My 6045 is spinning backwards now. I turned it off for feeding and when I turned it back on, it took me a bit to realize what was wrong. I have not modded the unit at all, and its only a couple months old. I've turned it off and on several times, let it sit and tried again, it just wont spin properly.
My 6045 is spinning backwards?
- Thread starter Jeff000
- Start date
It is important to understand the way a synchronous AC aquarium pump works to understand the problems and solutions.
A Synchronous motor spins synchronously to the 60Hz (US) frequency of the mains voltage. It spins at 3600rpm. It can spin in either direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, in fact on a standard impeller pump it makes no difference. With propeller pumps it does matter so a method has to be used to stop a backwards spin, which is the preferred direction of the pump as it is the path of least resistance. The method used by the 6015, 6025 and 6045 is for the propeller to fly forward out of the propeller well and hit a set of stops in the front cover. There are 4 causes of a stuck backwards spin and I will list them in order of likelihood.
There is debris such as calcium deposits, fine sand, snared bits of hair algae or even human or animal hair that are preventing the drive unit (propeller assembly) from moving forward on the metal shaft. The pump just needs cleaning, paying attention to the hole in the drive unit and the metal shaft.
The propeller is broken, this is particularly likely if the pump is being used on a wavemaker, which is not permitted for these pump models.
The front cover is broken, the stop tabs which are on the inside of the front crosshatch where it meets the outer walls of the front cover are damaged or were removed or defective.
The voltage is too low or too high. This is unlikely in the mainland US, but a voltage below 102V will not give enough power for the propeller to fly forward and above 132V the magnetic field is so strong the drive unit is trapped in the magnetic field and cannot move forward. We more commonly see these problems in Latin America but in an old house or overloaded circuit or when used with an X-10 device or wavemaker, voltage variation can cause this problem. The pump has a very specific operating range of 102-132V with 110-125V being the ideal.
A Synchronous motor spins synchronously to the 60Hz (US) frequency of the mains voltage. It spins at 3600rpm. It can spin in either direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, in fact on a standard impeller pump it makes no difference. With propeller pumps it does matter so a method has to be used to stop a backwards spin, which is the preferred direction of the pump as it is the path of least resistance. The method used by the 6015, 6025 and 6045 is for the propeller to fly forward out of the propeller well and hit a set of stops in the front cover. There are 4 causes of a stuck backwards spin and I will list them in order of likelihood.
There is debris such as calcium deposits, fine sand, snared bits of hair algae or even human or animal hair that are preventing the drive unit (propeller assembly) from moving forward on the metal shaft. The pump just needs cleaning, paying attention to the hole in the drive unit and the metal shaft.
The propeller is broken, this is particularly likely if the pump is being used on a wavemaker, which is not permitted for these pump models.
The front cover is broken, the stop tabs which are on the inside of the front crosshatch where it meets the outer walls of the front cover are damaged or were removed or defective.
The voltage is too low or too high. This is unlikely in the mainland US, but a voltage below 102V will not give enough power for the propeller to fly forward and above 132V the magnetic field is so strong the drive unit is trapped in the magnetic field and cannot move forward. We more commonly see these problems in Latin America but in an old house or overloaded circuit or when used with an X-10 device or wavemaker, voltage variation can cause this problem. The pump has a very specific operating range of 102-132V with 110-125V being the ideal.
60.1 Hz, 121.3 VAC.
I cleaned the pump, couldn't see any damage or debris. No wavemaker. The cover doesn't look broken or like anything was removed.
took me several tries, but I did get it spinning forward now. But to get it spinning forward I need to start, stop, start fairly quickly. I can program my PLC to do this for every start up, but will this damage my pump?
I cleaned the pump, couldn't see any damage or debris. No wavemaker. The cover doesn't look broken or like anything was removed.
took me several tries, but I did get it spinning forward now. But to get it spinning forward I need to start, stop, start fairly quickly. I can program my PLC to do this for every start up, but will this damage my pump?
That shouldn't be necessary and I wouldn't find a work around, it should be fixed to work properly. Please check the inside of the propeller housing (front cover) in the corners where the crosshatch on the front meets the side walls there should be pronounced protrusions, the crosshatch basically comes in ward and forms propeller stops in the corner.
Here is a picture. I do not know if it shows what you are looking for or not. Everything looks normal to me.
Its a huge picture, so I linked it.
www.jekomedia.com/other/DSC_3285.JPG
Its a huge picture, so I linked it.
www.jekomedia.com/other/DSC_3285.JPG
My PLC, but no soft start, and I was trouble shooting directly with the plug to power.
mcarroll
Member
This happened to me a few times when I had the pump mounted a little lower in the tank. I think it was very minor debris clogging something. Another time it was a small cerith snail doing pump cleaning for me. ;-) Hasn't happened once on either of my 6045's since I moved em back up near the top.
Just another anecdote, but I figured I'd throw it out there.
-Matt
Just another anecdote, but I figured I'd throw it out there.
-Matt
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