Inside a clever USB air pump teardown with hack

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  • Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
  • This is a clever approach to making a portable air pump. Whether you need to aerate something while travelling or have an emergency battery backed or solar powered air source, this unit could be useful.
    It's based on what appears to be a standard pump with a very minimalist cover, and current is low - especially after a little hack.
    I'm not sure what overall lifespan this unit has for continuous operation. The weakest points may be the rotating offset pin-cam or the motor brushes.
    If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
    www.bigclive.co...
    This also keeps the channel independent of UA-cam's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1 тис.

  • @TheRubbertube
    @TheRubbertube 4 роки тому +593

    Was hoping you would wind it up to the full 12v

    • @pear7777
      @pear7777 4 роки тому +42

      My thought, the motor is rated 3-12V

    • @thomasesr
      @thomasesr 4 роки тому +35

      Missed opportunity

    • @LiamHindYT
      @LiamHindYT 4 роки тому +6

      @@thomasesr Its strange to see people that you recognise from MaTn live streams on other videos :-) Hi

    • @eliotmansfield
      @eliotmansfield 4 роки тому +10

      I was like TURN IT UP!!!

    • @ThunderBassistJay
      @ThunderBassistJay 4 роки тому +7

      Please, crank it up to 12 volts and then pop it at whatever voltage...

  • @jhonbus
    @jhonbus 4 роки тому +185

    Rubber flaps? I barely know 'er!

    • @thedevilinthecircuit1414
      @thedevilinthecircuit1414 4 роки тому +13

      Most of my dates are like an illicit gambling bar:
      liquor in the front, poker in the rear!

    • @zachbruner481
      @zachbruner481 3 роки тому +2

      Rubher flaps?

    • @fatmanbravo6
      @fatmanbravo6 3 роки тому

      Who have you been talking to?

    • @fatmanbravo6
      @fatmanbravo6 3 роки тому

      @@zachbruner481 I should have been so lucky.

    • @fatmanbravo6
      @fatmanbravo6 3 роки тому +1

      Pinned flaps?
      I hear alot of girls are doing that these days....

  • @unperrier5998
    @unperrier5998 4 роки тому +177

    Why didn't you go up to 12V? I wanted to see bubbles! :)

    • @GarethOfUll
      @GarethOfUll 4 роки тому

      Hey how

    • @GarethOfUll
      @GarethOfUll 4 роки тому +1

      Io

    • @johnpossum556
      @johnpossum556 4 роки тому +17

      RPMs tend to destroy most rubber pumps. They sell self-priming ones for use on a drill and if you look at the directions you see it says to use like 1200rpm and if you look at the comments you'll see a bunch of people complaining how their pump died so quickly when they run it off a 2200rpm drill. The key to longevity in these things is definitely low rpms. If you want more air it'd be better to use more pumps.

    • @delcat8168
      @delcat8168 4 роки тому

      @Michael Bishop I think the "not" is superfluous. (Mr A pedant of Harlow)

    • @murunbuchstanzangur
      @murunbuchstanzangur 4 роки тому

      I think you may prefer photonicinduction to bigclive.com

  • @deavman
    @deavman 4 роки тому +161

    6:22 I hate to correct you but that was an eccentric shaft. Not concentric.

    • @frankjackson2439
      @frankjackson2439 4 роки тому +29

      Hate to correct you but that was an eccentric comment.

    • @BobWidlefish
      @BobWidlefish 4 роки тому +10

      *@Frank Jackson* I don’t mind correcting you at all: he’s a pedant, not an eccentric. :)

    • @bdf2718
      @bdf2718 4 роки тому +6

      So all these years I should have been thinking of Clive as being a bit concentric?

    • @mystcat3
      @mystcat3 4 роки тому +3

      Such an excentric comment

    • @dollyhadbraces9361
      @dollyhadbraces9361 4 роки тому +11

      you guys talk in circles

  • @donkee
    @donkee 3 роки тому +8

    From led bulbs to air pumps, I always seem to come back to your videos even though I search for something completely different. You explain well so thank you!

  • @cberge8
    @cberge8 2 роки тому +5

    I've had one of these running as the sole air pump on my aquarium since this video came out. I have it plugged into a power bank that is always charging so in the event of a power outage I get about 3 days runtime before the power bank is depleted. I was originally very sceptical of the longevity of the pump, but a year later at 24h/day run time it's still going strong.

  • @davidf2281
    @davidf2281 4 роки тому +334

    Welcome to 2020, where appliances have resistors specifically to waste energy _when on battery power_

    • @vylbird8014
      @vylbird8014 4 роки тому +37

      Because the most common means of supplying power now is via an interface that was never designed to supply more than the most trivial amount of power.

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому +52

      @@vylbird8014 Well in this case if you ran it off a PC's USB port, no resistor is needed. It's just those horrible power bank circuits that cant properly figure out whether they should run or not without causing lots of problems.

    • @beargun42
      @beargun42 4 роки тому +30

      Same with lightbulbs, so they don’t glow when the lightswitch is off.
      Or nightlights that actually use more power when “off”

    • @resneptacle
      @resneptacle 4 роки тому +19

      @@vylbird8014 Maybe not in the earliest versions, but later USB revision certainly were. Those power banks are just not designed and sold for low power devices

    • @user255
      @user255 4 роки тому +2

      Yeah, really stupid design.

  • @SmithyScotland
    @SmithyScotland 4 роки тому +68

    I've bought a few of these. Some are sold as "used" and seem to have been recovered from coffee machines where they're used as frothers.

