Fan Speed Controller for Return Pump Control?

Yeah, call the power company, pay the $10,000+ for them to run a separate phase all the way to your house, and change out your service to accommodate the 3 phases.

 

I got that, but from what I read online 3 phase ac power is not available domesticaly.

 

Read above.

 

Thanks, that was kinda what I figured..

 

You do commercial or res FaceOfDeceit? I'm getting more familiar with it as I go but its obviously complex. I run a 23x29" 4 Color Offset Press and its max draw is 125 Amps 3 Phase AC. Pretty astounding to me but I'm a newbie to the heavy machinery world.

 

I do Commercial/Residential/Security/Fire Alarms. However...since the economy tanked...mostly just Residential remodels and a lot of security (thank the local news for scaring everyone with the new crime-rate numbers!). 125A is small potatoes in the scheme of things...and it is most likely starting amps, not running. I've seen 10,000A switch gears at Bank Of America Stadium (Carolina Panthers). Scary stuff even when you know it is off!

 

Holy balls! 10,000 Amps. Wow

 

Seems there is new light on this subject. Well apparently its 7 month old light but still.

Red Dragon 3 (III) variable speed pumps, and Red Dragon 2 (II) Brushless DC pumps confirmed by Royal Exclusiv

 

You do not need a variable speed pump. Power consumed is from what work is done. The work being done is moving water. Throttling in a pump does not hurt it in any way unless you're talking dead heading it. Throttling a pump does not waste energy, it saves it.

Having said that... 1200 gph is a lot on a 90g. We do not turn over our tanks we simply send it to the sump. Also, providing any sort of flow in the display tank with a return pump is a very very inefficient way to move water. I had a Ehiem 1262 on my 90g throttled down. I had probably an actual 600-650 gph moving through my sump. You only need to supply a skimmer and possible a fuge. Moving more water than you need to is a waste of power and an unnecessary addition of heat to the system.

 

FWIW, If you really want to know how to change the speed of a single phase AC motor: You need to be able to vary the frequency.

How do you do that? not efficiently... but there is a way, and it involves using a signal generator and an audio amplifier capable of running enough wattage to drive the pump. connect a sine wave signal generator to the input of the audio amp, and the output of the audio amplifier to the pump's mains. Lower the frequency of the sine wave below 60 Hz (in the states) and the pump/ motor's speed will decrease.