Head Pressure Test
Our first test measured the pump’s head pressure—its ability to lift water to a certain height. We measured the water level inside a rubber hose.
As shown in the archived photo, we secured the hose to a terrace, turned on the pump, and waited 10 minutes for stabilization before taking measurements. We repeated this process for each power step. You can see a snippet of this methodology in the video. Here’s the table of results.
Head pressure ranges from 220 cm to 385 cm, with a linear increase across all power steps. The maximum declared head pressure is 400 cm, so our measurements are nearly identical, accounting for minor reading errors. Great job, Octo! The water level in the hose remains perfectly stable—a behavior we don’t always see.
Flow Rate Test
Measuring the flow rate was straightforward using the DigiSavant DIGIFLOW 6710M flow meter. We connected the pump to the meter and ensured a tight fit. The flow rate is displayed in liters per minute, which we converted to liters per hour by multiplying by 60.
Abbiamo cercato di fare in modo che il misuratore aderisse perfettamente all’uscita della pompa. La misurazione viene espressa in litri al minuto. Quindi è sufficiente moltiplicare il risultato per 60 per ottenere i litri per ora.
Here are the results:
The maximum flow rate was 2,766 l/h (46.1 l/min × 60), slightly below the declared 3,000 l/h. This means the pump achieved 92.2% of its declared flow rate under test conditions—an excellent result and one of the best we’ve measured for a variable-flow centrifugal pump. For comparison:
- Ecotech Marine Vectra M1: 66%
- Waveline DC6000: 67%
- Hydor Seltz D6000: 70%
- Rossmont RX 3200: 86%
- ASF NewJet NJ2000: 82.3%
- Amtra Stream Sump 4000: 92.3%
Pro tip: To maximize flow rate, always use the largest rubber mount, the widest tubing, and minimize the length and number of 90° bends in your setup.
Energy Consumption Test
We measured energy consumption using the RCE PM600, which also calculates the power factor (Cosφ). Results are displayed in watts.
The maximum declared consumption is 25 watts, while our measurements showed 25.9 watts—a mere 3.6% difference. At this consumption level and an energy cost of €0.27/kWh, running the pump continuously at max power would cost about €61/year or €5/month—a negligible expense.
Due to the pump’s size and flow rate, we couldn’t perform our usual noise test. However, the video demonstrates its near-silent operation. The included 4 soft rubber feet further reduce vibrations and noise.
On page three you will find our final evaluations of the pump and comparisons with all the return pumps we have measured to date.
