BRS 1.1 ml DIY Tubing Replacement

[redfishbluefish]

Between my son and I, we own six BRS 1.1 ml dosing pumps....great pumps. I also love BRS....spend more money there than I want to. Now I recently needed to replace two dosing pump rubber hoses. BRS has them for $12.99 each.

I come from the chemical industry where we used rubber hose like crazy and I know that I'm not looking at $26 in tubing for two pumps.....but pennies!!!! So I pull the pumps apart and check them out.

The tubing easily comes off by first using a knife between the tubing collar and attachment piece. Carefully begin to pry the collar away by moving around the piece.




Once you have enough room, move on to using a screw driver and continue to move around the piece while you pry it apart.




Eventually the tubing releases from the fitting.




It's actually very easy to do these steps.....it took me longer to type out the above words than actually taking off the tubing.

So now I've spect'ed this tubing and appears to be Santoprene tubing, 5 1/8 inches long, and 1/4 ID and 3/8 OD. I quickly found it for 0.99/foot, but believe I could do better.

I've found it....but longer lengths........Do I buy longer lengths?


My reasoning....Two BRS replacements tubing pieces cost $25.98 plus shipping. I've found 50 feet for a little less than two replacement sets from BRS.....including shipping. I have a total of six pumps and this would be a cost savings. If I were to order six replacement tubings for all my pumps from BRS, it would be $77.94!!!

My wife's reasoning....You're an idiot....a blithering idiot!!! What are you going to do with the additional 47 feet after you replace all six pumps? A hangman's noose came to mind!

But you don't understand, I could throw it away and still be ahead of the game....but instead I'll sell it to other reefers for $1 a foot OR two cut pieces and make........

ONE Million Dollars!


So if anyone needs replacement tubing and instead of $26 for two pieces, want it for one buck, I've got it!

So now with the cost very reasonable, I think I'll just relace this tubing piece maybe every two years. The pumps I've been running since, maybe 2009/2010,for alk and calc still have the original tubing in them.


I'll update this post when the tubing arrives and let you know how it fits and any tips on putting it back together.

 

[Juano908]

Between my son and I, we own six BRS 1.1 ml dosing pumps....great pumps. I also love BRS....spend more money there than I want to. Now I recently needed to replace two dosing pump rubber hoses. BRS has them for $12.99 each.

I come from the chemical industry where we used rubber hose like crazy and I know that I'm not looking at $26 in tubing for two pumps.....but pennies!!!! So I pull the pumps apart and check them out.

The tubing easily comes off by first using a knife between the tubing collar and attachment piece. Carefully begin to pry the collar away by moving around the piece.




Once you have enough room, move on to using a screw driver and continue to move around the piece while you pry it apart.




Eventually the tubing releases from the fitting.




It's actually very easy to do these steps.....it took me longer to type out the above words than actually taking off the tubing.

So now I've spect'ed this tubing and appears to be Santoprene tubing, 5 1/8 inches long, and 1/4 ID and 3/8 OD. I quickly found it for 0.99/foot, but believe I could do better.

I've found it....but longer lengths........Do I buy longer lengths?


My reasoning....Two BRS replacements tubing pieces cost $25.99 plus shipping. I've found 50 feet for a little less than two replacement sets from BRS.....including shipping. I have a total of six pumps and this would be a cost savings. If I were to order six replacement tubings for all my pumps from BRS, it would be $77.94!!!

My wife's reasoning....You're an idiot....a blithering idiot!!! What are you going to do with the additional 47 feet after you replace all six pumps? A hangman's noose came to mind!

But you don't understand, I could throw it away and still be ahead of the game....but instead I'll sell it to other reefers for $1 a foot OR two cut pieces and make........

ONE Million Dollars!


So if anyone needs replacement tubing and instead of $26 for two pieces, want it for one buck, I've got it!

So now with the cost very reasonable, I think I'll just relace this tubing piece maybe every two years. The pumps I've been running since, maybe 2009/2010,for alk and calc still have the original tubing in them.


I'll update this post when the tubing arrives and let you know how it fits and any tips on putting it back together.

Tagging along Paul, I'm a big fan of your DIY...when the times come to replace mine now I know where to get the hose from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[radiata]

Paul,

I'll take a couple of feet. If you've already sold out, could you post a link to the place you found it?

Want to hack the pump next? I have one that I got used and got burned on. (It is a 1.5. I think they're more prone to failure from overuse because people use them for top off). BRS carries no spare parts. FWIW, I did track the manufacturer down to an Italian company that makes them in green plastic (VP2-B | Peristaltic OEM Pumps | Product range | Peristaltic Pumps - Hose and Tube Pumps Manufacturer - Peristaltic Pumps).

