Like many of you, when we first heard that the new QuietDrive controller for Ecotech Marine Vortech pumps resulted in 90% less noise, we simply couldn’t believe it. We could fathom how better motors, high tech bearings, and other engineering refinements could reduce motor noise by a little, but what voodoo-talk is Ecotech Marine trying to get by us with the idea that ‘programming’ alone can result in such a stealthy yet powerful water pump?
Then we had the opportunity to see new and old Vortechs alike, the MP10, MP60 and MP40 all being powered with the new QuietDrive controller. The pairing of all Vortech models results in these pumps being almost as quiet as a pump which isn’t even plugged in. If we were on the other side of this screen and reading this we would be just as incredulous as you but the result simply has to be (un)heard to be believed.
The way that direct current DC motors are powered is through a very quick series of electrical pulses that are tuned for the frequency and power needs of the device. Imagine a single person pushing a merry-go-round as fast as they can – the moment that the pushing force is removed, the merry-go-round begins to slow down until the next push. In a DC motor such as those that powers Vortech pumps, this push happens very fast but it is the change in speed between each push that creates audible noise.
Through extensive testing, calculations, and lots of trial and error, Ecotech Marine’s QuietDrive has created the electronic equivalent of having lots of people around the merry-go-round, such that there is nearly always a force being applied to the playground ride. By creating a controlled electrical signal that keeps the motor rotating within a much narrower range of speed, the motor runs so smoothly that it results in more flow, greater efficiency, and most importantly, an incredibly quiet water mover.
