Making a Rotatable pump outlet

[Reeffer]

Hi guys, i'm thinking of making a rotatable outlet for my pump.

The rough idea would be using a pvc T-joint with the outlets on both sides fitted on with a "deflector" to produce a torque for the joint to rotate. Or holes can be drilled to allow water to flow out such that the T-joint will rotate.

The problem now i that i dunno how to make the joint rotatable after it is connected to the outlet pipe. Anyone can give some advice cos i'm lousy at DIY stuff

[kareen]

I have toyed this idea before..... and even got myself some gears ready to DIY.... but give up the idea after some thought.

The rotating pump is ON for 24/7. Will the design withstand such spec? What will happen if something goes wrong? Your house is going to flood with an empty tank.... not to mention about the fishes and corals.

[diabolus]

why dun you just buy one off the shelf?

i think you meant those rotating stuff fixed onto a powerhead issit?

[Reeffer]

why dun you just buy one off the shelf?

i think you meant those rotating stuff fixed onto a powerhead issit?

yep yep.. it's that thingy..

I thinking of diy... quite fun

plus i'm thinking of connecting the rotatable outlet using 15mm pipe, the powerhead driving the outlet would be my return pump. Energy efficiency eh?

[kareen]

QUOTE (diabolus @ Feb 1 2005, 08:04 PM)

why dun you just buy one off the shelf?

i think you meant those rotating stuff fixed onto a powerhead issit?

yep yep.. it's that thingy.. 

I thinking of diy... quite fun

plus i'm thinking of connecting the rotatable outlet using 15mm pipe, the powerhead driving the outlet would be my return pump. Energy efficiency eh?

Oic....not what I had in mind......hahahahaha. Don't have to DIY lah.... I think you go big diy/hardware store sure got something that fit your application.

[Oceandeep]

if the item is cheap, not worth to DIY!!!!

[rockfish]

i tihnk so too ... that item is only selling at 12 to 18 dollars in some LFS.

if make urself, materials + labour is abotu there also .. and wat if u fail? waste teh money ..

[hermit]

hmmmmmmmmm

IMO i think it is the enjoyment of doing them and make our own stuff for our tank rather than buy frm the shop...........

it will be alot more interesting to see our diy being useful in our tank setup lor....!

if it is really cheap to get the materials so can actually spend some time working it out..............

hahaha btw if Reeffer just wanna buy frm shop he will not even thought of starting a thread on

"Making a Rotatable pump outlet, Need some help with DIY"

[Lester]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

so does anyone know how to diy the rotating thing ???

[rockfish]

if u really wanna make it... there is a thread posted here before showing the interior of the mechanism.

try searching for it ..

[rockfish]

i have just run thru all the diy section, that thread is not there anymore

[Dotty1313]

Hi Reeffer,

Here's a photo of a DIY rotating thingy that you are looking for... I DIYed it a few months back... cost me less than $3.

The key to this DIY is to find the right piping to fit together... the trick to the rotation is the sanded down portion of a pipe to fit a ring (13mm pvc pipe) and this ring is free to rotate. The sanding down is the tedious part.

You will need to have the rotating pipe to nicely fit the pipe (to be connected to the powerhead). I'm using one of those pipes that come with the old powerhead which fortunately fit the nicely with the 13mm pvc pipe. I need to use a bit of force to move the rotating ring into the powerhead pipe.

The T and elbow are connected to the PVC ring with the powerhead pipe outlet inside the T (but not obstructing the waterflow from the powerhead).

I have tested it running a few weeks and it works very well. A possible modification is to have the elbow outlet constricted ( i.e. pressed to a I-shape instead of O-shape). I didn't do the modification because I don't want the flow to be too powerful - without the I-shape outlet, the rotation is pretty slow.

Hoped this gives you some idea how this can be done.

Regards.... Happy DIYing...

Dotty

[Lester]

Hi bro ...

dun reali understand the part ( the trick to the rotation is the sanded down portion of a pipe to fit a ring (13mm pvc pipe) and this ring is free to rotate. The sanding down is the tedious part. )..

can explian in more details ???

cheers

[Dotty1313]

HI,

Hard to explain.... I have drawn a cross section view instead. Hoped it helps in the understanding. FYI. It took me a few days thinking how to make the rotation portion using the 13mm PVC pipe...

Regards...

Dotty

[Lester]

bro

i got it liao........

[chewlaoheng]

does that mean the T-joint will rotate when the water from power head hit at the T-junction?

[Lester]

Hi .. bro ..

i guess so .. hmmm .. should work tat way i think ..

cheers

[Dotty1313]

Hi Reeffer,

The T-connector will rotate due to the torque generated when the water exit the L-joint ( the L-joint must be in opposite direction).

Regards...

Dotty

[Reeffer]

Wow bro dotty you're the man!

[Lester]

Total agree......

CHEERS........

[wsite2]

Just add one check valve to ur pump and the water in ur tank would not flow back...lah

[Lester]

hmmm...

sorry u mean a check valve to the rotating thing ... can it be place in the sump too >????