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  1. #1

    New improved Easy Drum and my thoughts on systems redundancy

    Let me start with my thoughts on redundancy - ideally we should have our filtration set up providing necessary redundancy in case if either one of the pumps will give up or one of the drains would get clogged or drum filter or other filtration component will stop working or any other potential malfunction or maintenance needs - thus assuring pond still being filtered.

    When looking into the issue of desired higher flow via our filter system - with 24.000 L in the ground pond and max. 20.000 L/h flow capacity of our first Easy Drum filter (with regular SST mesh - with high flow option for 90 EUR can be retrofitted and increased to 25.000 L/h), I had two options - either upgrade to new larger RDF unit with flow capacity larger than 30.000 L/h - or to separate bottom drain line from skimmer line and add second Easy Drum unit on it - resulting in having two separate pumped lines - each with its dedicated RDF - from the two options I have chosen the later one - as:

    1. Skimmer is shut down over the winter - thus allowing skimmer line to be completely shut down inclusive its own dedicated Easy drum - on this line I have installed my original Easy Drum in operation for two years already.

    2. Starting from Spring all the way till Fall having both lines separated with their own dedicated Easy Drums, there is maximum redundancy - in the case of one of the lines maintenance or one of the pumps / filters failure - the second one provides still good flow of about 17.000 L/h.

    3. While both combined lines the flow is reaching 34.000 L/h (by mfg. specs up to 50.000 L/h) - so allowing fine tuning for optimum performance - using about 80% of power output at AF DM Vario 30.000 L/h - two in total - one at skimmer line and second at bottom drain line - this with TDH of 3.5 m is giving about 15.000 L/h flow via each Easy Drum - or 60% of it's max rated output - so good for its longevity too.

    4. It is also quite good option financially - at combined cost of 1.998 EUR the result - two RDF units with combined max flow capacity of 50.000 L/h (if both fitted with high flow SST mesh) - each also with 40W amalgam UV-C installed in it - at cost unbeatable by any other offering on the market with similar maximum flow capacity.

    5. Cannibalization for spare parts - if ever anything may fail, the second identical unit can be cannibalized for spare parts while waiting for their delivery - allowing our pond to have all the time decent flow through our bio-filters.

    Now few comments on the new improved Easy Drum - I have been running flawlessly one of the first production units (installed in NOV 2016) so I was curious to see if any improvements have been made to it - and YES - it has been improved - by addressing all main complaints - also shared on this forum in separate thread by Apbar:

    1. The manufacturer of Easy Drum is in fact Filtreau - https://www.filtreau.nl/en/products/...au-drumfilter/
    - Dutch company specializing in UV-C systems for pools and ponds - among others - this filter has been sold since it's market introduction under several brands - like AEM Easy Drum, Tokuna Easy Drum or others.
    2. The top lid is now secured by four screws into molded-in brass fittings - easy to remove for inspection / drum cleaning - and easy to put back on - w/o any tools needed - and preventing the top lid distortion reported by some - incl. myself. On this picture you can see also overflow ports / holes added for pumped version - with 63 mm diameter x 2 - sufficient for the single 50 mm pumped hose intake - in my case - I will need to add these ports over the winter also to my original Easy Drum - which does not have it:
    20181021_New improved Easy Drum.jpg

    3. In order to avoid any high turbulence otherwise present with directly connected hose to the RDF intake, it is a good idea to create simple intake manifold from waste HT pipes 110mm diam. - good idea also with two pumped lines connected to the same RDF - but more important with just one line going into each RDF - as it allows to balance flow to both intakes for uniform and less turbulent flow to the drum:
    20181021_ Easy Drum - intake manifold added.jpg

    4. My new Easy Drum came with high flow SST mesh (70 microns) installed on my request - this gives 25.000 L/h max. flow - can be ordered as such at the time of order - w/o any surcharge (at least in my case) - normally it comes with regular 70 microns SST mesh allowing max. flow of 20.000 L/h as my original Easy Drum came with two years ago. The difference is in form of larger cutouts in the foil supporting the SST mesh so more of it is exposed to pond water - visually looking as allowing more UV-C light through the mesh inside drum - but the mesh itself is identical.

    5. Both Easy Drums installed side by side - new on the left side - original to the right installed 4 cm higher to allow proper water flow into bio-filters - both Easy Drums in my setup are merged into one 110 mm pipe leading into the bio-filters - thus assuring full redundancy - all bio-filters in series will get still flow from at least one RDF unit is the other is shut down / stopped:
    20181023_ Both Easy Drumms installed.jpg

    Bottom line - long story short - Easy Drum allowed me to add much desired redundancy to my filter setup - while allowing substantial maximum flow capacity increase at still very favorable price - so maybe someone else might find this experience inspiring as well.....will continue to update if anything new.

    Just food for thoughts I guess ....


    Last edited by milaz; 13-06-2019 at 07:53 AM.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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  3. #2
    Member Rank = Nisai ganroob's Avatar
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    Hi milaz, I'm a long time lurker on the forum and now a new member. As the only one using this filter on a pumped system, to you goes the honour of my first post !

    Thanks for the clear pics of updated filter showing the overflow ports (brilliant idea) and position change of the float switch. Were these done for you when ordering "pumped" version or mods done by you afterwards ?

    Mine is "standard" version from SBK just two weeks ago,with only the plugged bypass ports low down, I will need to drill the overflow ports and move the float switch. I have the screw down top but not the clips on the small cover on the input side.
    It's not fitted yet but I'm expecting great things.

    What water level is it running at inside ?

    Just seen that I'm listed as FRY/ JUNIOR member at the age of 59 lol
    Last edited by ganroob; 27-10-2018 at 03:29 PM.

