9011 is really noisy... any thoughts on why?

[NeveSSL]

Hi all,

I have a 9011 I bought from a friend that is really noisy. It almost sounds like it hasn't primed or something, but water is flowing over the pipe (I have the sump kit on). A good example would be that it sounds like a maxijet that is only partially submerged and hasn't primed. This has an e-jet pump in it (it was purchased August, 2010) and I'm fairly positive it shouldn't be making this noise. The sump feet are on and its not touching any plastic or anything... the noise seems to be straight from the pump.

Any ideas on what this could be? I did notice that it sits a little bit crooked inside of the skimmer due to the "sleeve below the cover", as its called by the manual.

Any help would be much appreciated as I bought this skimmer thinking it would be quiet!

Brandon

 

[gillies]

My skimmer cup vibrates and makes a lot of noise, so I set 1/2 of an old Mag Float glass cleaner on top of it to quiet it down. No idea if this is your problem, though.

 

[NeveSSL]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm about 90% positive this is coming from the pump. It does remain if I take the skimmer cup off, so I know its not that, but that's a good point.

Brandon

 

[Jerokane]

I have the same problem. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1993721

It more and more seems the whole design of the 9011 is just flawed!

They just used the same housing of the 9010 and dumped the new round pump in it, without any proper testing!

The way the new round pump is sitting in the housing, it just asks for the whole housing (and thus also the skimmer cup) to vibrate and produce lots of noise!

From a company like Tunze you would expect better.

They really need to take this back to the drawing board and redesign the housing for the new round pump and add some soft rubber padding or something at critical points, to prevent and stop the vibration. That would come a long way adressing the noise problem.

 

[NeveSSL]

Thanks for the reply. I'll see what Roger says. Its still under warranty, so I may need to send it in. I'm about 85% positive this is not normal for this skimmer. I hope not, anyway. Its LOUD. Makes me miss my 9002. Heh.

Brandon

 

[Jerokane]

Thanks for the reply. I'll see what Roger says. Its still under warranty, so I may need to send it in. I'm about 85% positive this is not normal for this skimmer. I hope not, anyway. Its LOUD. Makes me miss my 9002. Heh.

Brandon

Yup I hope that too. But seeing how more and more reports about the 9011 start coming in (like this well written one a while ago http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1967770&highlight=9011 ).... I am starting to get a bad feeling it will turn out to be a more structural problem with this skimmer and not just a fluke.

 

[rvitko]

The 9011 is the same body as the 9010, which is also the same as the 9005, 9006, 9015, 9016 and 9020 and 9021, the only difference is the pump and if it was made after October 2010 it has the larger airline. Because of this it is not possible there is some widespread chronic defect with the design, every part except the pump has been unchanged since 2006, since there aren't years and years of complaints against all models, take it with a grain of salt, in a given month in the US alone we sell about 3 dozen 9011's, there are hundred of them out there and maybe a half dozen vocal critics, some are legit, some are just people who want to complain about something, but either way, given the chance, we will take care of it. The most likely cause of noise is some defect or damage to the impeller or disk and it is also possible that the oldest pumps from early 2010 run backwards, this will result in very low performance however, no air and no water exiting the pipe. It is also possible it is not properly assembled and this is the cause of the noise. It has a 2 year warranty and I would suggest sending in the skimmer without the cup or external magnet holders, I will check everything and send it back properly assembled with any necessary repairs done. FWIW, the pump difference is nominal, impeller blade is the same, impeller housing is the same, the main difference was a change from a mechanical start to an electronic start and a change in shape.

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

 

[NeveSSL]

Thank you for the reply, Roger.

Before I send it in, should I check the impeller or other items for damage? Or should I just send it in? I don't mind opening it up.

Brandon

 

[rvitko]

It would be subtle and hard to see if you aren't really familiar with the parts. You could remove the impeller and magnet assembly and check that the shaft is not covered with lime or that some sand is not stuck between the magnet and shaft. I would send it in though if it is anything more than that.

 

[NeveSSL]

Ok. I'll at least give that a shot.

Thanks!

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

I was able to test it after work this evening (this is an office tank). I took the impeller out, washed it off, noticed some black sludge on it (that I believe was bio-material from the guy who had this last), but when I put it back together, it was much quieter. Over the next minute to two minutes, the noise came back. It also is not pushing any water out of the skimmer. I will send it in tomorrow.

Thanks, Roger.

Brandon

 

[Jerokane]

It would be subtle and hard to see if you aren't really familiar with the parts. You could remove the impeller and magnet assembly and check that the shaft is not covered with lime or that some sand is not stuck between the magnet and shaft. I would send it in though if it is anything more than that.

I think it really has more to do with how the pump sits in the housing.

I did tests before by removing the pump out of the housing and just hanging it loose in a tub of water and it was virtually silent.

