT fittings. There is no taper.
So for external use with pipe fittings, expect to need to silicone it in or it will leak.
 
I picked up a Jaebo DC 3000 to use as a return pump. IF it lasts, it's fantastic. If it's crap, then that sucks. But it is QUIET and it is adjustable. If it's durable, then it's the best thing ever. Uses like I dunno 30W, versus 80W for my current return pump.

Seriously, if these are durable, then they are completely worth it. I might get one as a skimmer pump as well, since my current skimmer pump (Mag5) uses 50W.

I bought mine off Amazon ... came in a plain white box with NO markings on it except a small sticker. The AC adapter thing's box was open. I wonder if I got a returned unit. It was sold on Amazon, but not BY Amazon. I really hope it doesn't suck, but if it does, Amazon might help me out (or not).

Plus the controller has a 10 minute "feed" button. Awesome! (It does not appear to have an off button though).

V
 
How are you guys liking these pumps? I've been suspicious for quite some time that my mag9.5s are outdated and that I could do better. Not to mention my skimmer pump dies about once a year and seizes completely to the housing.

It looks like I could reduce power consumption and get better equipment while doing it.

I run a mag 9.5 return pump, it's been very dependable. However the closed loop I run with the same model of pump has been a lot of trouble. I recently moved my dosing and ato outlets to the main tank, but I was replacing the impeller ~4-6 months on the closed loop because it would snap the shaft or shear the blades due to calcium deposits.

Are these pumps still working great?
 
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Specifically looking at ordering a Jebao DCT-6000 to replace one of the mag pumps. Would appreciate any thoughts from those who've tried them.

Also curious if there's any compelling reason to spend the extra $100 for the waveline.
 
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I've been using a Jebao DC-9000 on our 90 gallon for about 7 months now and I've been very happy with it for the price. The variable speed made it easy to tune the return to my system in conjunction with our herbie siphon drain's valve for a silent overflow.

The one issue I had was that I never cleaned it and the impeller seized at about 6 months. The pump shut itself down and didn't do any damage. After a vinegar bath and scrubbing for 5 minutes it was good as new. I added a dosing pump whose outlet was right above the return a week before this happened, which I think contributed to the mineral deposits here.

However, it was a bit scary. I like the Jebaos, but with any critical component like this I would recommend buying two of them so you have a hot backup. It also makes it easier to do the regular maintenance required for pumps to stay functional, since you can swap them and clean the dirty one.

I would definitely buy a Jebao DC return pump again, but would have gotten two of them on day 1. The variable speed is nice. The soft-start on power up is nice. The detection for stuck/dry impellers seem to work well. The value is high for the money.
 
Thanks, and excellent points on spares. I currently keep a spare mag pump on hand and would probably do the same.

Which brings me to another question: spare impellers.

I can buy a mag 9.5 impeller in town. I can't even find a replacement Jebao impeller for sale. Hmm. Anyone broken an impeller yet?
 
Thanks for that. Funny, I didn't spot those in my google searches. Transparent hat seo or I'm blind. eBay is usually pretty aggressively advertised.

Couple more questions that I can't seem to answer:

Is the newer Jebao dct-6000 watertight? I know they aren't supposed to be run externally but my closed loop cannot seep water during a power outage. The pump is submerged but if it's not sealed it could drain the tank. Some posts said it has a hole in the case, some posts said people were trying it anyways. Saw a photo of a Jebao dc-6000 external and it wasn't in a puddle of water, but it was the older version.

Also, with the Waveline or Jebao, I'd be curious if the power supply is packaged inside the controller box or if it's a separate box? Seems they have gone through several versions and I have seen pictures of both configurations. I have a meanwell 24v power supply that would run these pumps easily, but only if I could wire it up to the controller in the event of ps failure.
 
anathema said:
Also, with the Waveline or Jebao, I'd be curious if the power supply is packaged inside the controller box or if it's a separate box? Seems they have gone through several versions and I have seen pictures of both configurations. I have a meanwell 24v power supply that would run these pumps easily, but only if I could wire it up to the controller in the event of ps failure.
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My DC-9000 has an external power supply and controller.
 
I love my Waveline 12000 gen2. I had some problems with the gen1 power supply which over heated the controller. RLSS not on replaced the power supply, but gave me a free pump and upgraded gen2 controller. Excellent customer service!
 
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