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Rob Top

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I am starting the work on a 220 built in and want to put a 3-way actuated vavle on it to crate alternating flow. Googling for one is like trying to find a single blade of grass in my back yard. They all look alike and the pricing seems pretty much the same. Anyone ever use one? Brand name and company to buy from would be cool if you please.
 
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Anonymous

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The three way valves I have used on boats all sucked for this application as they were way to hard to turn from one direction to another.

So, can't help ya
 

Rob Top

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Kucklehead, I'm not looking for one to turn manually. I thought that actuated and automatic are one and the same. This ball vavle needs to be powered by eletricity so I can put it on a controller to switch from one out put to another every hour or two. Something like this

http://www.plastomatic.com/tebv.html
 
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Anonymous

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I use Plasti-o-matic, and many people use Hayward, FWIW.
 

Rob Top

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The OM are very cool and I was looking at getting the 4 or 8 way, until I meet this guy Jake Adams at IMAS. He was one of the speakers and probably one of the best as far as giving hard core facts and proof to what he was saying. He presented on flow and growth rates. After his presentation I had the chance to talk to him about my 220 for a while. Based off of his findings and advice I am planning on have my reef dart plumbed to a 3-way valve. The flow will alternate from 1 out put to the other every hour or two. Each out put will further divided down to 3 final outputs. Two of the three will be on the top left, one on the bottom right all pointing to the center. The other out put will be the oppisite set up. This will get all the water in the tank going in a circlular pattern, then when the vavle switches there will be chotic flow and then all the water will flow the oppisite direction. Turbulate flow will be aided by a surge device.

7E where do you get yours from?
 
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Anonymous

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If this guy was so good he may have told you where to find these things! :D
 
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Anonymous

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OM and other opions are good alternatives. The main advantage of actuated valve offers is the ability of control. If you don't need the controllability, I don't think there is anything else that you can't do with the alternatives we have nowadays.

Some plumbing supply has them. Best way is to contact the authorized retailer from the manufacturer's list, and get the best price. Second-handed are much cheaper, and you can try eBay, etc., or post a wanted ad in RDO's wanted forum, etc.
 

Rob Top

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If this guy was so good he may have told you where to find these things!

He did, gave me a couple manufacture names and suggested e-bay to start. Just thought some here might help as well.

post a wanted ad in RDO's wanted forum

Little slow there, I'd get more responces if I posted a "wanted winning lottery ticket" :lol:

I'll go with the manufacture's list Thanks
 
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Anonymous

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>...Little slow there...

Well, if you did, I would have PM you that I have a few actuators that I don't need, but you will need to get the valve for it.
 

dbsherwood

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The guy at Ocean's Motion will make you a custom unit if you call him up and ask him. I had him make a 2.5" 2-way for my tank and he was very nice and helpful.
 
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Anonymous

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So how much do those actuating 3ways go for? Must be quite pricy, needs to be completely plastic inside, electronic motor outside.
 

Rob Top

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Just got off the phone with OM. He is willing to try to create something for me...we shall see :D THANKS for the tip.

The cheapest I have found a Hayward 1.5" 3-way actuated ball valve has been $328 This is with out the timing relays I would need.
 
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Anonymous

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GAH! I'd stick with an ocean motion 8 way for that cost! :) Or 2 4 ways.
 
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Anonymous

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Well, there is an issue with nomenclature here... for actuated valve, a 3 way valve let you divert the flow to two directions, while a four-way valve let you divert it three ways, etc. For OM people, a four way valve is equivalent to a five way valve in the world of actuated valve.

It is all about the world of index in C and FORTRAN ;)
 

wetworx101

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custom aquatic sells the spears and hayward valves.

I scored the EA2 actuator on ebay for $20 and went to a local plumbing supplier for the 1.5" 3-way valve I wanted...$60.

Beware...the valves are loud when they switch...a loud whirrr, click, and snap!!! every 15-20 seconds means a seperate room for plumbing. And they still require some controller for the timing...like a wave strip.

IMO, unless you are running eductors, or dont care about noise an oceansmotions is a better idea.
 

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