DIY "Stream" Style Pump

[achilles1]

tag

[jmilt]

Here is a picture.

I used a small plastic rod for the shaft. This way I could get some extra length so didn't have to build the cover.

I just clipped off the impellar with some diagonal cutters, drilled out the bushings that held the old shaft in place (One all the way througha and the other part of the way through), glued the magnet to the shaft, and put the prop on.

So far so good! Also, leave a little play so if it spins in reverse it can pull out and restart.

[Sorry I don't know how to post the picture so you see it without clicking.]

[melev]

I would think that thing needs some type of guard to protect livestock from a painful lesson.

[jmilt]

I agree with the guard. That is step #2

jmilt

[Menards]

How about someone out there with a good micrometer and a bit of experience measure the impellar shaft. Then we can get the appropriate size rod and just drill out the bushing. in the cover and attach a collared prop. Then the rest is cake. With a small piece of acrylic tube, we can make a guard and use weldon 4062???? to solvent the acrylic tube to the abs housing to make a guard. With some holes or slices in the tube, it would be good to go! We could also use a reducing PVC bushing with the small side against the maxijet to help with the cone effect. Again that weldon could weld the two together. Now, someone get me that rod diameter!

[niko5]

jmilt,
What kind of plastic rod did you use? Where did you get it etc.

[jmilt]

niko5,
I got the rod at the same hobby shop that I got the prop. They had a rack full of different size and shape plastic parts. I just picked the size that fit right in the prop.

The prop is from a traxas remote control boat. Remember if it works out of water, but not in the water then cut off the leading edge of the prop.

Menards,
That is what I did with the rod. I drilled all the way through the bushing and slipped the rod through. Then put on the prop and tightened the set screw. As far as size of the rod goes: I would buy the prop first and then get a rod to fit that, then drill the bushing.

jmilt

[niko5]

So you took the maginet that was in the mj 1200 and drilled it out so taht it would fit around the plastic rod you got and glued that in right?

and if it spins backward the mag comes out alittle and that somehow triggers it to try again hopefully in the right direction ??

[jmilt]

That is correct on both questions.

Jason

[kentrob11]

Here's mine using the lil giant pump. I've had my first one running for over a year without a single problem!

[kentrob11]

While I'm at it I figured I'd post pics of the hanger it's on and one of it hanging in the tank....

[tor101898]

nice job, what do you think the output is in terms of water movement?

[kentrob11]

And it hanging in the tank:

[kentrob11]

not too sure about that but I know it moves a lot of water. all I need is one of each side of my 90 gallon and I've got great water movement throughout the entire tank

[niko5]

Kentrob11,
Is that reeftec place still selling the kits to turn the lil giant pumps into this?

[kentrob11]

nah- you don't need them either. I made the hangers myself and used the nylon based shaft of a writing pen for the prop shaft- very easy and cheap

[thunt]

I seem to have come to a halt on this project. I used large dia tube to go around the propellor as a guard. When this is in place, the propellor will not spin. I can only think the tube impedes the water flow and stops the prop from spinning. As soon as I take the guard off, it spins again.

I put the project down for a few weeks as I'd run out of ideas, but need to go back to it to try and complete the project.

Tim

[niko5]

jmilt,
Did you use a solid tube for your shaft or one with a hole in it. My hobby shop only had ones iwth holes in it and it seems to wobble when its running... and when i place it in water it stops. I even cut the leading edge of the prop.

Kentrob11,
YOu used a little giant pump right?
I got one off ebay and the shaft was rusting... so isent that bad?

[jmilt]

niko5,

Yes the shaft is solid. It feels like regular plexiglas in that it is a little flexible. It is just right for the prop to slide onto. I had to drill out the magnet so it would slide over the shaft. I think it does not wabble becasue the prop is square on the shaft.

For not running in the water. Does it run out of the water? If yes, while it is running out of the water can you put your fingers on the center of the prop to create some resistence and it still spins? If yes to that then cut more off of the prop. And hopefully you used the set screw in the prop to hold it to the shaft instead of glueing it so you can get a new prop if you mess up or it still doesn't work.

jmilt

[niko5]

Cool, i think most of my problem is the rod i have is hollow and is pretty flexable so the prop wobbles as it spins faster and the wobbling slows it down so it just dont work Ill have to find me another hobby shop and hopefully they have solid rods.

Thanks for the help.

[kentrob11]

Niko- I got mine from Home Depot a year and a half ago and it hasn't rusted a bit...I don't know what gives there but mine has worked flawlessly the entire time I've had it....

[howdy]

Any further pics?

[MDLR1]

if anyone wants measurements of the shaft let me know, and let me know exactly what you want a measurment of ill do it when i get home tongiht

[DonJasper]

Blast from the past - but I ran across a pretty easy solution for the shaft to drive the prop. 3/16" rigid airline tubing works great.

You take the impeller assembly from the powerhead and simply remove the top bushing. So all you have sticking out is the wire axle. Slide the rigid airline tubing over the axle - until it bumps into the impeller body. Glue in place. The axle will help align everything so it's straight. (As a variant of this I removed the axle and stuck in a drill bit for alignment but that's just me)

Now address the 'cup' where the bushing used to sit. Drill a hole in it so that rigid airline tubing will slide through. Reassemble the power head - now with a shaft of rigid airline tubing sticking out. If you can't figure out that rest - then I'd suggest you tackle some other project

Give you a hint - most holes in props are like 1/8" and the tubing is 3/16". It's a good thing that they make 3/16" drill bits isn't it?

[P.Sherman]

just tagging along