    • @michaelthibault7930
      @michaelthibault7930 4 роки тому +3

      @DARK
      So, link to the video?

    • @thomasesr
      @thomasesr 4 роки тому +4

      A espresso machine uses pure vapour from a presure vessel to heat up and froth milk.

    • @Chris_the_Muso
      @Chris_the_Muso 4 роки тому +2

      @@thomasesr but you can hear a pump running when frothing (domestic units, which is what we're talking about). I've always thought they are just pumping water into a chamber with a hotplate. I think the pumps are probably a bit different to this one, because they are designed for (1) liquid) (2)potentially high temperatures and (3) extremely high pressures. The cheap ones only have one motor that is switched between brew and steam, so the pressure they can work at is several bar.

    • @smittzero8463
      @smittzero8463 4 роки тому +2

      Huh. I'll keep that in mind next time i see someone throwing out a coffee machine. Might be worth tearing one down if there's a chance that one of these is inside it.

    • @cctrollz5706
      @cctrollz5706 4 роки тому +2

      I believe they are also used in the powder fed coffee machines to blow air threw the powder tanks to keep things flowing.

  • @Enderkruemel
    @Enderkruemel 4 роки тому +46

    the Same construcrion of the pump is used in my old "Fischertechnik" pneumatic compressor(it was running for more than 200h in the last years. My one Runs always at 9v (0.8 to 1bar max) and I had to clean the Rubber flaps for 2 times now, becourse it cant get the full pressure if there is dust on them (They cant realy close ) I as i had it open i Use a little Bit oil on the Motorshaft. on the Rubber flaps and the other moving Parts i used a little Bit of Silikonfat. Now i much more silent and the pressure and airflow stays the Same. Also the Powerdraw Got decresed a lot. So i like it 😉

  • @mavos1211
    @mavos1211 4 роки тому +2

    Clive I absolutely love how you make yourself laugh with Innuendos.
    Little rubber flaps is just funny no matter what context but to add in shafts sucking, blowing, silicone covers and pinned flaps is priceless.

  • @gusmartin6053
    @gusmartin6053 4 роки тому +10

    That was a really cool stroboscopic effect! Almost like you had a high speed camera.

  • @finnman89
    @finnman89 4 роки тому +12

    Got ten of these. Not only can you use them in emergencies or when shipping fish, it is very valuable as a standard air pump because it is alot more quite than other air pumps. Air pumps are usually noisy!

    • @AzulaisQueen743
      @AzulaisQueen743 11 місяців тому

      My Tetra Whisper 60g is practically soundless

  • @chrisprobert6
    @chrisprobert6 4 роки тому +31

    would have liked to see it run at its maximum rated voltage. i think 12 volts it said on the label

    • @michaelthibault7930
      @michaelthibault7930 4 роки тому +4

      I would like to see at what factor of the maximum rated voltage the magic smoke gets pumped out. These are data-driven times.

    • @chrisprobert6
      @chrisprobert6 4 роки тому +2

      that is an excellent idea and should be done at the end of every video unless already failed. well done and mr big clive please take these comments on board

  • @deelkar
    @deelkar 4 роки тому +35

    That is an excentric shaft and no 12 V test?

    • @FnordOok
      @FnordOok 4 роки тому +3

      My thoughts exactly, I was hoping for a ramp up to 12V

    • @iainmason9034
      @iainmason9034 4 роки тому +6

      *eccentric

    • @deelkar
      @deelkar 4 роки тому +1

      @@iainmason9034 You are correct, it is not a plant.

  • @life_with_bernie
    @life_with_bernie 3 роки тому +20

    Fishy Fun Fact: It's not the bubbles coming up through the water that adds air, it's the movement in the surface of the water they cause that does it.

    • @dian2n
      @dian2n 6 місяців тому

      this can be verified very easily. To make it so that the bubbles do not shake the surface. Has anyone tried this?

  • @badmonkey0001
    @badmonkey0001 4 роки тому +5

    Thank you for the idea! I got one of these for my fishing bait bucket. Removed the resistor, attached 4 AAA batteries in a pack with a switch, and am now giving it a longevity test. Way smaller and lighter than the pump I was using that took 2 D cell batteries. I'll report back with success or failure.

    • @badmonkey0001
      @badmonkey0001 4 роки тому +7

      It lasted 5.5 hours before I turned it off and went to bed. The batteries still test as good after. This is an ideal replacement for my old bait pump. Thanks again!

    • @Bpreppye
      @Bpreppye 2 роки тому

      @@badmonkey0001 I am planning to buy one of these, do you recommend i remove the resistor? i am planning to use it with a power bank for keeping bait alive on saltwater...

    • @badmonkey0001
      @badmonkey0001 2 роки тому

      @@Bpreppye Definitely remove the resistor. First thing I do.

  • @ecospider5
    @ecospider5 4 роки тому +6

    My roommate in 1993 had a fish tank. During a multi day power outage we took turns sitting next to the tank blowing air in. This device would have been much appreciated

    • @BrainiumBasher9001
      @BrainiumBasher9001 2 роки тому +1

      all you're doing is blowing more co2 into the tank lol

  • @BillyNoMates1974
    @BillyNoMates1974 4 роки тому +53

    Shove 12 volts into it. I bet that will pump some air then

    • @LiLi-or2gm
      @LiLi-or2gm 4 роки тому +17

      Yeah, they really do! I've been playing around with one over the past week. I even hooked it up to an audio amplifier and played music through it (the idea is to make a cheap talk-box). It does reproduce music- not very well but it is audible and recognizable and does work as a cheap talk-box effect!

