comments:
I started with these cheaper transfer pumps off Amazon that took 3 x AAA batteries. Definitely a game changer for me. But I'd burn through AAA batteries rapidly & ended up wiring up a 5V wall wart to replace the batteries. Eventually, the pump motors would start sticking / freezing up & would eventually fail on them, I went through at least 3 of them. I've been growing for 6 years now. And I rinsed the transfer pumps out with warm water after using them, I didn't leave them full of nutrient solution or anything. I just think the pump motors aren't very robust & begin to rust or something, or perhaps the bearings fail, not sure why they failed. Several years ago, instead of getting the 4th cheap transfer pump powered by AAA batteries, I tried one of the more expensive rechargeable transfer pumps from Amazon. Unfortunately, they're $110, but the 2 I bought, I've been using for a couple of years now with no issues, no pump or battery failures or anything. I use 1 for RO water only, to fill my mixing barrel with water or to fill a 5 gallon bottle & use that to refill humidifiers in my tents. The 2nd transfer pump is for nutrient mix only, that I'll use to water plants & whatnot. With how many AAA batteries I was using, the rechargeable one probably would have paid for itself, had I not switched over to using a power supply on them. To connect the 5V wall wart, I just cut the barrel connector end off & soldered the wires to the + & - battery connectors, rather than take the pump apart. Saved me lots of money on buying batteries anyways. Here's a link if anyone is interested: https://a.co/d/evcCh7W The one I use has 60" (5') hose, but they've got another one with a 120" (10') hose for $120.