EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 Release Information

No offense taken at all!

Can't tell you many details regarding exactly what our controller will do, but I can tell you that a bridge to a Neptune won't be needed ;)

The battery backup will be available within the next few weeks as far as I know. We just have to finalize the sticker and get the parts in to begin assembling. Controller will take more time to get out though as it is a very advanced piece of equipment. Shooting for beginning of '07.

-Tim
 
I believe I have the "spinning" problem understood. They are vibrating because the wet side gasket is too soft and traps air. This is very clearly discussed in the instructions but I am afraid that even when carefully placing them this can still happen and the air pocket makes the gasket indent into the spinning magnet. This creates heat and quickly softens the gasket to the point at which it adheres to the magnet and causes vibration.

This combination of adhering to the magnet and extra vibration causes the wet side to spin. A couple of my gaskets actually melted enough to fill the phillips head on the magnet.

What I have done is to peel off the wet gasket and smooth it by rubbing it while still warm. Then I reapply the gasket pressing out all the air. The unit then runs smoother and although I haven't had mine spin, I am sure this would have a positive impact on those that are.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7736271#post7736271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EcoTech Marine
As always, we are constantly striving to improve our product: new wet gaskets are in testing to prevent the slipping behavior some customers have experienced, and we have also been testing new driveshaft and bearing materials to get wear characteristics beyond what we have currently achieved.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming any new and/or improved parts will be compatible with all previously released versions? Is that correct?

I would not expect you to auto ship these new parts to those of us who purchased these pumps prior to the improvements, but will you at least be providing a discount for those of us who would want to upgrade to the better parts?

I did come home the other day to a broken wet frame which caused the pump to stop working. It is unfortunate but as mentioned before, the customer service was quick to respond and very friendly. The replacement part should be here tomorrow. I still feel this is a superior product and once all the bugs are worked out, they should last forever.
 
I think I might be one of many who are waiting for you ( and the early customers ) to work the kinks out. Any idea how soon some of these suggested enhancement will be available? I don't mind waiting too long for an upgraded unit. I figure the following are on your short list:
- Reduce the probability of unit rotation - gasket enhancement
- Improve drivesharft and bearings
- Any other issues not covered in this forum?

From what I'm reading, this pump is the next best thing since Tunze. So far it sounds like a pretty good product that will give them some heavy competition. Thank the guys in the back room for us Tim.

An aside: ReefWater, I like your signature quote. Is that from Back to the Future?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7739314#post7739314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agent007
From what I'm reading, this pump is the next best thing since Tunze. So far it sounds like a pretty good product that will give them some heavy competition. Thank the guys in the back room for us Tim.

An aside: ReefWater, I like your signature quote. Is that from Back to the Future?
Click to expand...

Compared to the Tunze streams they are very similar. They have the advantage of taking up less space in the tank and not having the heat transfer and electricity in the water. But you cant angle them like Tunze's. That is the only draw back I can see but the flow pattern is so wide and powerful that I really dont think it matters at all.

As for the quote, that's from Spaceballs. You need to go rent it tonight. :D
 
Couple more Product Suggestions since you guys are listening to feedback:

I am sure you have heard them all, but I don't want anyone to think I am asleep at the wheel! :lol:

First, it would be nice if the adhesive tabs that hold the cable on the side of the tank were black rather than white. Seems like nit-picking I know, but I think they would be less intrusive that way.

Also, making the power supply wall-mountable would be good. You have done a good job with the base unit so I can mount it wherever I want but now I have to find a way to mount the supply and it's on a fairly short cord. I guess I will Zip-Tie it somehow or make a bracket but it would be a lot easier if it had mounting tabs on it too. I would guess sourcing that will be tough though!

So far so good, with a little rattling. I have been messing around with the wet gasket and that is definitely a problem area for me. I think the object is to have a gasket that is maliable enough to hold the unit in place but I wonder if a stiffer one would work better or even one that has a hard center and soft edge...or maybe a donut style gasket fastened to the wet side?
 