    • @yellowwasanimposter520
      @yellowwasanimposter520 4 роки тому

      @@LiLi-or2gm Cool.

  • @millomweb
    @millomweb 4 роки тому +3

    Looks an excellent pump - little to go wrong and a great little motor that even starts at 1V.

  • @franksmith7271
    @franksmith7271 4 роки тому +7

    I love my pinned flaps with air holes, also the vibrating is a nice option too.

    • @CrazeUK
      @CrazeUK 4 роки тому +2

      Don't vibrate on your flaps though

    • @franksmith7271
      @franksmith7271 4 роки тому +2

      @@CrazeUK Lol made that mistake once... Still studder sometimes.

  • @JuffoWup78
    @JuffoWup78 3 роки тому +16

    I know this is an older video (relatively speaking), but just saw this come up. Aquarium Co-Op actually sells a usb air pump. Several uses in the aquarium trade are: low power outdoor pond aeration, low power alternative for running a sponge filter, transporting live fish in a bucket (larger fish for example would be one benefit or as a breeder transporting to a local store to sell), and as mentioned, a backup way to at least keep water flow going.

  • @ChuckECheeseer
    @ChuckECheeseer 4 роки тому +1

    I’m in an electronics of automation class in college and I am learning resistors rn. That resistor is a 5 band resistor. If my colors are correct, that is a 51 Ohm resistor. The first three bands are numbers, the 4th band is a multiplier, and the 5th is for tolerance (black means it has no +/- tolerance.)

  • @thomasesr
    @thomasesr 4 роки тому +49

    Everyone wants to see 12V. I myself want 20V

    • @good-ql6un
      @good-ql6un 4 роки тому +4

      I want 240 lol

    • @tncorgi92
      @tncorgi92 4 роки тому +2

      240. Let the smoke out.

    • @Leroys_Stuff
      @Leroys_Stuff 4 роки тому +4

      Start at 3 and go until it welds itself 😂

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому +2

      Let's do a miniature Photonicinduction video lol!

    • @good-ql6un
      @good-ql6un 4 роки тому

      Basement Science yes yes and yes

  • @ChainsawFPV
    @ChainsawFPV 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much. This video answered so many questions I had about this pump. I'm building a micro fog machine for electric RC airplanes and needed a micro air pump that would meet certain specs. This video saved me from having to test a bunch of motor combos. This setup will do exactly what I need.

  • @28YorkshireRose12
    @28YorkshireRose12 4 роки тому +62

    Ooh, hey, an "X" rated Big Clive video! - Steady laddie, you'll be getting censored!

  • @H2R5GSXR
    @H2R5GSXR 4 роки тому

    Works like an RV water pump, just much smaller and pumps air. Thanks for explaining the need for that resistor. Love your channel.

  • @juansolo1617
    @juansolo1617 4 роки тому +17

    Hey, that's the electric supercharger for my Kia Rio.

  • @The123tactics
    @The123tactics 3 роки тому +1

    A lot of us in the aquarium hobby use these for brine shrimp hatching, good to know the resister is sucking a lot of power, and hell we all use them plugged into the wall XD

  • @JessHull
    @JessHull 4 роки тому +16

    I want to hear BigClive say "Rubber Flaps" more.

  • @starofeden9277
    @starofeden9277 2 роки тому +1

    Now this was a good recommendation from UA-cam.
    I am about to buy some of these.
    So I am glad you made this video.
    Nice to see how it works

  • @ihavecojones
    @ihavecojones 4 роки тому +4

    the holes on the back are not intakes.
    They are breathing wholes, they allow the under-piston space to breathe, so that it doesn't have pressurise the chamber.

  • @KirstyTube
    @KirstyTube 3 роки тому +1

    I'm using the same pumps for our outdoor "water feature" that somehow got some gold fish in it. It's running off solar power battery citcuit ..... that resistor is getting chopped off tomorrow !
    I should add that one of them survived for almost 12 months and only the recent -5 degree C managed to kill it :)
    Thanks Clive :)
    3 months later... Just took another one apart and fixed the motor brushes to keep it working until a replacement arrives. Noticed it works at 30mA only when there is no load on it. If you stick the stone in water it rises to 70mA. This is without the resistor. Still a lot better than without chopping it off :)

  • @AldoTrianti
    @AldoTrianti 4 роки тому +21

    I was expecting 12v and some dish soap in the water. What a disappointment.

    • @CrashM85
      @CrashM85 4 роки тому

      A powered Foamy Whoofler™!

  • @warrenr4
    @warrenr4 4 роки тому

    I live on a narrowboat and am off mains electricity when I travel for four months in the summer. I have four fish tanks onboard and I run five of these pumps on power banks.
    The pumps run 24/7 and so far this summer they have run for over three months without failing.
    Brilliant little pumps that can easily replace mains powered units and not just be used for fish transportation etc. Added bonus is they are virtually silent.

  • @Cassandra_Johnson
    @Cassandra_Johnson 4 роки тому +5

    Ditto on the 12v, but I would also love to see it with as well as without the silicon wrap to see how affects its ability to move air.

  • @vedde7309
    @vedde7309 4 роки тому +2

    4:41 Definitely almost gave my laptop a good beer based baptism!

