2014 DC Pumps made by Reef Octopus
Posted by David Puah on
The benefits of using Direct Current (DC) Pumps were clear all along, being efficient, quiet and speed controllable. However it was not until Jebao starting producing them at fraction of what competitors are selling for, did it gain worldwide attention. Ever since, American, Canadian, German, Italian, Singaporean, Spanish and French made protein skimmers, started using these DC pumps which gave great performance for it's price. Reef Octopus was no different as they jumped onto the band wagon in 2012. Experiences from using pumps from other manufacturers such as Hailea, Aquabee and Sicce, Reef Octopus knew that they needed to produce their own pumps to bring it to the next level. In 2014, Reef Octopus released a new DC pump to improve it's performance and most importantly it's reliability.
In this comparison, we are looking at the 1st generation DC-3500S and 2nd generation RO-DC-3500S.
1st Generation (Left), 2nd Generation (Right)
Apart from the change in color, the new DC pump is made entirely from a different mold and not just a modification of the original. The overall size is slightly bigger and heavier (1kg vs 1.7kg), making the whole pump feel more solid. This is due to increase in number of magnetic poles, from 4 to 6. Having more poles means that the pump will run smoother, quieter and more efficient. A thicker (5.5mm vs 6.5mm) power cable is also used.
A major improvement is the water circulation system. High pressure water would enter through the hole at the top, coming out from the center of the shaft and around the magnet. This lubricates the shaft, cools the pump and removes any debris that may scratch or potentially jam the impeller. There is no upgrade to the pin wheel as it was customized for Reef Octopus since the 1st generation pumps.
To accommodate the hole in the shaft and increase strength, the shaft diameter has increase from 6mm to 9mm. The magnet has increased from 23mm to 29mm, improving the magnetic property and starting reliability.
The water circulation ports can be clearly seen in this picture. The new pump has three studs to align the impeller plate instead of two. O-ring to seal the volute is increased from 2.5mm to 3.5mm.
The 1st generation pump had an electronic board sealed within the pump and could not be serviced. The new controller is therefore larger to accommodate the additional circuitry. Additional functions include a 60 minutes feed delay and an ON/OFF button. The housing of the controller is made of aluminium instead of plastic with better water sealing at the wire connections. Speed control has been reduced from 6 to 5.
DC-3500 | RO-DC-3500 | Difference | |
Flowrate (L/Hr) | 3,500 | 3,500 | |
Head (m) | 2.8 | 3.5 | 25% |
Power (W) | 25 | 30 | 20% |
Quote RODCGSS10 to receive a 10% discount on all 3 models of the latest DC Pumps. Valid till 26 July 2015 for online purchase only. While stocks last.