Solar Pump Issues and Reviews

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BitterSweetBrews

BitterSweetBrews

Tim Trabold
Joined
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Earlier this year, in January, I bought a 12v/24v solar pump to use for recirculation on my RIMS. It supplements my Chugger pump. I have used it for 8-10 brews and it has become unreliable. It will not start, stalls and I sometimes have to push a wire into it to rotate the impeller to the next magnet so it will start. I don't know what happened but maybe one of the magnets moved. Here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-DC-12...191907?hash=item2a4390d623:g:XVQAAOSwPe1UD8~z

After looking at a number of other threads, I ordered a 12v food grade pump that appeared to be better. I received it yesterday and started move my valves and quick connects. I paid about $19 for the black pump and $22 for the tan, which came with some barbed fittings and hose clamps. Here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/381005463497?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Following are some pictures of both pumps.

The tan pump is the new one. It does appear to be better made. It is actually about 20% heaver. I did have one issue. It has a front facing inlet port. When I was putting my fittings on it, I over torqued it and the inlet broke off. That really sucks!!. I did use some HFT JB Weld clone to glue it back on and it should be better than it was.

I have a question and would like some opinions. I have a battery float charger that puts out about 13V/2a. Does anyone think this would hurt the 12v pump if I used it for power? Any idea how many amps this pump would need to run properly? I tried a 500ma 12v power supply and it wasn't powerful enough.

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You can find piles of 12v wall warts at a good will or salvation army in the electronics section. They are usually just a few dollars, I bought a old GameCube power supply when I used a tan 12v pump for $3
 
I second using the correct type of power... for the 12v ones you want at least 1 amp... it says 800ma but they actually draw more than that and I found they run more reliably with the correct voltage and enough amperage.

I have the 12v and 24v versions (3 of each) all from different sellers I've been using for about 2 1/2 years. They are all from the the same maker
the 24v ones are stronger and pump faster... (about 1/3rd more) I had no issues using teflon tape and installing stainless camlocks to mine but did drop one on the floor and cracked it as a result.

you can buy them for less than $18 with shipping too if you dont mind the 1.5 to 2 week wait... I bought from here..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/25176871088...49&var=550695663763&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The thing to watch is those cheap wall wort supplies have a high failure rate and often the voltage or amps they put out drops but they dont completely fail... many blame the pumps for these failures. I have a filing cabinet FULL of these type... and too often I find myself replacing the power supplies that come with newer products I buy with these tried and true older supplies that I kept from devices past...

If you powered the original black pump with that harbor freight float charger I bet that was the cause of your issues... I have purchased many of those $8 chargers over the years... They are not very strong or well built nor do they put out the correct minimum amp requirements if I remember correctly (that does NOT put out a steady 2amps of power trust me I have a real 2amp bat charger as well)... Plus being that they are a float charger they have circuitry designed to turn them on and off as needed to keep a battery charged...

I spent like $12 for a 7amp 24v power supply that I use installed in my panel to power all three of my pumps plumbed into my system.
 
JonW said:
Most 12V power supplies are not that accurate, so your 13V would work just fine.
Click to expand...

Except hes not using a 13v power supply... From his picturs He is using a float charger with mentioned pulsing and on/off circuity designed to charge a battery.... He could bypass the little black box attached to the supply and likely have better results. It sounds like he might have already burned up the black pump (or perhaps its just the powersupply causing his issues?) from powering it from the battery charger.
 
Yeah, agree with that. I assumed there was a mode for 13V constant output.

With no load attached, you'll find many 12V power supplied putting out 13-16 volts. As you add a current draw on them, they will float back down depending on the current draw. That's why I say they are not that accurate.
 
I looked at all my old PC power supplies and most were 19v. I did find a 12v 500ma supply in one my piles of electronic junk. It worked so I attached it to the pump.

I brewed this weekend and used it for my RIMS. It worked great, for a while. After about 15 minutes it stopped. I power cycled it and got nothing. I ended up using my Chugger pump instead. After I moved hoses around I ran some water through it (I hooked it to my sink with a quick connect and a hose). It then started to work again.

So, either the 500ma PS wasn't powerful enough, long enough and rotating the motor moved it to another magnet to get started again or a piece of grain got stuck and the power wasn't enough to power through it.

Regardless, this time was a fail for the new pump. I think I will look into the more powerful 12V/2A or 3A power supply and try it again.
 
BitterSweetBrews said:
I looked at all my old PC power supplies and most were 19v. I did find a 12v 500ma supply in one my piles of electronic junk. It worked so I attached it to the pump.

I brewed this weekend and used it for my RIMS. It worked great, for a while. After about 15 minutes it stopped. I power cycled it and got nothing. I ended up using my Chugger pump instead. After I moved hoses around I ran some water through it (I hooked it to my sink with a quick connect and a hose). It then started to work again.

