Reeflo Hammerhead Gold Problems
- Thread starter wazel
- Start date
AcroporAddict
There is no substitute.
That is great....Reeflo should make this improved seal an OE part, even if it raises prices a bit.
tkeracer619
New member
I must be lucky. My dart is still leak free after 8 years of continuous service!
Wonder if this seal fits my pump or if they have a comparable one.
Wonder if this seal fits my pump or if they have a comparable one.
AcroporAddict
There is no substitute.
I'd say you have one of those "if it ain't broke........" situations, hehehe!
slief
RC Sponsor
I've got 3 years on my Dart Gold and 3 years on my Hammerhead Gold with no leaks. Both are running the original seals, knock on wood. I need to remember this thread though just in case I need some new seals. I actually have spare factory seals on hand but I got those when I got my new pumps and haven't needed them. I also keep a set of spare pumps too just in case of an emergency.
ostrow
It's Dr. Goodluck Himself
slief
RC Sponsor
I have enough (several) friends running Reeflo Darts and other Reeflo pumps without regular seal failures to know that I am not as lucky as you think. The internet always seems to skew statistics because people automatically turn to the forums when they have an issue. How often is that that we see threads like "My Reeflo Works Great!" or "My Iwaki Works Great"? Thousands of these pumps are sold annually and more often than not, the only time people speak up online are those who have issue.
That said, I've run Little Giants, Iwaki's, Silent One's, Eheims and almost every other pump you could think of. I know from experience over the last 25 plus years what to expect. I used to run several high flow Lim "Wave" pond pumps with modified salt water seals. I ran them for more than 15 years and was prepared to swap pumps when the seals started leaking every few years. It's one of those things that goes with the territory. I kept spare pumps so I could rebuild the seals at my leisure. They are very similar to the Reeflo pumps which are basically a modified upgraded Sequence pump. The Wave Pumps ran a Baldor motor like the Reeflo's.
These big Baldor type motors don't hold seals as well as a conventional pump like an Iwaki or Little Giant whose seals last indefinitely. Unlike a little giant or Iwaki whose motor is more compact and purpose built, the Baldor type motors use spans all kinds of applications of which pumps are only one. I can only assume that the run out on the motor shaft of these larger pumps is more sloppy than motor designed specifically for pump use. That or the shaft material is more porous or imperfect causing seals to wear out sooner. At the end of the day, I know from experience going into these pumps that having spare seals on hand is important. I bought seals when I bought my first Reeflo several years ago.
As I said, I also keep spare pumps on hand in addition to seals but that's simply because if I have a hardware issue, I want to be able to resolve it in 5 minutes or less. My pumps are plumbed with double union ball valves and my spares and plumbed with fittings and ready to drop into service. Unplug a pump, shut a pair of valves twist a couple unions and pull it out and drop the new one in it's place. The best thing about these pumps besides efficiency, noise level etc is that the only thing that really fails is a simple to replace cheap seal.
Bottom line is that these larger pumps will need seals more frequently but for the most part, they are pretty reliable. The motors are bulletproof and the pumps are insanely efficient as far as Watt's per GPH. They also don't transfer much heat which can save money on cooling and are VERY quiet. Are they perfect??? No but are they worth the occasional seal replacement which is really a simple DIY process?? I'd say so from my experience. Given what we seem to know from this thread about alternative seals, I'd say that should make seal replacement a bit more comforting for those who are really worried.
ostrow
It's Dr. Goodluck Himself
I wish it were that clean.
I've used several of these for years because of the efficiency and quiet, and low heat.
But the seals on every single one have been weak (less than 18 months), and when they leak, if you don't catch it right away, bye-bye bearings. Top it off with, ahem, inconsistent service and support, well...
Mostly its the heat issue that keeps me using them, and now these seals.
Yes, keep spare seals and backup pumps already plumbed to quickly swap! Only way to fly!
I've used several of these for years because of the efficiency and quiet, and low heat.
But the seals on every single one have been weak (less than 18 months), and when they leak, if you don't catch it right away, bye-bye bearings. Top it off with, ahem, inconsistent service and support, well...
Mostly its the heat issue that keeps me using them, and now these seals.
Yes, keep spare seals and backup pumps already plumbed to quickly swap! Only way to fly!
shaginwagon13
Chartered Accountant
Honestly, Chris at Reeflo is awesome and as a company they have amazing customer service.
They have always gone above and beyond to help, fix or replace anything that was not working as intended with no hassles or arguments.
I'm glad you got your pump fixed. I have both a Dart and Hammerhead and I would never buy another brand of pump simply because of how well they take care of their customers. I know the seals leak which can be an issue if not caught right away especially if the leak is on wood flooring. As a maintenance guide, I replace my seals every year.
As a note, the O-ring should be checked for damage and lubricated with a silicone lubricant.
They have always gone above and beyond to help, fix or replace anything that was not working as intended with no hassles or arguments.
I'm glad you got your pump fixed. I have both a Dart and Hammerhead and I would never buy another brand of pump simply because of how well they take care of their customers. I know the seals leak which can be an issue if not caught right away especially if the leak is on wood flooring. As a maintenance guide, I replace my seals every year.
As a note, the O-ring should be checked for damage and lubricated with a silicone lubricant.
dja1980
Active member
This is great information, as I'm in the process of replacing seals on 2 Darts after about 4 years of continuous use. Has anyone found a Silicon Carbide replacement for the Dart? The link in post #47 only references standard carbon from Grainger. I was just getting ready to order some seals directly from ReeFlo, but I'd rather order the higher-quality replacements mentioned here if they are available for the Dart.
Guess I'll chime in here. I've been running a Hammerhead, barracuda and dart pumps for almost 8 years with no issues. My dart has a very slight leak, maybe a drip an hour or so. Nothing that I've ever worried about. The dart has actually up until 6 months ago, been in continous service for almost 10 years.
I picked up a trident III at FRAG last year to replace the dart as it was getting noisey. I wrote up a review on the Trident in this forum. Needless to say, I'm getting my dart rebuilt to quite it down some.
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I picked up a trident III at FRAG last year to replace the dart as it was getting noisey. I wrote up a review on the Trident in this forum. Needless to say, I'm getting my dart rebuilt to quite it down some.
.I have had 11 of their pumps. Not a single one ever lasted more than 2 years without needing something - seals, bearings, motors. I imagine that I am unlucky. Other companies have seals figured out - in another thread, Reeflo blamed the seal issues on "UPS Brutes," but I got a few pumps locally that probably were handled pretty well. I want to love them since they are somewhat local.
jgalen0025
Member
ostrow
It's Dr. Goodluck Himself
It is the norm.
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