Question re Vortech reliability

BlueWorldAquatic · #1 06-18-2010, 05:14 PM

I can honestly say that there are issues, but I see a lot more than most hobbiest.

Small issues, like a bad power cable, or a driver's firmware needing to be upgraded.

As for pumps, the mechanical parts are solid, and have yet to replace one for any customer.

Ken - BWA

dreef · #2 06-18-2010, 06:45 PM

Running an MP40w that's 2 yrs.old this month....Zero problems,LUV them.

hockey nut · #3 06-18-2010, 07:45 PM

I have had mine for close to a year now and knock on wood I have had no problems. It will need regular cleaning like all pumps do, which is extremely easy. You can't beat the flow from these versatile pumps.

xtreme · #4 06-18-2010, 07:59 PM

Only problem I have had is with the magnet on the wet side. But that was a first generation unit and the gen 2's have rectified that issue.

marie · #5 06-18-2010, 09:15 PM

I have 4 of them and i've been kind of hard on the drive shafts, I've had to replace 2 because I keep stripping the threads....I do have to clean often them because of coralline build up though

Doug · #6 06-18-2010, 11:03 PM

Mine are not a year old yet but running well. I do find the wiring connection running into the bottom of the controller to be kind of not well done. Seems easy to pull the rubber insert around the wires out of the box. I have mine electrical taped tight to the box just in case.

mike31154 · #7 06-18-2010, 11:27 PM

I have two MP40W which I've upgraded with the new ES drivers. One of the pumps is over two years old and was a Gen 1 when I purchased it new. A few months after the purchase, the Gen 2 improvements arrived on the scene and I upgraded the magnet, driveshaft, bearing with the kit available from EcoTech for just over $10 if I remember correctly. About a year later I got a deal on another forum for a NIB MP40W that had become surplus due to a change of plans of the hobbiest selling it. So I got a decent deal on that one.

Other than replacing the Gen 1 parts, I sent the original pump in just before the warranty ran out since the dry side seemed to be making a somewhat unusual sound. The pump was still working fine, I was concerned about the sound, made a recording and emailed the sound file to EcoTech. They suggested I send it in for them to have a look see, so I did. Returned relatively quickly with the problem rectified at no cost.

So other than the aforementioned blips the pumps have been working very well and I wouldn't trade them for any other mode of water movement, be it a competitor's pump or closed loop. Unlike some of the other posters, I rather neglect them with respect to cleaning. Brush the wet side components down with a toothbrush periodically, but have never soaked the wet side in a vinegar solution to dissolve coralline buildup.

I do have one beef still though. Seems the night mode has a habit of kicking in later every evening. This was a known problem with the original wireless drivers when that option was added by a firmware upgrade. I really would have thought that EcoTech with their reputation of customer satisfaction and innovation would have solved this with the new EcoSmart drivers, especially after I decided spend the extra bucks to upgrade. I gather the solution is another firmware upgrade, but it seems to be taking quite a while to get that out to us, so I'm almost suspecting there's a hardware issue that can't be solved by a firmware fix. You'd really think with all the features, they'd have an accurate timer or clock inside the box.