So, either the 500ma PS wasn't powerful enough, long enough and rotating the motor moved it to another magnet to get started again or a piece of grain got stuck and the power wasn't enough to power through it.

Regardless, this time was a fail for the new pump. I think I will look into the more powerful 12V/2A or 3A power supply and try it again.
Click to expand...

Yes 500ma is not powerful enough, despite some seller advertising it as the minimum to get the sale for solar applications were less powerdraw is more appealing. They require at least 800ma RMS and will work best with 1 amp or more. You likely overtaxed the powersupply causing it to become weaker the longer it ran. You need to use the correct size power supply... The amperage is current and the proper minimum current is just as important as voltage. I noticed the pumps struggled and were more likely to stall when I tried running 2 12v pumps off of a 1.2amp supply at the same time. It worked but you could hear them struggle and one slowed when the other was turned on.

The cheapy power supplies sold with a lot of the overseas electronics are often mislabeled and put out less current than they state... I have had 3 wall wort powersupplies become unreliable or just fail altogether with the 6 or 7 android tv boxes I have purchased for myself and friends... I cant stress enough that the cheap supplies are questionable and the pump is only as good as the powersupply that feeds it so..

you could always try a car battery for testing too ... You may know this but there's nothing wrong with using a much higher amp power source some people seem to think that using say an 8 amp powersupply will somehow hurt the pump which is totally not the case...

BTW it seems there is no limit to what sears will try to sell... heres the same pump at a hefty $52...as well as the same pump for $32..not confusing at all... I'm guessing "sears marketplace" is like an overpriced version of amazon or ebay where less knowledgeable people shop (and overpay)

http://www.sears.com/5430net-solar-...on/p-SPM12018721430?sid=IDx20140425xECNMPTL25

http://www.sears.com/zjchao-tm-12v-...ion/p-SPM8198709627?sid=IDx20140425xECNMPPS21
 
dkmag said:
I use an old external hard drive power supply for the black pump. 12v 2.5a and have been using it for over a year without any issues. I have it mounted directly to the output of my HLT so it's only been pumping water.
View attachment 316637
Click to expand...
I have and used that pump (if its the one with the swirl pattern manufacturers logo molded into the head) for about 6 months with no real issues except it has mppt tech and wont work well with pwm controllers, its also designed to shut off if it gets too hot which was an issue once or twice... the biggest turnoff and reason I quit using it was the fact that its not food grade. Its made of a different type of plastic with is fine up to 170 degrees and the magnet is bare and exposed to whatever liquid its pumping... Its likely fine for just pumping water but combined with its other weaknesses I was compelled to replace it.

That pump btw was designed to run directly off of solar panels which output 17v in direct sunlight... it uses MPPT buck/boost tech to take the additional voltage and buck it down into additional current making more use of the power being supplied and driving the pump better...
 
augiedoggy said:
I second using the correct type of power... for the 12v ones you want at least 1 amp... it says 800ma but they actually draw more than that and I found they run more reliably with the correct voltage and enough amperage.

I have the 12v and 24v versions (3 of each) all from different sellers I've been using for about 2 1/2 years. They are all from the the same maker
the 24v ones are stronger and pump faster... (about 1/3rd more) I had no issues using teflon tape and installing stainless camlocks to mine but did drop one on the floor and cracked it as a result.

you can buy them for less than $18 with shipping too if you dont mind the 1.5 to 2 week wait... I bought from here..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/25176871088...49&var=550695663763&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The thing to watch is those cheap wall wort supplies have a high failure rate and often the voltage or amps they put out drops but they dont completely fail... many blame the pumps for these failures. I have a filing cabinet FULL of these type... and too often I find myself replacing the power supplies that come with newer products I buy with these tried and true older supplies that I kept from devices past...

If you powered the original black pump with that harbor freight float charger I bet that was the cause of your issues... I have purchased many of those $8 chargers over the years... They are not very strong or well built nor do they put out the correct minimum amp requirements if I remember correctly (that does NOT put out a steady 2amps of power trust me I have a real 2amp bat charger as well)... Plus being that they are a float charger they have circuitry designed to turn them on and off as needed to keep a battery charged...

I spent like $12 for a 7amp 24v power supply that I use installed in my panel to power all three of my pumps plumbed into my system.
Click to expand...


I powered the original one with a 24volt power supply I got on e-bay or amazon, not the car charger. I haven't used it.

I do have access to a bunch of 12 volt batteries pulled from a UPS (about the size of a motorcycle battery). I may try using a bunch of them in parallel to see how long they last and if they might work better than a power supply. I can use the float charger to keep them charged when not in use.

I can also hook them up in series to get 24 volts. I can get about a dozen of them.
 
BitterSweetBrews said:
I powered the original one with a 24volt power supply I got on e-bay or amazon, not the car charger. I haven't used it.