I'Ve just added SpaceBalls to my netflix list. The way I go through movies I should get it by next fall :strooper:

Jnarowe, it would be nice to hear what Tim's thoughts are on your suggestions. Funny thing is, I think the white tape would drive me crazy too.
 
Gentlemen-

I absolutely love this forum, where else can you get such candid feedback from people that genuinely know what they're talking about? To answer some questions....

Regarding black adhesive tape, I would love to provide this if I could find it. over 95% of the parts included in the VorTech box are completely custom. At one point or another we had to stop making new parts and use something off the shelf; this part is one of those situations. If anyone can find an off the shelf wire tie mount w/ black adhesive pad, please let me know. I've been searching and haven't had any luck.

Regarding improvements:
Agent007 has it exactly right. We're currently testing driveshaft/bearing combinations that are quieter and will last longer. The change from metal to plastic was very late in the game and while we tested considerably, we could not forsee certain things. Both had their positive attributes but we've also been testing a drive shaft that has more ceramic to achieve the benefits of metal without the metal itself.

We also have a gasket we're testing that is more or less ready to go out to customers with spinning problems. The gasket is soft to cut down on noise generated by the spinning propeller on the wet half of the pump. The gasket coming in contact with the magnet actually has very little impact on the noise or spinning, the main reason why the pump spins is because the current material absorbs more moisture than we would like and loses its beneficial sticky property.

All new parts will be capable of being added to existing pumps and the costs will either be completely free or extremely marginal.

-Tim
 
The gasket coming in contact with the magnet actually has very little impact on the noise or spinning...
Click to expand...

I don't agree with this based on what has happened with mine and the depth at which the connection was made. My gasket made contact, heated up, and migrated into the phillips head in a manner that caused the gasket to be seriously deformed in a swirl and literally adhered to the screw. There is no doubt in my mind that this is what is spinning the wet side. The swirl itself creates "lift" and when I press it out, the noise stops.

I have 4 pumps running and I can tell when one is making too much contact becuase they will emit a muffled rattle. It is also easy to touch the dry side and if you feel a slight kick, that is indicative of heated contact. The problem for me is that I can press out most of the swirl and reset the pump, but over time they seem to go back to rattling. I have one that has not had any problem and I can visually see in the wet side's reflection that its gasket is flat against the glass.

How about a reef safe adhesive? Maybe the wet side gasket could be mounted first with an adhesive that would hold it flat against the glass?
 
Well when I siliconed mine, it sucked. Would really take away from the vortech if you had to permanetly mount it.

Tim is definetly right about the gasket absorbing water causing it not to stick. My gasket made contact with the magnet but not as severe as your situation. I think once the new gasket is out it will solve these issues.
 
Yeah, I wouldn't think of permanently mounting it either. Of course, those zip-tie holders are somewhat permanent. ;)

The problem is that most plastics and rubbers absorb water, so it will be tough for them to find a good compromise. What about applying a smaller gasket to the magnet and then a separate donut gasket of harder material for the rim of the wet side? So essentially it would be 2 gaskets, one inside the other? That way different materials could be used for different functions.
 
Driver. The power supply is fine. No idea what happened but when I got home from dinner last night the driver was dead. I cross-checked the components just to be sure.
 
My wet gaskets have become too soft to use at all. The magnet on the wet side has started to rub the gasket so badly that it has physically gouged the gasket and usually stops the propellar all together, over heating the motor.

I am now running one pump with no gasket on the wet side at all and one with the dry gasket on the wet side (because it is harder and less maliable) to see which one does better. They have been running for almost a day now with no overheating and shutting down.

I would almost rather see the magnet completely incased in hard plastic on the wet side. Something as simple as a "hard plastic" gasket that slip fits to the wet frame between the magnet and the glass. Then have a gasket similar to the dry gasket to keep down vibration or movement. This way, if the magnet touches the plastic gasket, it wont burn up the rubber gasket and shouldnt bind the magnet to the point of stopping it. You could even make the plastic gasket out of a similar material as the drive shaft bearing.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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