Mag Pump Cleaning

[tent boy]

My mag pump has been in my sump for a little over a year. I cant tell if the flow is reduced from when it was new. Do these pumps need to be soaked in vinegar every year or so? My looks clean outside, but can't see inside it.

 

[jfl14609]

Wouldn't hurt

 

[gnashty]

might not even need to soak it - pull it out, tear it down...just a couple of screws and rinse it off. if the buildup is heavy you can soak it but you may not need to..good luck

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

keep a bucket of vinegar in the basement 24/7

keep a bucket of vinegar in the basement 24/7

 

[tmz]

Not really unless you are having some abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate in your system or dosing organic carbon with bacterial mulm buildup. It's probably a good thing to: take it out once every six months or so ; open it up; inspect the impeller assembly; rinse it and if there are calcium carbonate deposits soak in a mild vinegar solution say 50% water. I only soak it as necessary because I'm concerned about any degrading effect on the seals too many acid baths for too long may have.

 

[gnashty]

not really unless you are having some abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate in your system or dosing organic carbon with bacterial mulm buildup. It's probably a good thing to: Take it out once every six months or so ; open it up; inspect the impeller assembly; rinse it and if there are calcium carbonate deposits soak in a mild vinegar solution say 50% water. I only soak it as necessary because i'm concerned about any degrading effect on the seals too many acid baths for too long may have.

+1

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

jeez... I've been soaking the Mag7 I use for kalk mixing for days (weeks?) on end for many years.

IME short periods of kalkwasser use are more detrimental to the pump than extended 100% white vinegar soaks..........

 

[toddmh]

Not really unless you are having some abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate in your system or dosing organic carbon with bacterial mulm buildup. It's probably a good thing to: take it out once every six months or so ; open it up; inspect the impeller assembly; rinse it and if there are calcium carbonate deposits soak in a mild vinegar solution say 50% water. I only soak it as necessary because I'm concerned about any degrading effect on the seals too many acid baths for too long may have.

damnit ..every time I read one of your posts Tom,I have to break out the dictionary lol :lolspin: :fish1:

 

[tmz]

jeez... I've been soaking the Mag7 I use for kalk mixing for days (weeks?) on end for many years.

IME short periods of kalkwasser use are more detrimental to the pump than extended 100% white vinegar soaks..........
Probably so the precipitation can wreck them.
I didn't think much of the cautions I read about mild acids aging plastic or damaging seals either until I went 2 for two short outs with korillias immediately after being soaked overnight . Good thing I had them on a gfci. After soaking the first one overnight I put it back in the tank and it kept blowing the gfci. I put it in a bucket of water , plugged it into another circut in my workshop and turned it on . It stopped immediately. I went to retrieve it and got a real nasty buzz. Of course I had to try it again with the second pump with the same result. Never blew a maxi jet that way though Glad to hear the mag has proven sturdier for you than the korillias were for me.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I've never soaked korillias but I think there's some MJ's down in the basement that have been soaking for a couple of weeks now. Yikes!

 

[tmz]

Gary fwiw, Limewater doesn't need a lot of mixing,ime. I just stir it into a vortex with a length of pvc pipe and then let it sit for two hours or so before dosing.

 

[belgian_waffleman]

Same as Tom with the Koralias. 24hr soak in vinigar and they are toast. :-(
The mags are so easy to take apart an clean.

Nico

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Gary fwiw, Limewater doesn't need a lot of mixing,ime. I just stir it into a vortex with a length of pvc pipe and then let it sit for two hours or so before dosing.

I make 30 gallons of kalk at a time. I mix it once (initially) with the Mag (for a minute) and remove the pump immediately. The barrel full of kalk lasts me a week or two.

Darn MJ's are still down there soaking..............................

 

[tmz]

I do a 32 gal brute. I stand over it and stir it with a 4 foot length of pipe stir it in for about 20 to 30 seconds. I hum and old tune: "Strange Brew" by Cream as I stir it.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

:beer:

nice guitar tone on that one, eh?

I forgot to mention that I rinse my Mag off after using it.