Homemade Pond Aerator

[HTH]

I do not know that I would give up. But I would do as you say and build maybe 10 units and give them away (aka free testing) to members to abuse. If they run 3 full seasons I would venture to sell them with a 1 year replacement warranty.

10 is really small and 50 or 100 would be better but that takes deep pockets.

Also I would try to determine how much cooler a pond is with one running. Tossing the water through the air should have a cooling effect greater then the heating from the motor. It may end up being useful as a small pond cooler.

To test it you would need to use 2 identical ponds/containers. First prove they keep the same temperature then add the fan to one and track the temperatures for a day.

 

[FountainMan]

Well I did a run today and like you said corrosion caused premature failure. One of the brushes disintegrated. However, I managed to get the motor casing and did some experiments with with water proofing the motors. What worked was not only using hot glue to seal the motors but electrical tape. I tried using the WD-40 and for some reason it seemed the WD-40 accelerated the corrosion while making a mess of the electrical tape and glue but what do you expect from a solvent. Tomorrow I'm off to Radioshack to buy another motor. On Ebay for a few dollars they sell the motors in bulk. About 5 to 10 motors. I'm thinking if I did take up building these in numbers to market Ebay would be a great service. Meanwhile I'm also taking advice from a friend of mine who is the president/founder of a fountain and aerator manufacture for larger ponds.

I think right now I need to slow down and not jump into anything too quick.

 

[HTH]

Try to get samples for testing from the guys in china making the small water proof motors. Something like 10 or 20 motors. They may not be free but then you will not have to buy 1000 the first time out.

Search the web to find out what the RC submarine people are doing about water proof motors.

Same for the DIY submersible crowd.

 

[koiguy1969]

just a note...r.c boats, even cars, truggies, buggies etc.. are moving away from conventional electric motors. they're going brushless, no commutators, or brushes.( this means none to wear out) brushless motors get longer run times, more power, higher rpms, on the same power consumption. electronically contolled 'power feild' pulses drive the armature not brushes. rc boats use sealed boxes to keep out unwanted water. but use copper tubing coiled around the motors with water flowing thru them for cooling the motors. brushless motors last many times longer with virtually no maintainence. theyre rated in rpm/kv not "turns" like conventional motors. example: a 7700 kv motor will produce 7700 rpm per every volt put into it.

 

[FountainMan]

Took a look at the brushless motors and the prices are scary. Now make the conventional motors look like disposables. A brushless motor similar to the 12 volt motors I'm looking at go for 30$. Not happening.

 

[sissy]

Sounds like an interesting idea .Don't understand all the tech stuff .Looking at it reminds of those guns you buy with the spinning propeller you wind up and then pull the trigger and off it goes .Just looks like it and reminded me of it .

 

[FountainMan]

It's been about 2 weeks. I've replaced the motor and got it back up and running. I put a squirt of WD-40 into the motor. then I sealed the openings on the motor with hot glue. then I wrapped up the motor in electrical tape. As a bonus I put some Ni-chrome resistance wire (heating element) out of the dryer and use that to adjust the speed of the motor. Using a gator clip I can change the speed. the longer the wire between the contacts the slower the motor. So I can run it from a weak gurgle to a high volume spray.