A DIY $6 Wavemake to control a powerhead! - Page 6

itZme · #**126** 01/30/2006, 01:32 AM

Mine is still working great with the Maxi-Jet hacksaw mod. It really churns up the water in the 29g.

Some of the problems with stalling may be that you didn't loosen the center screw a bit . It's the screw that holds the dial in place but if you loosen it too much then it moves over and lets the tabs get by without tripping the switch.

-- itZme

luv2dive · #**127** 01/30/2006, 12:07 PM

I finished one last night and it is still running with no problems. I made another today and just waiting for the glue to dry. It really does work great.

Mr Bojangles · #**128** 01/30/2006, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by itZme
Mine is still working great with the Maxi-Jet hacksaw mod. It really churns up the water in the 29g.

Some of the problems with stalling may be that you didn't loosen the center screw a bit . It's the screw that holds the dial in place but if you loosen it too much then it moves over and lets the tabs get by without tripping the switch.

-- itZme

what size maxijet are you using in the 29? Im gana try it on my 92

itZme · #**129** 01/30/2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Bojangles
what size maxijet are you using in the 29? Im gana try it on my 92

I have a 1200 in the 29g and it flows along the back wall when running one way and straight toward the front wall when the impellor reverses. It has massive flow within about a 12" radius. It smooths out about halfway across the 30" tank but still creates flow just not focused flow. Better described as random motion and not necessarily bad since I have a place where I can put new frags and they don't get blasted off their bases.

The mod is the same as the one that melev posted earlier in the thread where you just cut off the output nozzle with a hacksaw. I posted video of the mod running in my 29g earlier in this thread too.

here's the video It's a 4 mb mpeg.

-- itZme

tekknoschtev · #**130** 01/30/2006, 08:53 PM

MaxiModFlow.AVI 3.2MB AVI file. The video depicts the flow from a MJ1200 in a 30gal breeder. I lowered the water level to show the flow better. Even with the water all the way to the top the entire tank gets flowing.

I bought a new timer today made by |||Woods for $2.99 at Meijer. It comes with 6 on and off pins, and looks like its going to be fairly easy to mod. I, unfortunately do not have any adhesives with me to start gluing gears together to find a good gear ratio, so we'll have to see how it turns out. I have a feeling its going to be slower than my past one, which has a 5 minute cycle time, but with 6 on and off settings, that shouldnt be a problem.

Zigzag Man · #**131** 02/03/2006, 09:43 PM

I found this hack referenced in another thread, and I just wanted to give a big "Thanks!".
I spent the extra buck, and bought the one that has 24 on/off settings, so that my powerheads switch every 15 seconds, and it works like a charm.

One variation I did on mine, was rather than use 3/16" rigid airline, I found an old mechanical pencil (one of those cheap silver gray Bic ones), and it had a rigid piece of plastic inside of it, that fit perfectly over the small gear on the top of the lower gear that you glue to the top one, and there's a little slot in the bottom of the upper gear that also fit well (but not snugly) around the top... so I trimmed it to fit, epoxied it up, and it's working great.

However, I just wanted to warn people that the quality control on these timers sucks big time... I bought a two timers to modify, and while the first one works great, the second one has gear problems that are unrelated to the mod... I looked inside the gearbox once I had it all back together, and the middle gear shaft is cockeyed, so the gear is lopsided and doesn't mesh perfectly with the modified gear, and starts slipping, even when there's no load on the gearbox at all. To top it off, the gear is really flexible (it isn't hard plastic like the others), and somewhat warped.

Of course I didn't notice this until I had modified the timer, but I have a plan... I'm going to buy another timer at Walmart, swap out my modified gear into the new one, put the other parts back into this broken timer, and return it (it's pretty much DOA anyway so I'm not worried about it). It should essentially be 'as good as new' once I swap out the gears, re-tighten the screw on the face, and bend the tabs on the contacts back into position.

That way I don't have to worry about building another gearbox, and Walmart gets their broken timer back... thank goodness they have a liberal return policy.

So, just keep your eyes open and give the innards a good once-over before you start modding these things, so you don't find yourself in the same boat I'm in... I know that I didn't screw up the timer myself, because the first one I did has been running all day without a problem, switching four MJ-1200's.

I almost forgot how nice it was to have random water movement, since my Natural Wave timer died about a year ago.

Not too shabby for about $9 in materials (I had to buy epoxy too).

Thanks again.

tekknoschtev · #**132** 02/03/2006, 09:46 PM

Glad to hear it. I've been tearing timers apart and coming up empty. One of them simply cannot be modified using the included gears (but I;m going to give belt drive a try) and the other one spins the wrong way when the ratio is correct. Belt drive going to be implimented on this one as well.

Zigzag Man · #**133** 02/03/2006, 10:01 PM

Are you using the same timers mentioned at the beginning of the thread?

Our local Walmart carries the 'Timex' brand timers, and the only difference is the label. I may have to take apart the first timer I did and 'unspring' the lower contact a little bit, since I'm still getting a pretty loud 'click' as it switches on, even though the timer has no problem pushing it... but so far no other problems with it (knock on wood).

Hopefully once I replace the second timer it'll go pretty fast, since the gear mod is the most time consuming part.

tekknoschtev · #**134** 02/03/2006, 10:03 PM

nope, I've tried a few different ones. A Woods "Daily Timer" which was $2.99 at meijer, and a GE Heavy Duty timer with 48 on/off settings (every half hour).

I did try one with an intermatic and it worked, except for rushing too fast

I'm just trying to be cheap(er).