  • @cremationpete
    @cremationpete 4 роки тому +16

    I’ve gone through 3 of these in 6 month. Really quiet but don’t last long. I don’t think the motors are designed for constant running.

    • @rogerborg
      @rogerborg 4 роки тому +5

      Did the motors die, or did they stop pumping? I can see that eccentric shaft wallering out pretty quickly.

    • @miniwarrior7
      @miniwarrior7 4 роки тому +1

      I'd like to run at a lower voltage like 4.1v 24/7

    • @nyny
      @nyny 4 роки тому +3

      I have one running in a small aquarium for almost a year, guess I got lucky!

    • @Sayid112
      @Sayid112 4 роки тому +1

      More than a year on first and everything is lasting fine

    • @vgamesx1
      @vgamesx1 4 роки тому +2

      Did you try cleaning it? It may not have been at the top of the comments when you wrote this but someone else pointed out that it stops working if it gets dust in the rubber flaps.

  • @HannesMrg
    @HannesMrg 4 роки тому +43

    No water splashing everywhere at 12v? =(

    • @gile849
      @gile849 4 роки тому +1

      :(

    • @cptcrogge
      @cptcrogge 4 роки тому

      :(

    • @r7z859
      @r7z859 4 роки тому

      :(

    • @nightshadelenar
      @nightshadelenar 4 роки тому +2

      it's MDF for his bench, so it would take up the water really quickly and swell.

    • @1marcelfilms
      @1marcelfilms 3 роки тому

      Even moooore vooooolts.

  • @MrFmiller
    @MrFmiller 4 роки тому +6

    In case I want to take my goldfish backpacking.

    • @Peter_S_
      @Peter_S_ 4 роки тому +2

      Also suitable for taking goldfish skydiving.

  • @alanwood9804
    @alanwood9804 4 роки тому +2

    Hi Clive, I have just pulled exactly the same pump out of an old faulty blood pressure meter (battery leakage damage). The one I pulled from the meter also came “other goodies” including a miniature 6V air solenoid valve and a pressure relief valve.

    • @FlammableElectronics
      @FlammableElectronics Рік тому

      I took mine too from a blood pressure machine, mine was a professional

  • @bungeeskunk
    @bungeeskunk 4 роки тому +7

    What is the load with it at the bottom of the aquarium?

  • @rollyherrera623
    @rollyherrera623 4 роки тому

    Big Clive! Cheers mate fron Texas! You teach me alot, and I have been a commercial high voltage electrician 30+ yrs, 480/277 3 phase...Now, Im into micro-circuitry beyond PLCs! Thank You!!!

  • @GadgetBoy
    @GadgetBoy 4 роки тому +71

    That pump would be perfect for agitating PCB etchant.

    • @handlesarefeckinstupid
      @handlesarefeckinstupid 4 роки тому

      It's so much easier to use a tiny CNC to machine the PCB now.

    • @Scrogan
      @Scrogan 4 роки тому +7

      Colin Newman
      Only if you have a tiny CNC router/mill. Be cheaper to use a small CNC laser to ablate away a solder resist, which is probably more accurate and could also be used for a solder mask.

    • @rpavlik1
      @rpavlik1 4 роки тому

      That's exactly what I thought. I might go looking for one.

    • @frogz
      @frogz 4 роки тому +2

      i just set my tiny cnc up to go back and forth a few hundred times, no need of a fancy air pump to agitate the ferric chloride

    • @HannesMrg
      @HannesMrg 4 роки тому

      @@rpavlik1 I have one of that 50€ Neje lasers. It sounds terrible when homing (the axis just smash in the end for a few seconds), but for small surfaces its perfect.

  • @StubbyPhillips
    @StubbyPhillips 4 роки тому +14

    "3-12V" I'm unfulfilled!

  • @ryanroberts1104
    @ryanroberts1104 4 роки тому +3

    That's a 3 phase air compressor!
    I was just taking apart a similar pump used for bait - it takes 2 D batteries. Not having any I was trying to modify it to take AA. To my surprise, the batteries were wired in parallel, only 1.5v total, and the pump pumps as much as yours does with full voltage. The motor is smaller and only has one chamber though. Runs forever on a pair of 1.2v rechargeable AAs, but I didn't measure the current.
    I've taken several of these apart over the years and never could quite figure out where the air intake is!

    • @westinthewest
      @westinthewest 4 роки тому +4

      The problem with 2D batteries is that they're always flat.

    • @ryanroberts1104
      @ryanroberts1104 4 роки тому

      @@westinthewest That's why I changed them to 2x AA. Works the same with one battery as two, but obviously lasts longer...

    • @slm60uk
      @slm60uk 4 роки тому +1

      @@ryanroberts1104 woosh!

    • @SeanBZA
      @SeanBZA 4 роки тому

      @@ryanroberts1104 AA batteries are ultra cheap, not do the D size, even though the regular zinc carbon has the same capacity as the alkaline AA. I bought some battery adaptors so I could use a AA cell in my AVO, as buying a D cell every few years is not great, as I only need one, and it is likely to leak long before it is used up, but AA cells are used all over. Also replaced the 15V battery with a stack of CR1212 cells in a PTFE block , with some brass contacts screwed onto the PTFE to emulate the rectangular 15V battery. Likely to last 20 years in there, and the cells are cheap as well, unlike that AVO battery.

  • @dhaen
    @dhaen 4 роки тому +2

    Never mind the pump, you just sold me a Banggood USB power meter!

