telexen
07-12-03, 09:11 PM
Disgregard the dumb spelling mistakes in the title and any in the proceeding :)
A lot of people (especially on this community) constantly put down Via Aqua pumps; stating they're low quality, they leak, and even the noise level. Many of these users have never even tried the pump, and others [from their statements] obviously don't know how to run a pump.
Here are a few tips showing how I set mine up.
- For those people who state it's extremely loud, you need to understand something. When air flows through the pump (especially large air bubbles), the pump will cavitate. This is EXTREMELY hard on a pump, it will damage it along with causing it to produce excess heat. BEFORE starting your Via Aqua or ANY pump, make sure there is water in IT, not just your tubing/reservoir/radiator. A second thing is the noise level is dramatically reduced when all the small air bubbles are out. Mine is fairly quiet, to the point where I'm sure I won't hear it when it's in my [external] case/enclosure with a 120mm fan going (and it's only 30dbA)...this is without even glueing the impeller down.
- Yes, the pump does seem to leak a little. I ditched the fittings that came with the pump and went down to Home Depot and bought myself some plastic barbs for it, which were very similar to brass ones...as it turns out the threads on the plastic barbs didn't go into the Impeller Endcap very far, so of course it leaked. In another trip back to Home Depot, I purchased sprinkler system barbs. The threads on these are much larger, and work a lot better. This along with silicone around the barb thread AND impeller endcap will make it leak proof.
- Via Aqua does say the pump is NOT meant for inline use and to leave it submerged at all times. This is really just to cover themselves because simply, as stated above and many times before, the impeller endcap is not exactly reliable or leakproof. As I said, use silicone adhesive around the endcap and barbs to ensure a leakproof system.
- Regarding the impeller endcap again, it is VERY weak. I ordered two pumps originally, and just trying to screw a barb into the cap I broke one of the flaps that keeps it secure to the pump. If you're going to be screwing barbs in and out of this cap, take the cap off first.
I have noticed the pump does put off a lot of heat. This will obviously cause cooling problems if the pump is used submerged. I'm going to test the pump later on to see if that problem really exists when it's run inline.
Any (constructive) comments/suggestions are appreciated.
A lot of people (especially on this community) constantly put down Via Aqua pumps; stating they're low quality, they leak, and even the noise level. Many of these users have never even tried the pump, and others [from their statements] obviously don't know how to run a pump.
Here are a few tips showing how I set mine up.
- For those people who state it's extremely loud, you need to understand something. When air flows through the pump (especially large air bubbles), the pump will cavitate. This is EXTREMELY hard on a pump, it will damage it along with causing it to produce excess heat. BEFORE starting your Via Aqua or ANY pump, make sure there is water in IT, not just your tubing/reservoir/radiator. A second thing is the noise level is dramatically reduced when all the small air bubbles are out. Mine is fairly quiet, to the point where I'm sure I won't hear it when it's in my [external] case/enclosure with a 120mm fan going (and it's only 30dbA)...this is without even glueing the impeller down.
- Yes, the pump does seem to leak a little. I ditched the fittings that came with the pump and went down to Home Depot and bought myself some plastic barbs for it, which were very similar to brass ones...as it turns out the threads on the plastic barbs didn't go into the Impeller Endcap very far, so of course it leaked. In another trip back to Home Depot, I purchased sprinkler system barbs. The threads on these are much larger, and work a lot better. This along with silicone around the barb thread AND impeller endcap will make it leak proof.
- Via Aqua does say the pump is NOT meant for inline use and to leave it submerged at all times. This is really just to cover themselves because simply, as stated above and many times before, the impeller endcap is not exactly reliable or leakproof. As I said, use silicone adhesive around the endcap and barbs to ensure a leakproof system.
- Regarding the impeller endcap again, it is VERY weak. I ordered two pumps originally, and just trying to screw a barb into the cap I broke one of the flaps that keeps it secure to the pump. If you're going to be screwing barbs in and out of this cap, take the cap off first.
I have noticed the pump does put off a lot of heat. This will obviously cause cooling problems if the pump is used submerged. I'm going to test the pump later on to see if that problem really exists when it's run inline.
Any (constructive) comments/suggestions are appreciated.