Zigzag Man · #**135** 02/03/2006, 10:07 PM

Well, as an econ grad, I can tell you that if you figure your labor into it, you've probably already spent 10x the extra couple bucks it woulda cost you for the Walmart one.

But it's nice when people try different things, since you might find a better timer. Good luck.

tekknoschtev · #**136** 02/03/2006, 10:12 PM

Well, I need timers anyways, and each one isnt permenently damaged, so I can revert to 24 hour mode, and use it for other things on the tanks I'm setting up. I like trying new things and hopefully if someone reads this they'll learn from my... experiments

I've got two modified maxijet 1200s (lopped off nozzle) that are just itching for me to complete this mod.

Zigzag Man · #**137** 02/03/2006, 11:11 PM

I had also contemplated the MJ nozzle mod, but I like having at least a little bit of control over the direction of the water flow (I have about 2800gph in my 120g tank)... the main reason is that I'm trying to keep one spot relatively 'low flow' for LPS and other soft corals.

tekknoschtev · #**138** 02/03/2006, 11:13 PM

Ah. Well, I'm using mine, one each in two 30gal breeders for a prop system. The flow is good when linear, but alternating, it is GREAT! I sat there once for 10 minutes switching it back and forth by hand wishing I had the timers from home to do the mod

Zigzag Man · #**139** 02/04/2006, 07:55 PM

Sounds pretty cool.

Well, I went to Wally world this morning, bought another timer, swapped in my modified gear, did the other mods and... it works perfectly. So now I have three MJ-1200's on each one, alternating back and forth (3 on/3 off) on either side of the tank, and the tank is loving it. It's nice watching stuff 'surge' back and forth, rather than the water currents always flowing the same direction.

It was kind of a bugger to get the timer clicks to be quieter, but I finally figured out the trick and now I don't hear the clicks at all... it all depends on the angle you bend the tab on the lower contact post.

So, once again, thanks for this great thread... $15 bucks later and I got some nice ocean motion going.

Mr Bojangles · #**140** 02/04/2006, 08:04 PM

Well I glad every one is haveing gool luck with this, actualy I thought when I started it no one would be able to do it! Oh and mine are still going strong too! I have to make more now for my new tank! Oh and yes getting the clicking shound can be a pain, but it can be done!

toastman · #**141** 02/06/2006, 01:28 PM

Well I am new to RC, my first post here, I did this mod this weekend, works like a charm, couple of things I did differently, I didnt use Epoxy, used Gel Superglue, worked fine, and well I accidentally bought a vacation timer, and it worked fine as well, only difference is it varies the time its on and off, so mine cycles on for 5-6 seconds, off for 5-6 seconds, on for 10 seconds off for about 15-20 seconds, never really timed it but thats close, I will open it up, or make another one, and play with the tabs a bit more to quiet down the clicking, thats the only drawback I see, works great!

melev · #**142** 02/06/2006, 09:00 PM

toastman,

[welcome]

If this is your first post, and it is about this DIY project, you've got lots of cool stuff to look forward to post about in the future. RC is a treasure trove of information.

toastman · #**143** 02/07/2006, 01:26 AM

MY GOD, the posts come so fast, its like a drug, I dont have the time to read and keep up....yikes....

Stinky2426 · #**144** 03/06/2006, 02:15 PM

awesome idea thanks

OrangeKoi · #**145** 03/11/2006, 11:50 PM

This seems really cool. What are you all using to filter with? Could I use this on my ac refugium mod with success?

Another pair of questions?

Where is the timer screw and I'm just a little unclear about where the plastic tubing goes?

whirley · #**146** 03/21/2006, 12:41 AM

YAH IT WORKS!!!!

Thanks, Mr Bojangles for showing us how to do it.

After 2 hours of fiddling around with it, I got it to work consistantly. I initially had an issue with glueing the two gears together, I guess I"m not a good glue'er. It's tough to glue two tiny gears like that in such a confined amount of space.

The next problem I had was the two timing tabs. What a PITA. But, after fiddling around with it for another hour, I finally got it to work.

The only other snag I had was that the screw that connects to the main gear ( the gear with the times (1pm, 2pm...etc) on it) was quite tight. I loosened it up...Just something to remember..

So far, 1 hour and counting.....

One last thing, I'll see if I can make a video to show it in action. Isaw the video about someone hooking it up to a modded maxijet, and it showed me how the timer was supose to operate.

Great mod. Now, off ta wallyworld to buy a couple more!

whirley

chocolateblnt · #**147** 03/21/2006, 01:57 AM

Mr. Bojangles = McGyver! :P

This timer mod could be used for pressurized dosing as well as wavemaking.

whirley · #**148** 03/21/2006, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chocolateblnt

This timer mod could be used for pressurized dosing as well as wavemaking.

How so?

whirley · #**149** 03/21/2006, 08:35 AM

One other thing about the timer. I find it REALLY helps if you 'greese' up the gears, especially this gear:

Adding grease to where the gear meets the plastic housing decreases the drag between the two items. Reducing the drag helps the red and green timer 'switches' flip the white gear, easier.

I'm not sure if I'm making any sense.

Anyways, I greased the contents in the gear box as well.

whirley

jamal-188 · #**150** 10/15/2006, 08:28 AM

Having issue with mine. It spins fine(almost completly quiet) until it gets to where the tabs are flipped then it changes direction for a second, then changes back...it keeps switching back and forth and kinda gets stuck.

What would make it switch direction and keep going back and forth?