The moment you assemble the pump inside the housing it starts making lots of noise due to vibration.

I think it has more to do how the pump is only hold by the intake and outtake within the housing and the rest of the pump just hanging loose inside.

So it basically creates vibration through the housing via either the intake and/or outtake as well. And so in turn also makes the skimmer cup making vibration noises, amplifying the problem.

But that is just my 2 cents.

PS. Maybe not so many people have complained up till now due to fact that many have their skimmer inside the sump hidden within the cabinet and so dampening the noise quite a bit?

Compared to people like me who have the skimmer in the display tank with open top?


I hope this week I will finally receive the reefpack 505 and replace this noise skimmer with a new 9011 and see how it goes.
I cannot send it in to you by the way (I am in Norway lol), but will contact Tunze Germany if the new 9011 that comes with the reefpack is going to turn out to be noisy as well.

 

[rvitko]

Jerokane,

The old pump mounted the same way, if it is in correctly it should be just as silent if the pump is also correct. It is true the cup will make some vibration and this is not something you can hear in a cabinet but can hear if it is in the tank, for this I don't have a good solution, a rubber band on the cup neck will help to make a tighter fit and less vibration, also a weight on the cup lid will help, but this is not a very professional solution, I know. The main point is to be sure the nozzle of the pump is all the way in the clear tube in the skimmer and that the motor is turned so the cord is as close as possible to the cord slot, if the pump touches the bottom plate it makes much more noise. Another possible factor is that if the pump is new and stronger as a result of being clean and new, the pump will take in some air bubbles, this makes an imbalance of the impeller and more vibration, closing the air a little and fully opening the water intake in front of the pump as well as just a few weeks of time will greatly reduce this issue. It may also be the shaft is loose or the pump is a little older and lacks the new 3005.740 disk which absorbs vibration, this disk came in about September of 2010. Before it was a hard surface that transmitted vibration.

Brandon, what you describe sounds like a backwards spinning pump, on some of the first pumps made the electronic sensor was improperly installed and it didn't detect that the pump was spinning backwards, this system should stop it and start it the right way. This can also happen if a disk is missing or wrong. This problem has been solved but was possible in the first few months these pumps were made.

 

[NeveSSL]

Thanks for the reply, Roger. Maybe that's the case with this one. I'm positive its not operating correctly, whatever the cause, if nothing else because it doesn't push water through.

Its on its way to you. I will PM tracking.

Brandon

 

[Jerokane]

Jerokane,

The old pump mounted the same way, if it is in correctly it should be just as silent if the pump is also correct. It is true the cup will make some vibration and this is not something you can hear in a cabinet but can hear if it is in the tank, for this I don't have a good solution, a rubber band on the cup neck will help to make a tighter fit and less vibration, also a weight on the cup lid will help, but this is not a very professional solution, I know. The main point is to be sure the nozzle of the pump is all the way in the clear tube in the skimmer and that the motor is turned so the cord is as close as possible to the cord slot, if the pump touches the bottom plate it makes much more noise. Another possible factor is that if the pump is new and stronger as a result of being clean and new, the pump will take in some air bubbles, this makes an imbalance of the impeller and more vibration, closing the air a little and fully opening the water intake in front of the pump as well as just a few weeks of time will greatly reduce this issue. It may also be the shaft is loose or the pump is a little older and lacks the new 3005.740 disk which absorbs vibration, this disk came in about September of 2010. Before it was a hard surface that transmitted vibration.

Ok thanks!

I will get a new 9011 with the Reefpack 505 that should be finally coming in early next week and will check it out if it has the new disk and take extra notice again to all the connections.

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow! What a difference!

Thanks, Roger. I really, really appreciate your help with this. This skimmer is now extremely quiet, especially for its size. And I'm sure it will get a little bit more quiet as it breaks in, too. Good stuff. This is why I purchased this skimmer.

Thanks again for your service and help!

Brandon

 

[rvitko]

Thanks, I am glad it was simple, the new disk really makes a huge difference.

 

[NeveSSL]

I just wanted to add real quick an observation. I'm using this with the sump kit. The lower the water is in my sump (such as if I keep forgetting to refill the ATO *ahem*), the louder the pump is. I believe this is probably due to simple physics (its more work on the pump), and I don't think its a problem with the product, but I want to point it out for those who run across this thread in the future and may be running their skimmer in low water. The deeper the better, peeps. At least up to the standpipe.

Brandon

 

[rvitko]

I think the noise is the same but there is less water to muffle the noise, the standpipe dams the internal water level to the same height regardless, I generally recommend 6-8" water level as it minimizes splash and bubbles and gives a safety level before the pump runs dry. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[NeveSSL]

That would make sense, too, Roger.

Brandon