Water flow using an Electric Actuator

[Wicki]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone out there can give me any advice on using an electric actuator on a 3 way ball valve to create random currents in a tank? The best and only site I've found where someone else is doing this is: http://www.rockcanyon.com/reef/flow.htm

It sounds like a great idea, but I'm worried about the actuator being too noisy for a tank right in the middle of my family room. Has anyone ever used one of these before? Would it be possible to soundproof the stand somehow (without causing it to overheat?)?

Any ideas on this one guys & gals? Thanks!

 

[Jeff Hood]

The noise out of my Hayward valves is not that much but one of my valves sqeeks a little when the valve turns. I have cleaned around the ball and seals and it is actually coming from the top part of the valve. The other valve sounds like a quiet pencil sharpner. It only runs for 5 seconds to switch the valve to the other circuet and then is off for 35 seconds and goes again. I have to put my ear up to it to hear it switch. Keep in mind mine is in a noisy aquarium room. I still think it would be very tolarable in a stand especially if you insulated the inside of it. My chiller makes more noise than my ball valves. It has a 25% max duty cycle so that is about as fast as I want to run my valve. I did have it set to every 3 min. but I liked the faster cycle for my Ritteri. Its cool to see it sway back and forth every 35 seconds.

I hate powerheads and this is the only way I would go. Makes great random currents if you set your plumbing up right. I like it even better than my old sea swirls.

Jeff

 

[jamesw]

Hopefully Minh Nguyen will post on this thread. He also uses these valves.

Cheers
James Wiseman

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
Most of the noise is from the motor and the gear box, and it is about the same as a pencil sharpener, as Jeff says. It is less noise than a chiller, but I feel that the sound of a compressor is more pleasing than that of a gear box. The type of enclosure also help to dampen the noise a bit. I did not try it yet, but maybe I will put sound dampening foam around the enclosure to see if it helps. But I don't feel the noise if much of a deal when compare to the skimmer, chiller, and the overflow.

The valve does not generate much, if any noise. I use PlastiOMatic valves.