  • @Kae6502
    @Kae6502 4 роки тому +18

    A continuous Foamy whoofler!

    • @roderickwhitehead
      @roderickwhitehead 4 роки тому +1

      This comment needs more likes.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  4 роки тому +6

      Only if fed with combustible gas or oil based whoofler foam liquid.

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому +2

      @@bigclivedotcom There are near-identical pumps being sold with an intake port. So that would be an option I guess.

  • @colinhamer6506
    @colinhamer6506 4 роки тому +2

    I'm glad you looked at these I've been trying to come up with a economical air pump for my fish tanks the comments are inspiring AC pump etc

    • @MD-scorpion
      @MD-scorpion 3 роки тому

      Aquarium co-op sells these pumps but I think they may be upgraded for durability

  • @peter.stimpel
    @peter.stimpel 4 роки тому +6

    You could use it to bubble your drink on this nights stream...maybe exchange air by something different :)

    • @MichaelZP1
      @MichaelZP1 4 роки тому

      But type of rubber disqualified this device even for 🐟 because black rubber mean lowered quality, no suitable for saturated drinking water

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому

      @@MichaelZP1 It's only pumping the air, not water, so not sure it would be much of a problem.

  • @AsymptoteInverse
    @AsymptoteInverse 4 роки тому +1

    There are a lot of impressive things in modern consumer electronics. But one of the things that consistently surprises me the most is what can be done by a simple DC motor like this.

  • @Darieee
    @Darieee 4 роки тому +64

    mmm, this with a vape pen and I could finally have a slow-smoke generator to visualize airflow over heatsinks & such 😳

    • @mtb0519
      @mtb0519 4 роки тому +6

      Definitely I use them in rc boat an trains

    • @progenitor_amborella
      @progenitor_amborella 4 роки тому +2

      You would want to make sure your vapor is clean though, no nicotine or flavorings. Not sure if VG/PG alone leaves residue, but I would assume it does before going and trying without research first.

    • @mtb0519
      @mtb0519 4 роки тому +1

      @@progenitor_amborella wd 40 works well 😂 smells lovely as well

    • @PeterAbt
      @PeterAbt 4 роки тому +4

      use an ultrasonic mist maker instead of the vape

  • @thedon7536
    @thedon7536 4 роки тому

    Now you know how a car air conditioner pump works. It’s just a smaller version. Great video 👏

  • @carneeki
    @carneeki 4 роки тому +7

    I think it's called a swashplate pump; fairly common in hydraulic systems, though running much higher pressures. Interestingly, some hydraulic motors also use this to take compressed fluid and produce rotary motion from it.
    Though, the construction is slightly different, rather than an eccentric drive, they use two plates parallel but at an angle to the axis of rotation, and the pistons align the plates with ball and socket joints on the driven (load) end, and fluid intake / outlet split. Particularly handy as you also get a universal joint built into the motor.

    • @simonhopkins3867
      @simonhopkins3867 4 роки тому

      Cool i had a look at Google images. 👍🏻

    • @cambridgemart2075
      @cambridgemart2075 4 роки тому +1

      I think you mean pressurised fluid, compressed fluid is a physical impossibility!

    • @carneeki
      @carneeki 4 роки тому +1

      @@cambridgemart2075 compressed fluid is totally possible, however, compressed liquid is not; so I'll give you partial credit :)

    • @cambridgemart2075
      @cambridgemart2075 4 роки тому +1

      @@carneeki But it wouldn't be a hydraulic system if the fluid was gaseous!

    • @carneeki
      @carneeki 4 роки тому

      @@cambridgemart2075 that's why I gave you partial credit.

  • @Uncle-Duncan-Shack
    @Uncle-Duncan-Shack 4 роки тому

    Those little pumps are great, make nice solder suckers as well as hot air pens.
    Very nice plant waterers too, the one I bought it used as a water dispenser, it plonks on top of a jug, contains a battery and usb charger.

    • @Uncle-Duncan-Shack
      @Uncle-Duncan-Shack 4 роки тому

      @M Harris We have one of those pistol type desoldering guns. It has a glass tube that one stuffs some balled up cotton wool into which catches the stuff. The tube then gets cleaned with alcohol to remove the resin and the cotton replaced every so often. Works well.

  • @laserhawk64
    @laserhawk64 4 роки тому +15

    It occurs to me that, if the current draw is low enough, you could get one of those Dollar Tree (or Poundland, etc... I live in the US, plz don't judge lol) solar pathway lights and replace the LED with one of these. Obviously a little circuit trickery would be necessary to make it run continuously, since the pathway lights generally turn off in daylight... and of course a bigger battery would be in order as well.
    If you then completely sealed the motor and the mechanical connection from motor to pump, so water absolutely couldn't get into the motor, you'd have a submersible pond pump for an incredibly low cost overall... and with a few bits, here and there, of outdoor rated plastic (or stuff that isn't, such as polypropylene food containers, but covered in something that is, like a cheap tarpaulin or UV-resistant black plastic sheet for the garden, if you can get it in non-perforated form), along with a bit of rock and some cheap plants... hey, water garden on a "the rent is too **** high" (which it always is :-/ ) kinda budget.
    I may have to do that myself someday. I'm not so great with plants, to say the least (I have stories... ohhh, believe me, I have stories!) but, hey, if they water themselves... ;)

    • @bansheemania1692
      @bansheemania1692 4 роки тому +1

      I love my koi pond. Started in 1993 with a 190gal Now Up to 7,500gal. But Now My Father took it over And they Are His Babies 😂 Good Luck in the Future with A Water garden/pond project..✌️

    • @PSUQDPICHQIEIWC
      @PSUQDPICHQIEIWC 4 роки тому

      Just add soap, and you can have your very own foaming garden lights!