I do have access to a bunch of 12 volt batteries pulled from a UPS (about the size of a motorcycle battery). I may try using a bunch of them in parallel to see how long they last and if they might work better than a power supply. I can use the float charger to keep them charged when not in use.

I can also hook them up in series to get 24 volts. I can get about a dozen of them.
Click to expand...

If your pumps are 12v using 24v to power them will cause them to burn up after a short period. they sell both 12v and 24v pumps and the motor windings are different.

you can run the pump off of a single battery that you have which will be plenty and keep the charger connected to that and charging even while running the pump.. That would be the safest bet.
 
augiedoggy said:
If your pumps are 12v using 24v to power them will cause them to burn up after a short period. they sell both 12v and 24v pumps and the motor windings are different.

you can run the pump off of a single battery that you have which will be plenty and keep the charger connected to that and charging even while running the pump.. That would be the safest bet.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I wouldn't run a 12v pump at 24v. With regards to the 24v pump that kept stopping, I was just thinking that maybe the amperage I was running the 24v pump at wasn't enough (It was 24V/1A). I may try it out again using some heavy duty batteries instead of the 1 amp power supply. Previously I used an old model train transformer with it and it ran OK with a lower voltage but higher amperage. I don't think it ever stopped. I just didn't like having its' metal box so close to water.

I did just receive the 12V/2A PS for the new pump. I'll try it out too.

Cheers! Thanks
 
augiedoggy said:
Yes 500ma is not powerful enough, despite some seller advertising it as the minimum to get the sale for solar applications were less powerdraw is more appealing. They require at least 800ma RMS and will work best with 1 amp or more. You likely overtaxed the powersupply causing it to become weaker the longer it ran. You need to use the correct size power supply... The amperage is current and the proper minimum current is just as important as voltage. I noticed the pumps struggled and were more likely to stall when I tried running 2 12v pumps off of a 1.2amp supply at the same time. It worked but you could hear them struggle and one slowed when the other was turned on.

The cheapy power supplies sold with a lot of the overseas electronics are often mislabeled and put out less current than they state... I have had 3 wall wort powersupplies become unreliable or just fail altogether with the 6 or 7 android tv boxes I have purchased for myself and friends... I cant stress enough that the cheap supplies are questionable and the pump is only as good as the powersupply that feeds it so..

you could always try a car battery for testing too ... You may know this but there's nothing wrong with using a much higher amp power source some people seem to think that using say an 8 amp powersupply will somehow hurt the pump which is totally not the case...

BTW it seems there is no limit to what sears will try to sell... heres the same pump at a hefty $52...as well as the same pump for $32..not confusing at all... I'm guessing "sears marketplace" is like an overpriced version of amazon or ebay where less knowledgeable people shop (and overpay)

http://www.sears.com/5430net-solar-...on/p-SPM12018721430?sid=IDx20140425xECNMPTL25

http://www.sears.com/zjchao-tm-12v-...ion/p-SPM8198709627?sid=IDx20140425xECNMPPS21
Click to expand...

After I snapped the front off my pump I sent a message to the vendor asking if I could get a new inlet. I also asked them what kind of Power supply to use. I just saw that they sent me a reply. Here it is:

I am really sorry for that. It is really rare case of this issue. Please don't worry.We stand behind our sales.


In this case,we will send you a replacement of the front part to you on Monday.

For the power supply of this pump, please use the 12V power supply with the current of at least 0.7A. The rated voltage is 12V, the rated current is 0.7A.

If any question,please feel free to contact us.




Jolin

If anyone is interested - here is the link to the pump I purchased:

12V Solar Hot Water Pump Circulation High Quality Food Grade 212° F w/ Coupler

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Solar-H...-/381005463497?ssPageName=ADME:X:eRTM:US:1123
 
You should ask them why their ad says .5amp and not .7 ...

There is a 3.5 amp version sold with a white box attached to it that's supposed to pump 5.2 gallons per minute... I really have no need for the additional flow but it looks promising at $40 for those that do. like I said they will run better with a 2 amp supply then even the 1 amp...
 
2amp supplies cheap from China, and enough for all the 12V solar pumps. 1 amp is marginal for many pumps, and pump may not meet flow spec.
 
augiedoggy said:
You should ask them why their ad says .5amp and not .7 ...

There is a 3.5 amp version sold with a white box attached to it that's supposed to pump 5.2 gallons per minute... I really have no need for the additional flow but it looks promising at $40 for those that do. like I said they will run better with a 2 amp supply then even the 1 amp...
Click to expand...

The ad for the pump I purchased does not say anything about power supply needs. I did just receive a 12V/2A one and I think it will be fine. http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Solar-H...geName=ADME:X:eRTM:US:1123&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

Also, true to their word, the vendor did ship me a new headpiece at no charge. I received it today.
 
I used the pump with the 2A power supply this weekend. It worked well. I also replaced the head with the new one the vendor sent me (after the other one I glued came apart).
 

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