help with pumps

Ian · #1 06-04-2009, 01:03 AM

need some help/advice. I am using a quiet one 4000 as my return pump and for the most part is has been good, until today that is. The power went out this morning while I was at work and I just got home to find that the pump had not re started. I could hear a bit of a hum from it but the impellor was not turning. This happened once a couple weeks ago as well when I had to shut it down to do some re-arranging. In both instances I had to unplug the pump pull it out of the sump and move the implellor by hand then when I replaced it in the sumpit started to work. I have taken it apart and can find no visible problems so what now? This obviously cannot be left to go on this way, my tank had dropped 5 degrees in the time I was away, if I had been further along in stocking it could have been a very costly problem.
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?
Or can you suggest a good replacement pump in about the same price range..

banditpowdercoat · #2 06-04-2009, 03:38 AM

The impellers need a cleaning. Submersable pumps usually have no constant direction. They will run both Clockwise and Counterclockwise. When you take the pump apart, you will notice the impeller seems loose on the rotor. It will spin almosty all way around, then catch. This is si the rotor can start turning. When the impeller gets crudded up, it wont spin freely on the rotor and the rotor will just hum back and forth. It needs the "slop" to get the rotor to start spinning in a direction. Clean it out, make sure the impeller flipps freely, and all will be good. I usually have to celan my Mag, Quiet one and Odesea pumps about every 6 months

Ian · #3 06-04-2009, 03:41 AM

Thanks
i tried that 1st thing and the pump has been in used about a month....any other ideas?

banditpowdercoat · #4 06-04-2009, 03:52 AM

If not that, maybe its broken? They usually are pretty simple. Work or not.

plutoniumJoe · #5 06-04-2009, 06:41 AM

I have 2 quiet1 3000s one to drive my skimmer and one for my return. When I purchased the pumps my LFS warned me of their reputation to not start easily if they lose power. One of them always started the other sometimes needed to be bumped or have the impellor rotated to get it going. Sometimes it was quite the ordeal. I phoned my LFS and was told to give it time, once it was broken in algae and all it would be much more consistant. In time it did work itself out and it starts up every time. I have had the pumps for over a year now and gave them a vinegar soak and they still fire up each time and always in the right direction.

How old is the pump?

e46er · #6 06-06-2009, 03:22 AM

i have had 2 quiet one 4000s in 8 months im not a fan of them one stopped working in 6 weeks bought another and have to clean it every 6 weeks or so and it seems to have trouble starting occasionally im gonig to replace it with something else when it dies

Ian · #7 06-18-2009, 03:40 AM

OK another power outage today and came home to pump not working once again. It was cleaned very well Sunday and after a good look at it today no reason for it not restarting to be found.

Tking suggestions on replacement pumps....
Please suggest some I am a newb at this.

banditpowdercoat · #8 06-18-2009, 04:59 AM

Same thing happened here today. But, while I was in the middle of trying to fix the pump, with sump turned off, and plumbing all apart. We got a Fire call, so I had to run

But, I have read alot of great things about Ehiem pumps and their reliability for a submersable pump

Ian · #9 07-01-2009, 05:53 AM

well I have been reading up and the resun pumps seem to have impellr issues so I gues contacting Live aquaria for a replacement is the best plan for this one....the quiet one still is f'd up and I will continue to lk for a replacement that is reliable.

fkshiu · #10 07-01-2009, 06:56 AM

Eheim, my friend, Eheim.

Quiet, reliable and underrated in terms of flow.

I clean mine maybe once a year and it has never ever failed to restart (knock on wood).