The Vectra L1 DC pump that was leaked a couple of weeks ago has a little brother, the Vectra M1 pump, and both new pumps have the specs and pricing to rock the aquarium world. It was revealed today that these two new QuietDrive powered DC pumps will see the same aggressive pricing that we saw with the newest generation of Vortech pumps, with the performance and refined feature set that we come to expect from Ecotech Marine.
The first thing we gathered from the announcement of the Vectra DC pumps is their naming convention. We can only presume that the L1 and M1 denomination of the Vectra pumps stands for Large and Medium, intimating that perhaps a Vectra S1 is slated for the future, or perhaps even already under development and in the pipeline.
As we saw in our previous coverage, the Vectra DC pumps are an attractive white color with blue fitting for the inlet and outlet. We are curious to learn more about this accessory which hasn’t really been seen on centrifugal pumps before, they could be pressure fittings for soft tubing but more than likely they are a form of slim union valve for built-in quick swappability when installed with the use of rigid tubing.
The larger Vectra L1 pump will have a footprint of 7 by 4.5 inches, and an overall height of 6.5 inches. This model will pump a maximum of 3100 gallons per hour, with a maximum head of 21.5 feet and will draw a maximum power of 130 watts. It will be priced at $449 and has an undisclosed ship date.
Meanwhile the slightly smaller Vectra M1 will have a footprint of 6.25 by 4 inches, and a total height of just under 5.5 inches. The smallest Vectra pump will sip on 80 watts to push up to 2000 gallons per hour with the same maximum head pressure of 21.5 feet. The Vectra M1 will beging shipping to dealers on August 3rd with a truly affordable price of $349.
One detail about the Vectra pumps that will be easy to overlook is the minimal amount of vibration absorption that is incorporated into their bases. Simple silicone feet are all that will be provided to isolate the noise coming from these pumps, which we are expecting will be quite low considering that both models will incorporate the same breakthrough QuietDrive powering technology that made the new Vortech pumps unbelievably silent.
Of course Ecotech Marine is not going to release any new devices that are not Ecosmart Live compatible, and the new Vectra DC pumps are no exception. There will be a whole suite of programming built into the drivers of the Vectra DC Pumps including feed modes, gyre modes, reef crest and lagoonal flow patterns similar to those that were introduced with the Vortechs.
Curiously, the Vectra M1 and L1 DC Pumps will be optimized not only for use as very powerful and efficient return pumps but also as highly effective closed loop pumps. Stay tuned next week for our exclusive first look beyond computer generated graphics when we visit Ecotech Marine and see these exciting new pumps in person.
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