    • @kaydog890
      @kaydog890 4 роки тому

      I was thinking similar but for an off grid deep water culture hydro set up.

  • @johncharlesworth9711
    @johncharlesworth9711 4 роки тому

    These are really useful. Last year most of the fish in my aquarium died as the power tripped out when we were on holiday. I have connected one of these to a solar panel I put by the window in case the same happens. Disconnecting the resistor improves the performance no end.

  • @lwilton
    @lwilton 4 роки тому +4

    I'd be interested in seeing it at lower voltages with the rubber condom installed. It might reduce the air flow.
    When you come right down to it, at 1.5V it made plenty of air for a 1 gallon (4 liter) fish tank.

  • @nielsdaemen
    @nielsdaemen 11 місяців тому +2

    3:20 Notice the current draw increase when blocking the output.

  • @Zadster
    @Zadster 4 роки тому +3

    I guess the motor is a typical DC brushed motor, which creates some interesting high voltage spikes as the commutator disconnects, so I wonder if the resistor is there to suppress those voltage spikes. A capacitor would have been easier and more reliable so perhaps not. Either way, I don't think I would risk it putting noise back down the USB 5V line to a PC. A remarkably efficient wee beastie though.

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому

      The capacitor that is usually across any USB supply somewhere would probably be enough to get rid of any danger. It's also only a few mA, so even worst-case the energy those high voltage spikes have wouldnt be massive. But yes, a (10uF 50V ceramic) capacitor across the motor would be a good idea.

  • @robertkirkby-toms2128
    @robertkirkby-toms2128 4 роки тому +1

    I would love to see a usb powered aquarium filter pump as far as I know no one has built such a device but a great bubble pump no less and interesting that you could remove the resister

    • @sandorrabe5745
      @sandorrabe5745 4 роки тому

      In fact these bubble pumps can drive a proper filter by drawing water up through the filter housing and medium

  • @WizardTim
    @WizardTim 4 роки тому +5

    I would assume the resistor is either to increase the voltage dropped across the cable and thus slow down the motor or a poorly conceived back EMF protection device. If so, not sure why they didn’t just use a diode, maybe they got a good deal on 2W resistors that day in the Shenzhen?
    Also not that it matters with the symmetrical design but looks to me like they're running it in reverse, red dot on the motor isn't connected to the red wire?

    • @cambridgemart2075
      @cambridgemart2075 4 роки тому +3

      @WizardTim, no it's there to keep 'intelligent' power banks turned on.

  • @333Roulette
    @333Roulette Рік тому

    Amazed it actually started up on just over a volt! Wow. Great video.

  • @saabnico
    @saabnico 4 роки тому +44

    Interesting, looks like a miniature car ac compressor.

    • @charleshines6155
      @charleshines6155 4 роки тому +2

      It is similar in a way

    • @piwex69
      @piwex69 4 роки тому

      I think car compressors mostly use "G" compressor type -> ua-cam.com/video/IiYfMGssd9I/v-deo.html

    • @NurdRage777
      @NurdRage777 4 роки тому

      Looks similar indeed. ua-cam.com/video/SxqyfB83tSo/v-deo.html

  • @ozpinoy
    @ozpinoy Рік тому

    Awesome tear down, i have this running my nano shallow tank, connected to a 27000 mah powerbank with pass through charging.

  • @1kreature
    @1kreature 4 роки тому +5

    By the way: The pump current consumption will be reliant on the backpressure so deeper water means more current.

    • @Basement-Science
      @Basement-Science 4 роки тому

      Yep, he blocked the output with his finger at some point and the current more than doubled. Still not bad.

  • @MrTBurt85
    @MrTBurt85 4 роки тому +2

    I use those pumps ( the internal motor + diaphragm pump) for my outdoors hydroponics tomatoes with a solar panel, 12v battery and charge controller. They are the only (cheap) ones that seem to enjoy running with a 100% duty cycle 24/7! I tried using larger pumps but they never last, so instead i just use a bunch more of these as they cost practically nothing.

    • @tristan6509
      @tristan6509 4 роки тому

      the motors on these things are usually from old coffee machine frothers, so that probably explains why they last so long compared to the crappily engineered bigger ones.

    • @empresador
      @empresador 10 місяців тому

      Your comment it's old buy here's my 2cents: I have hydro/aero tomatoes and I bet that you'll cut your electric bill like A LOT running a diaphragm pump to irrigate the roots in the air, instead of having a water bed+ injecting air continuously so they don't suffocate. They'll grow faster too.

  • @LiLi-or2gm
    @LiLi-or2gm 4 роки тому +3

    I've got one of these air pumps disassembled on my desk right now. It's a really clever design! If you put the end of the hose in your mouth, you can make talk-box sounds! :) Also, the motor windings measure 3.6 Ω.

    • @lwilton
      @lwilton 4 роки тому +1

      That's DC resistance, but 0.036A at 5V indicates it has an actual running impedance more like 140 ohms.

