Impeller chatter on 6200 inside wavebox

[delphinus]

Hi, I have a problem with a wavebox that I'm hoping for some help with.

At startup, the Stream 6200 inside will run for a few minutes without any problems (by "run" I mean it is observing the on/off cycle as is typical for wavebox operation.) After that it seems to start chattering or stuttering (for lack of a better description). The impeller is turning but nowhere near as fast as it should be turning - or it is as if it is turning and stopping for an instant, repeatedly during the "on" phase.

There is still a wave being produced but it is a fraction of what it should be, plus there is a lot of ticking sounds produced when it's having this problem.

I've taken it apart and cleaned it out to no avail - at least it looks clean to my eye so I don't think it's an obstruction.

I don't have a spare impeller for a 6200 but I did have a spare impeller from a dead 6080 I had and it seemed to have the same problem after a while so I'm not convinced it might be the impeller. Although since it is an impeller from a different model stream it might not be a good test.

Could this be an issue with the motor drive, and if so is there any way to confirm this without purchasing a whole new motor drive? It would be an expensive proposition if it turned out to be something else.

Thanks!

 

[rvitko]

If you are using an older 6080.600 or 6100.600 drive unit I would suspect this first, the brakes tended to drag and lock from wear on waveboxes, the first thing to try is a 6200.700 drive unit and change every part that comes with the new one. If that isn't it, I would order part 6260.015, this is a complete pump upgrade. The drivers are no longer made.

 

[delphinus]

Hi Roger, thank you for the reply.

How would I tell if I have a newer or older style drive unit? I don't recall seeing any brake mechanisms on the unit. I assume you are referring to the tabs that expand outwards if the drive unit rotates backwards and prevents it from spinning in the wrong direction. The drive units on my one remaining older style 6100 pump and 6080 have these tabs but I do not remember seeing them at all on the the drive unit for the 6200. Does this mean it may already be the newer style? When did Tunze switch to the new models?

The pump itself does not have a driver box. There is a black transformer plug in which then connects to a small 1" box that the controller cable plugs into (much the same as what I see on my 6105's).

I do have another working wavebox in the same tank so I will perhaps swap the drive units to see if the problem follows the drive unit or stays with the drive motor (sorry if I'm getting the terminology incorrect).

It would be a disheartening purchase to make to purchase a new pump upgrade as I have only gotten about 3 months of use on the wavebox myself. It was purchased second-hand but had not been used by the previous owner, so it has sat on a shelf for some time. So I hope it is something simple like maybe a new drive unit could solve the issue..

 

[delphinus]

Wait sorry, you said "change every part that comes with it". So that means if I want to try swapping between two units, I should move all the parts over as well. Off the top of my head I think there is the magnet, a bushing at the bottom, an orange O-ring under the bushing, and then a collar of sorts that sits in the hole of the drive motor. Is there anything else I should be looking for?

 

[rvitko]

The new 6200.700 drive units have a black/grey shaft the propeller presses on, there is no screw to hold the prop and no white pieces, they also lack the brake shoes. The 6080 and 6060 and 6130 are the only 3 pumps that still use the brake shoes. This change was made in early 2006. When you move drive units you must change all the associated parts, the fit of bushings and bearing changed over time to increase cooling or reduce noise and the sets must match or the fit will be too tight. Make sure all parts are in correctly, I commonly get pumps back where the oring is above the upper bearing instead of under it, the ring should be at the very bottom, the very first thing installed.

 

[delphinus]

Ok thanks again for the info. It is definitely already the new style propeller in there. I swapped propellers from my other wavebox and the problem stayed with the whole unit instead of following the propeller so I guess that answers whether a new propeller will do the trick.

Followup question then - I happen to have a spare 6100. Can I use this inside the wavebox to replace the faulty 6261? Or if I can source out a used 6200 will that work for the wavebox? The pump inside the wavebox is a 6261, I'm not sure what the difference is between 6200 and 6261 but I assume that there is a difference if the model # changed.

 

[rvitko]

A 6260 was essentially a 6100 using a 6200 propeller and front cover, so if you moved those two items you could make it work.