EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 Release Information
- Thread starter EcoTech Marine
- Start date
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Tim, any suggestions? Should I send the unit back or try the shaft? PM me if you dont want to talk here.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
EcoTech Marine
.Registered Member
Reefwaters-
If it's stalling like that frequently then something is amiss. The pump should run continuously with no stalls period. Send me an email at sales@ecotechmarine.com. The wet side of the pump is 90% of the time the culprit here, either something is jammed up or binded.
Nextdog-
Since you've been having problems like this since the beginning I'd prefer to just send you a new pump. Also email me and I'll take your info down and send it out to you immediately.
-Tim
If it's stalling like that frequently then something is amiss. The pump should run continuously with no stalls period. Send me an email at sales@ecotechmarine.com. The wet side of the pump is 90% of the time the culprit here, either something is jammed up or binded.
Nextdog-
Since you've been having problems like this since the beginning I'd prefer to just send you a new pump. Also email me and I'll take your info down and send it out to you immediately.
-Tim
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Tim, I sent you an email. No hurry. Thanks for the help.
Ross
Ross
jnarowe
New member
All of mine are up and running, although I have been instructed by Eco-Tech to not power them through the ACIII Pro system. They are simply plugged into regular outlets so I have lost the ability to control them. I hope they can figure out what the problem is by analyzing the old drivers so that I can get back to using a controller.
Since no one else that I have seen has complained about issues with controllers, I would guess there is some conflict with the Vortech's electronics and the high power draw in my system. No way to know until Eco-Tech completes their testing.
I am turning them down at night to give some quiet time to the reef. They are on average much less noisy although occassionally one or two will rattle a bit. The flow they are producing is superb. My juvenile fish actually have some trouble at the high end!
Since no one else that I have seen has complained about issues with controllers, I would guess there is some conflict with the Vortech's electronics and the high power draw in my system. No way to know until Eco-Tech completes their testing.
I am turning them down at night to give some quiet time to the reef. They are on average much less noisy although occassionally one or two will rattle a bit. The flow they are producing is superb. My juvenile fish actually have some trouble at the high end!
ReefWaters
Premium Member
One of mine seems to have a mind its own. The two pumps are set to alternate on and off every 3 minutes with only one running at any given time. The one that has trouble, will occasionally show a solid red light and flashing green. But once you cut power to it and plug it back in, it works fine. So I can either do this manually or the wave maker will do it.
So everyone knows, Tim at Eco Tech has offered for me to send the pump back for them to play with it on their test tank. He thinks it might be something in the box or the wet side. I just haven't gotten around to shipping it.
So everyone knows, Tim at Eco Tech has offered for me to send the pump back for them to play with it on their test tank. He thinks it might be something in the box or the wet side. I just haven't gotten around to shipping it.
diverdan814
Member
I was instructed to not use mine on the Chauvet Timers either. This is a downer because I had counted on being able to alternate flow among pumps.
jnarowe
New member
I share your pain diverdan814. I had asked ahead of my purchase about using the Vortechs on other controllers since the release of the Vortech controller wouldn't be until 2007. Unfortunately not all situations can be tested for in a lab!
I still think the Vortech has great advantages over other powerhead products, and that it will just take more time to figure out some of of the implementation issues. I think the "brains" of the driver may need more electrical protection for use in conjunction with high amp/controller applications.
I still think the Vortech has great advantages over other powerhead products, and that it will just take more time to figure out some of of the implementation issues. I think the "brains" of the driver may need more electrical protection for use in conjunction with high amp/controller applications.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I know that somewhere in the beginning of this thread it was said you could use these pumps on ANY wave timer. I guess they have since re-thought this.
I know that the new controller will never actually stop the propeller. It will just ramp it all the way down instead of turning it off.
On a similar note. Has anyone experienced any problems with the pumps if you bring your cleaning magnet too close to it? I haven't really experimented with it for fear of causing a problem, but I cant say for sure that my cleaning magnet has not caused it to mis-align when I get it too close to the pump. Any thoughts?
I know that the new controller will never actually stop the propeller. It will just ramp it all the way down instead of turning it off.
On a similar note. Has anyone experienced any problems with the pumps if you bring your cleaning magnet too close to it? I haven't really experimented with it for fear of causing a problem, but I cant say for sure that my cleaning magnet has not caused it to mis-align when I get it too close to the pump. Any thoughts?
From IceCap:
I finally have a Backup Battery (BB) on one of my pumps and doing occasional short time on/off cycles on that pump with a regular timer. The battery kicks in seamlessly at 50% of the speed setting. We're not recommending you do this - which is one of the reasons I'm trying it so you don't have to. I'll report back later.
A definite 'no' is long term drawing down the BB as it will diminish the long term life of the battery. My experiment is confined to short (< 5 minutes) BB use which causes the recharger to immediately turn on to keep the BB topped off.
Andy
I finally have a Backup Battery (BB) on one of my pumps and doing occasional short time on/off cycles on that pump with a regular timer. The battery kicks in seamlessly at 50% of the speed setting. We're not recommending you do this - which is one of the reasons I'm trying it so you don't have to. I'll report back later.
A definite 'no' is long term drawing down the BB as it will diminish the long term life of the battery. My experiment is confined to short (< 5 minutes) BB use which causes the recharger to immediately turn on to keep the BB topped off.
Andy
melev
Well-known member
I don't quite understand. If I have a power outage for four hours, I'm going to want my VorTech running the full period. Once power is restored, it should recharge the battery again. Obviously like any UPS, the battery will have a specific lifespan.
A local club member had a power outage last Sunday. He called me up to see what I'd suggest, and I told him to run to Home Depot's Tool Rental and get a generator in case he was without power for the night. He rented it for $36 for a 24 hour period. About four hours later, power was restored, but his reef was safe. Best $36 he ever spent, imho. It cost him less than a new coral, and his livestock was safe.
I like the VorTech option for those that can't be there to install a generator right as it happens. If it was a long term problem, I'd assume it would be best to move the VorTech closer to the surface to venturi in a little air into the flow. Would you agree, Andy?
A local club member had a power outage last Sunday. He called me up to see what I'd suggest, and I told him to run to Home Depot's Tool Rental and get a generator in case he was without power for the night. He rented it for $36 for a 24 hour period. About four hours later, power was restored, but his reef was safe. Best $36 he ever spent, imho. It cost him less than a new coral, and his livestock was safe.
I like the VorTech option for those that can't be there to install a generator right as it happens. If it was a long term problem, I'd assume it would be best to move the VorTech closer to the surface to venturi in a little air into the flow. Would you agree, Andy?
In a blackout, the pump will run 30 or more hours, depending on the speed it was set at. My short BB uses are short term to avoid draining the BB when it's not an emergency (because with my luck that's when a real one would happen) and to avoid aging the BB unnecessarily.
Re the aeration question, one of our beta BB sites had a power outage and what happened was the water level dropped as the sump partially filled which put a part of the pump above the water line. As you can imagine, a huge bubble maker. Again, not something we'd want to do to the pump every day but works out great when you need it.
Andy
Re the aeration question, one of our beta BB sites had a power outage and what happened was the water level dropped as the sump partially filled which put a part of the pump above the water line. As you can imagine, a huge bubble maker. Again, not something we'd want to do to the pump every day but works out great when you need it.
Andy