    • @miniwarrior7
      @miniwarrior7 4 роки тому +1

      Running under load of 12-14" of water will change load current quite a bit

  • @soarer282
    @soarer282 4 роки тому

    I left to sign for a package while watching this video. My 6 year old boy was playing the new minecraft dungeons game on the other pc while I did this for like 5 mins. When I got back he was watching the bubbles in the glass laughing his ass off.
    Stay safe everyone.
    Much love from Au.

  • @ThePoxun
    @ThePoxun 4 роки тому +4

    Are you sure that component was a resistor? I've seen several inductors in that package, size and colouring. Saying that not sure what use an inductor across a dc motor would be as the obvious choice for noise suppression would be a capacitor.

    • @simontay4851
      @simontay4851 4 роки тому

      Yes, it was definitely a resistor. He measured it at 51 ohms.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  4 роки тому +2

      Definitely a resistor. And purely to increase the load to hold on smart power banks.

  • @danielthechskid
    @danielthechskid 4 роки тому

    These little 3 diaphragm pumps are all over the place in various sizes. They pump the air in automatic sphygmomanometers (blood pressure meters) and in the cheap newer low voltage compressors for medication nebulizers, they are in Keurig style coffee brewers to pressurize the boiler tank with air and push the water out through the K-Cup, and they are even used to pump the fresh water in RVs/campers/travel trailers/caravans and in water pressure booster pumps for reverse osmosis water filter systems.

  • @juststeve5542
    @juststeve5542 4 роки тому +3

    With that resistor removed it looks like a great candidate for running off a small solar cell with a couple of NiHM...
    Clive, cross-breed it with an LED garden lamp!

    • @SeanBZA
      @SeanBZA 4 роки тому

      Would provide air at night, just right because then the plants have stopped making oxygen as well, so the fish would be happy. Might need one of the bigger solar cells and a bigger battery (or 3 in parallel) to run all night, but will work, and you can run a LED in parallel as well to get a little light out as well.

    • @stewartcaldwell5299
      @stewartcaldwell5299 3 роки тому

      Would that even be ethical?

  • @ascorbic123
    @ascorbic123 3 роки тому +1

    These things are extremely good, superior to much larger and more expensive aquarium pumps on the market! I use these as my main pumps due to just how much quieter and more efficient they are.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  3 роки тому +1

      Note that they do have a shorter lifespan than the simpler vibrating diaphragm ones.

    • @ascorbic123
      @ascorbic123 3 роки тому +1

      @@bigclivedotcom Noted! I've kept the other ones back just in case of a failure anyway.

  • @drydoc3077
    @drydoc3077 4 роки тому +4

    5-1-0 is 51ohms

    • @cvr007
      @cvr007 4 роки тому

      Gold band is the tolerance... Am I correct?

    • @drydoc3077
      @drydoc3077 4 роки тому

      @@cvr007 yes

  • @Slikx666
    @Slikx666 4 роки тому +1

    I think that pump might be what I'm after for my 8x8 RC truck when I build it.
    Air rise rear suspension 👍

  • @nutsnproud6932
    @nutsnproud6932 4 роки тому +17

    I beat Clive to working out the pump resistor value! The gold multiplier on the resistor is 0.1 so 510 x 0.1 = 51 Ohms. Do I get a gold star?

    • @dahahaka
      @dahahaka 4 роки тому +5

      No gold star for you
      But a gold ring!

    • @dogwalker666
      @dogwalker666 4 роки тому +3

      I was surprised Clive did not know that gold ÷10 silver ÷100

    • @cambridgemart2075
      @cambridgemart2075 4 роки тому +1

      As did I, quite surprised he hadn't encountered gold and silver multiplier bands.

    • @FarleyHillBilly
      @FarleyHillBilly 4 роки тому +4

      Green brown black is 5,1, no multiplier ie 51 ohms, gold band is 5% tolerance

    • @MattThompsonOnGoogle
      @MattThompsonOnGoogle 4 роки тому +1

      @@FarleyHillBilly YOU win.

  • @randomvideosn0where
    @randomvideosn0where 4 роки тому +1

    Far more efficient than I would have guessed

    • @michaelthibault7930
      @michaelthibault7930 4 роки тому

      The apparent output efficiency is probably greatly aided by the pump not having to wear a silicone gag/mask while under test. The pump is no longer 'breathing' through tiny tubules (presumed to be molded into the interior of the silicone sheath). With the sheath installed, are the numbers the same? The output?

  • @StuartChilds
    @StuartChilds 4 роки тому +3

    WAT NO 12v?!

  • @MrDrone-qt6sw
    @MrDrone-qt6sw 3 роки тому

    Effective and efficient designers are cool and skilled

  • @edwardfranklin18
    @edwardfranklin18 3 роки тому +3

    When the pump was running open, those looked like the pistons in a tiny Wenkel Rotary engines like the one in the Mazda RX cars!

    • @goldpipe2003
      @goldpipe2003 3 роки тому

      For fuck sakes man. Wankel engines have rotors.

    • @evaluateanalysis7974
      @evaluateanalysis7974 3 роки тому +1

      A bus company did build an engine like this, but didn't put it into production. It was very compact for its power.
      Wankel engines have a figure-of-eight shaped chamber with a triangular (with curved sides) wobbling rotor. Trochoids!

  • @Sea-Dog5496
    @Sea-Dog5496 4 роки тому

    Well Clive. I have been looking for one of these to use on my scroll saw to blow the saw dust away. Scroll saw have a bellows pump that run off the arm as the blade runs, but they put out enough air to remove the dust. This one would work perfect. Just need to hook it to the main off/on switch.
    Thanks for the reminder.

