Pump issues, please help!

[oldbones]

Holy cow, this is driving me nuts. I can't figure out what's going on here, hoping one of you can help me.

I started this 56g tank 4-1/2 months ago with a Jebao DC3000 return pump. About three months in, my return pump stopped. I pulled it, cleaned it (had light precip on the rotor) and it went back to work. A week or so later, it quit again. This time when I pulled it, it was clean inside and out, but the impeller/rotor was hard to turn. There are rubber 'bearing' cups at both ends of the rotor, and the one at the back end felt like the source of resistance. That rubber cup comes out, and the pump would run, but with just a little extra vibration because now one end of the rotor assemble was not physically supported.

At this point, I started cursing Jebao, and bought a Reef Octopus RODC 3500. This pump is built like a tank compared to the Jebao, and I was sure this was going to be my fix.

Well, the RO ran about a month before it failed in the same manner. No significant precip buildup on the hard parts of the pump, but the rubber bearing cups have become so tight that the impeller is very difficult to turn by hand, and the pump fails to start. When you apply power, it will twitch and try to start, but shuts off when it fails to rotate.

I put the Jebao back in, minus the rear bearing cup, and it ran about two days before it stopped again. Now I can't get either to run.

This is extremely frustrating, what am I doing wrong?????

 

[Zorba2.0]

Are the rubber cups getting hard? It seems weird that there may be some chemical in the tank that is causing the rubber to react and swell/harden.

 

[oldbones]

I wouldn't say they are getting hard. I can't say for sure they aren't a little harder than brand new, but they are still pliable and flexible. No crusties growing on the rubber either.

 

[oldbones]

Soaking the whole thing in white vinegar doesn't help at all. I did just have a little success with using Hydrogen Peroxide on the Jebao, it seemed to free up one end (between the rotor and impeller) pretty good, and I've now got the tank back up and running.

This, however, isn't a long term fix.

 

[metalmesh]

impeller problem

impeller problem

Soaking the whole thing in white vinegar doesn't help at all. I did just have a little success with using Hydrogen Peroxide on the Jebao, it seemed to free up one end (between the rotor and impeller) pretty good, and I've now got the tank back up and running.

This, however, isn't a long term fix.

Could you show some pics from the complete rotor/ impeller assembly?
Does the magnet rotate around the shaft or is the shaft glued to the magnet?

 

[Allentown]

My luck with large DC power pumps is about like yours. And my luck with Jaebo pumps in general isn't much better than yours. I went back to AC pumps for the main pumps and mostly non-jaebos for my circulation pumps.

At any rate my first Reef ocotopus DC pump was actualy built on the same motor block as the wavelines and Jaebos, it lasted 10 months.

My new one seems to be much better but time will tell.

 

[harlequinharry]

I feel your pain im 2 for 3 with jebao powerheads constantly needing attention so far no probs with the return but i did notise that they loose flow varry fast and build no presser

 

[oldbones]

So, after a little more fiddling this morning, I no longer think the problem is related to the rubber. More likely, its a buildup that's causing excessive friction or freezing in the (what I believe to be) ceramic on ceramic bearings. I was trying to clean the pumps with white vinegar, assuming that any buildup would most likely be calcium and that vinegar would be the fix.

Vinegar was not the fix. Peroxide, however, seems to do the trick, and now I have BOTH pumps back up and running.

The question now is, what is the buildup in my pumps that is such a hassle, and in not affected by vinegar but IS by peroxide?

 

[harlequinharry]

What are your water parameters you could be haveing a calcification issue

 

[metalmesh]

ceramic on ceramic

ceramic on ceramic

So, after a little more fiddling this morning, I no longer think the problem is related to the rubber. More likely, its a buildup that's causing excessive friction or freezing in the (what I believe to be) ceramic on ceramic bearings. I was trying to clean the pumps with white vinegar, assuming that any buildup would most likely be calcium and that vinegar would be the fix.

Vinegar was not the fix. Peroxide, however, seems to do the trick, and now I have BOTH pumps back up and running.

The question now is, what is the buildup in my pumps that is such a hassle, and in not affected by vinegar but IS by peroxide?

So here is the problem, in order to keep the impeller noise down because of too much slop between the ceramic shaft and the magnet, some manufacturers now use ceramic bearings within the rubber gaskets on each end of the shaft. Due to the tight tolerances between the ceramic shaft and the ceramic bearing to keep the vibration noise down, any substance between the shaft and bearing will cause friction making it difficult to start the motor. You have no choice but to remove these substances with whatever works depending on the chemical nature of the substance...if a calcium deposit usually vinegar works. In your case the peroxide took care of the problem ( temporarily until the next cleaning cycle).
As users of skimmer pumps we have been fighting the pump noise problem for years until we had the ceramic shafts designed to minimize the slop between the shaft and the inside of the magnet...the difference was amazing but you still have to remove any calcium buildup to reduce the friction.
Hope this helps!

 

[Shaummy]

So, after a little more fiddling this morning, I no longer think the problem is related to the rubber. More likely, its a buildup that's causing excessive friction or freezing in the (what I believe to be) ceramic on ceramic bearings. I was trying to clean the pumps with white vinegar, assuming that any buildup would most likely be calcium and that vinegar would be the fix.

Vinegar was not the fix. Peroxide, however, seems to do the trick, and now I have BOTH pumps back up and running.

The question now is, what is the buildup in my pumps that is such a hassle, and in not affected by vinegar but IS by peroxide?

Mine is usually calcium buildup on the lower ceramic "bushing" or the one that is on the impeller near the disk that supports the top half.

I usually drop the pump into a bucket of hot water and vinegar every month or so (or if the pump seems to be low on flow). I don't know why vinegar didn't work for you and peroxide did. Bottom line is these pumps that have the ceramic parts in them need to be kept clean if you want them to keep working.

 

[oldbones]

Thanks all, it's making more sense now.