Ciao,
Bob

 

[redfishbluefish]

Bob, if the hose fits, you're welcome to how many feet you want. However, the 1.6 ml dosing pump from BRS (Drew's Doser), appears to take a different hose. Here's that hose:

The common failure to peristaltic pumps are stripping of the gears. I haven't opened up any of these pumps, but I'm willing to bet they have plastic gears. The problem would be sourcing those gears. If you had someone who had a 3D printer, I'd think that would be a better bet, printing out a new gear.


Bob, also no problem sharing where I purchase 50 feet.....HERE. With shipping it came to 25.79. But again, as best I can tell, this is for the 1.1 BRS pumps.

 

[horseplay]

Paul, amazing work!

 

[radiata]

Paul ~ save me 5 feet. I have 3 BSRs like the ones in your photo. I sold off my only Drew's Doser last year.

Thanks for the link ~ that is an impressive site. I've wanted something like this (DMFit ADMF0404 Filter Strainer 1/4" x 1/4" Push-in - 100 mesh (150 mic)) for a pre-filter for my RO/DI and didn't know where to look. (And, now I know where to go for lime green 1/4" RO/DI tubing.)

Making angled mounts for your pumps is a real nice touch!

 

[njtiger24 aquariums]

Paul your going to make that 1 Million $ in no time lol....... great diy

 

[Lostinthedark]

also no problem sharing where I purchase 50 feet.....HERE.

Thats the same site I ordered parts for my RO/DI. Good find.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Tubing has arrived!

It is slightly lighter in color than the original and also feels a little stiffer than original (new on top, old on the bottom).




That could very well be the wear on the original, making it feel softer. A piece of tubing was cut to exactly 5 1/8 inches. Collars were placed on the tubing and the tubing slid onto the fitting. To run the collars home, a pair of channel locks was opened to fit around the lower part of the collar, and a considerable amount of pressure was applied, while twisting, to set the collar all the way down.




After both collars were set, the ends were twisted so that they were aligned.


Now before putting it in the pump, I applied a very thin coat of lube on the outside of the tubing. You can not use a petroleum base lube on this, so what I use is Leslie's Pool and Spa Lube. (You can find this at Leslie's Pool Company.....all over NJ....for about $7.00 for a life time supply).




As an aside, I have used this for years on all my freshwater and saltwater tanks and never had to replace a single rubber part. I'd highly recommend it and use it on anything rubber. Buy this stuff if you own rubber!

The tubing was installed in the pump, lines attached, and without priming (simply put the one tubing in a glass of water), turned the pump on and watched the water slowly move up the tubing and into the pump head. While this was happening, I also checked the seal on the pump rollers by sucking and blowing on the exit tube.....nothing happened, so the rollers completely seal the tubing while rolling around. It works!

Now here's the deal....if you own BRS 1.1 pumps, you need to take advantage of this. I'll sell five foot lengths for $3.00. Realize you can get 11 pieces for your pumps for this three bucks. If you had to order this form BRS, this would cost you $142.89!!!!!!! The only good thing about that is that you'd get free shipping. If you don't take advantage of this, any left over tubing, I'm coming over your house and whip you silly.

 

[Ryeguyy84]

Damn it. . . I just replaced 3 sets. FYI this will work on the 50ml/min ATO pump as well. I should be good for another 2 - 3 years, whats the shelf life on this tubing?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Damn it. . . I just replaced 3 sets. FYI this will work on the 50ml/min ATO pump as well. I should be good for another 2 - 3 years, whats the shelf life on this tubing?

Darn, I just looked up the 50 ml/min pump and it looks exactly like the 1.1 pumps. Is it the same pump, but just turns faster? If it is the same, the hose should work. Interestingly the BRS site has the 1.1 tubing show up on the 50 pump post as an accessory.

How long does it last? I don't know, but I would think that if you keep it away from ozone and direct sunlight, many many years. I still have the original hoses on my dosing pump.....terrible with time, maybe 8 years. At what I paid, I might just change these out every two years.

How can you go wrong for 3 bucks for five feet!

 

[Ryeguyy84]

yup same pump just spins faster, wears out the tubing faster too since mine pumps water from the basement. for $3 i'd just replace yearly until the gears burn out. do you go to any meetings? I won't be at the April one but might come to the May one. My first ever

 

[redfishbluefish]

I won't be at April's as well....too far. May is a possibility if closer to home.

 

[radiata]

Paul,

Have you calibrated your dosers before and after tubing changes? I just swapped out the tubing on one of my 1.1 dosers. The last calibration I did on it showed a 1.0 ml/min rate but just now it calibrates at 1.3 ml/min. Maybe I used too much BRS dosing tube lubricant...

Bob