  • @AiOinc1
    @AiOinc1 4 роки тому +3

    1:45 circumcision on screen man you gotta censor that kind of thing these days

    • @johndododoe1411
      @johndododoe1411 4 роки тому

      That's not circumcision, it's normal uncircumcised movement at that timestamp.

  • @grassblade2
    @grassblade2 2 місяці тому

    So...not so crap as it looks. Especially in a ' Oh my god where do I find life support quick' kinda way.
    Thanks for posting.

  • @bluephreakr
    @bluephreakr 4 роки тому +3

  • @deemond5289
    @deemond5289 4 роки тому

    I use one of these for a little hydroponics setup in a noodle pot. I grow a chilli plant, it's small but nearly 2 years old. I can't wait to see inside.
    I almost forgot to add I run it from a solar panel when I can.

  • @falxie_
    @falxie_ 4 роки тому

    That's quite the powerful little pump

  • @TuxedoRonny
    @TuxedoRonny 4 роки тому +1

    I just wanted to say I've been using mine as the primary air stone pump in a 5-gallon aquarium for almost a year straight. I'm honestly surprised it's still running (and quietly, too!) At this rate, even if it dies, they're cheap enough that I'll just keep buying them.

    • @nsasimallik
      @nsasimallik 2 роки тому

      I am also using this type of USB air pump for my fish tank ( primarily). I am from India. I buy them from Amazon seller who procures them from China. They only work for 3 months or less. The DC motor gets stuck. I directly connect it to main using a USB power adapter

  • @theSam91
    @theSam91 4 роки тому +2

    It would be interesting to see how it fares in deeper water, I've found with my small mains powered aquarium pumps that the air flow decreases the deeper the stone is in.

  • @audigex
    @audigex 4 роки тому

    You can use it in aquarium generally too, not just as a backup or travel unit... it’s a little less powerful than full size units but MUCH quieter and sufficient for small aquaria. Should I remove the resistor if running off a normal USB supply (no battery)?

  • @Alacritous
    @Alacritous 4 роки тому

    I took one of those air pumps, hooked it up to a Lipo battery, connected the output of the airpump to a e-cig atomizer that uses MT3 coils filled with straight vegetable glycerin. And now I have a pocket smoke/fog machine. It can fill an 8x12' room with a light haze in about a 30 seconds and a fog thick enough to see laser beams in about a minute.

  • @thehobe2111
    @thehobe2111 3 роки тому +1

    Could the 51 ohm resistor be protecting the USB power supply when the power supply is turned off and the back EMF of the motor feeds back into the usb supply?

  • @djarum69
    @djarum69 4 роки тому

    That's lovely, and probably more reliable than the diaphragm pumps I learned to rebuild while working at a pet store.

  • @rogerborg
    @rogerborg 4 роки тому +2

    [Desire to turn this into an anti-fog ventilation system for ski and sports goggles intensifies]

    • @howtowithelizabeth7513
      @howtowithelizabeth7513 4 роки тому +1

      I know rubbing soap on glasses of a mirror stops fogging try it on ski googles

  • @claxvii177th6
    @claxvii177th6 2 роки тому

    Don't you love when you search for how does X works your favorite big boss of random electronic disassembly has the exact thing?

  • @julianneEVdmca
    @julianneEVdmca Рік тому

    thanks! i really need to know what inside of those air pump ! great useful video

  • @ExtraFungus
    @ExtraFungus 4 роки тому +2

    There's a US seller who's popular on UA-cam. He's selling these as permanent use pumps. I purchased and tried to run four of them, all four of the motors died in less than a year. This wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't being marketed as a 24/7 365 day a year use pump.

    • @bansheemania1692
      @bansheemania1692 4 роки тому

      Im Looking and Thinking. Its just a Rc car motor. What about a Brushless motor?

    • @ExtraFungus
      @ExtraFungus 4 роки тому

      @@bansheemania1692 it could be done. I'd be worried about efficiency and economy.

  • @rexdoran2051
    @rexdoran2051 4 роки тому +2

    Adding a switch to disengage the resistor seems like a good enhancement.

    • @rich1051414
      @rich1051414 4 роки тому +2

      100ma isn't much to switch, either. However, it is still 2 times too much for the cheapest slide switches, so you know they would fuck that up if they added that from the factory.

  • @prjndigo
    @prjndigo 4 роки тому +1

    The resistor may be there to reduce any negative transients to the battery. I would bet these would work great in series of 3 with the resistor across the first two on 12v.

  • @floriskuipers4925
    @floriskuipers4925 4 роки тому

    I have an almost identical pump that's ment for water instead of air. The only difference is that it has a second intake nozzle on the front, as a result it has a slightly different valve setup but apart from that it's the same (though it's a lot more powerful and A LOT louder when pumping air). I'll check if it also has those passages that this one uses for the intake.

  • @jesuslovesyou5819
    @jesuslovesyou5819 4 роки тому

    That motor is incredible!!

  • @jimlarsen6782
    @jimlarsen6782 3 роки тому

    I was hoping to see you tear the motor down and see if it is a brushless motor. That would be the cat's meow.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  3 роки тому

      I don't think it is.

    • @jimlarsen6782
      @jimlarsen6782 3 роки тому

      Seems to me that brushless motors are wider than they are tall. So more like a short stack of quarters instead of a tall stack of dimes.