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  5. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by ganroob View Post
    Hi milaz, I'm a long time lurker on the forum and now a new member. As the only one using this filter on a pumped system, to you goes the honour of my first post !

    Thanks for the clear pics of updated filter showing the overflow ports (brilliant idea) and position change of the float switch. Were these done for you when ordering "pumped" version or mods done by you afterwards ?

    Mine is "standard" version from SBK just two weeks ago,with only the plugged bypass ports low down, I will need to drill the overflow ports and move the float switch. I have the screw down top but not the clips on the small cover on the input side.
    It's not fitted yet but I'm expecting great things.

    What water level is it running at inside ?

    Just seen that I'm listed as FRY/ JUNIOR member at the age of 59 lol
    Thank you Ganroob,

    Yes - both mine Easy Drums were ordered as pumped and delivered as such - so water level sesnors were already mounted in the dirty side of RDF

    On the first one the overflow ports were missing - so I built bypass with 75mm HT waste pipe - one for each inlet to RDF - merging back after the RDF into its exit from clean side.

    After separating bottom drain from skimmer line the two overflow ports of 63mm diameter each should be sufficient to manage 15 - 17.000 L/h of single line pumped inflow.

    Will test it next week to weight down the water level sensor and deliberately overflow RDF to see if I am correct.

    Good luck!

    Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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  7. #4
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Thanks for very comprehensive info there Milaz!

    One thing I did not particularly design my setup for is redundancy- although the pond does text me if for any reason the drum control panel shuts off the pumps (e.g. low water level). This does require me to be home to fix things though (or to be ordering the OH to do things for me haha).

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  9. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Feline View Post
    Thanks for very comprehensive info there Milaz!

    One thing I did not particularly design my setup for is redundancy- although the pond does text me if for any reason the drum control panel shuts off the pumps (e.g. low water level). This does require me to be home to fix things though (or to be ordering the OH to do things for me haha).
    Thank you Lara,

    While I have been thinking about such redundancy for quite some time, what has triggered me into action was quite unfortunate experience - one Saturday evening in SEP the Danfoss solenoid - installed instead of the pressure pump for RDF washing - gave up after only two years in operation and remained opened all the time - wasting a lot of water - my mistake - I did not have a spare one on hand - and w/o the filter flow redundancy I had to shut it down, switch off all feeding as I was leaving for week long business trip abroad on Monday 7AM - so no chance to buy new solenoid and repair - so while ordered on internet the replacement - but different brand - do not trust Danfoss anymore - for whole 5 days the only filtration was outdoor shower filter I built on the ASHP line (thanks God...) - water parameters were still spot on when I returned Friday evening home and replaced the broken solenoid - but right at that time I decided to proceed with my redundancy plans - now completed.

    Good experience - during 5 days loss of water flow via my main filters I have kept the same aeration as usual inside plus circulation of water via the showers hoping to keep all the good bugs starving but alive - which was accomplished - as they kicked in immediately after restart of the water flow via RDF.

    Lesson learned:
    1. Emergency spare parts need to be on hand
    2. Redundancy of flow to main filters is much desired - to plan in advance for any possible bottle neck - e.g. critical component, which in the case of failure may interrupt water circulation via main filters
    3. Standardization of all equipment used around the pond is desirable - so it can be easily switched around in case of emergency to keep at least the most important filter line in operation.

    On the third point - I have two AF DM Vario 30.000 pumps - one on skimmer line (shut down each winter), one on year round operating bottom drain line, I have also two AquaKing 20.000 pumps - one as spare, second running the ASHP heat line and now also two Easy drums installed as main mechanical filtration - both running with identical solenoids so it can be easily swapped if ever needed - plus I am ordering this week third one as spare to keep on hand - as it is not that expensive item after all at 36 Euro.

    Hope the above experience may help someone else to avoid such interruption in main filters operation ....

    Just food for thought I guess.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

  10. #6
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    If I ever had a failure of the drum motor or pressure pump I would just pop out the 4 bypass bungs while I awaited spare parts. Water clarity would take a big hit but all the bio filters would work as normal.

    Losing a pump would either stop my shower or my heat pump working, but I have a spare pump for the heat pump line. the combi drum would be working as normal all be it at a slower flow rate with only 1 pump in action. So I suppose I do have a certain anount of redundancy in my system already.

    What my setup wouldnt be very good for though is running into a problem when I was away if there was nobody there to do anything.

    For that reason I would probably shut down my recycling RO and just leave a standard mains trickle going in if the pond was going to be unattended. That would remove the solenoid valve for the flush from the equation and also anything becoming disconnected in the RO pipework.

    Sods law states that the most unlikely and rare thing will always happen when you are away or just about to go away! Especially if its also dark and raining and the shops are all closed for days.

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  12. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by ganroob View Post
    Hi milaz, I'm a long time lurker on the forum and now a new member. As the only one using this filter on a pumped system, to you goes the honour of my first post !

    Thanks for the clear pics of updated filter showing the overflow ports (brilliant idea) and position change of the float switch. Were these done for you when ordering "pumped" version or mods done by you afterwards ?

    Mine is "standard" version from SBK just two weeks ago,with only the plugged bypass ports low down, I will need to drill the overflow ports and move the float switch. I have the screw down top but not the clips on the small cover on the input side.
    It's not fitted yet but I'm expecting great things.

    What water level is it running at inside ?

    Just seen that I'm listed as FRY/ JUNIOR member at the age of 59 lol
    Hi Ganroob,

    If it might help you I took couple pictures of the water level sensor with meter to indicate its position ...

    Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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  14. #8
    Member Rank = Nisai ganroob's Avatar
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    Thanks again milaz, very useful to see clear pics. With those and the video by Clayton on youtube, I shouldn't have any problems

 

 

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