Tunze 3 mini controller failed

[CTaylor]

Hi,

I had the tunze 3 (one of my 2) disconnected for about 2 weeks. Main reason is that I'm getting a thing sponge to wrap around it to keep my new ritteri from getting into it and obliterated.

I just reconnected it, after cleaning the pump itself of debris. It worked for about 30 seconds. Then stopped. It has a very dim flashing LED on the last led. It's flashing about 2 times per second (2 Hz).

I plugged in my other power supply from my other Tunze 3 and the controller works fine. So I dont think it's the power cord/supply.


What to do?

TY!

 

[CTaylor]

weird.. I just saw that my question looks like http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2700227 the post right under mine lol.
Does my led indicator say anything, though?
I guess I'll try to open it up and see what I see. Only reason I'd see anything not right if it's screaming at me that it's not right though. I'll reply back with what I see or not see

 

[CTaylor]

I opened up the controller, and from what I see nothing looks wrong, no frayed wires, nothing looks disconnected, nothing discolored, wet, etc.
Roger?

TY

 

[rvitko]

I am so sorry I did not see this. Generally the flashing lights mean something is wrong with the bearing or impeller. The main culprits would be the bearing is worn by some debris, remove the drive unit, drop out the bearing, the bearing should not appear translucent or melted. Make sure that the drive unit is fully seated, you have to press hard and none of the magnet portion of the rotor is above the hole when it is fully seated.

 

[CTaylor]

I am so sorry I did not see this. Generally the flashing lights mean something is wrong with the bearing or impeller. The main culprits would be the bearing is worn by some debris, remove the drive unit, drop out the bearing, the bearing should not appear translucent or melted. Make sure that the drive unit is fully seated, you have to press hard and none of the magnet portion of the rotor is above the hole when it is fully seated.

TY Roger
I just did what you said. I pulled out the drive unit, I inspected the bearing. The bearing looks just like new. I wiped it and the drive unit off. I put the bearing back in, seated in place correctly. I pushed the drive unit in all the way, flush with hole. It is for sure all the way in, I had to push quite hard for it to 'snap' in, as I have done a few times before for cleaning.

>> Same issue.

Also, I have noticed that this pump was not pushing as much water on same settting as my other tunze 3 (same exact age).
ALSO ... I dont know if this has anything to do with the issue, but I was never able to get the pumps to operate in opposition, wave action. Though it may have worked the first few days (a year and half ago). If it's not related, then I'll pursue that separately once this more pressing issue is solved. But perhaps it is related (?), along with the lower power output the pump has been having before total failure

Should I send it in?
I sent in a service email on tunze.com
Or is there something I can do here? Again, the flashing LED is quite dim.

TY!

 

[rvitko]

Can you forward me a copy of the receipt? Tunze at sbcglobal dot net

 

[CTaylor]

Can you forward me a copy of the receipt? Tunze at sbcglobal dot net

Hi Roger

I just sent.
*I received reply from Tunze service today and sent pics which they asked for. I'll continue communication with you though to avoid discrepancies, sorry I jumped the gun but I just needed this pump fixed as soon as I can as I have a Ritteri anemone that I'm trying to make happy and I'm very paranoid about him not having best conditions.

**Also is there a strainer that can surround the 'fencing'/intake to avoid fish and or nem from goign inside? I know the impeller moves slightly to shoo anyfish to sit in it when pump is at 'rest'. But I once had a fish get sucked in and unfortunately die. Also a bubble tip same thing.

I'm getting a 0/8" thick 'sheet' of cut your own sponge which I'm going to wrap arround it and secure with rubber bands. But if tunze has something to 'snap' on that would be great also. The only 'strainer/fence' I saw on tunze.com is just a 'cap', not a wrap around.

TY!

 

[rvitko]

I am the same person you are emailing (Roger Vitko). I replied earlier with a picture of what I was looking to check. I use 3 of these on my current tank, my experience is that outside of some very slow moving fish, most fish that would get sucked in were gonners anyway. With anemones, generally I would use a wrap when new to get them settled, yours would have come with a sort of pantyhose like sock that goes over them, new ones come with a foam that replaced the sock. I am unfortunatley out of the foam for a couple weeks. What I used for mine when my anemone was new and getting settled was 1/4" screen top mesh, about 4 wraps and just secured with cable ties. I found this to be better as the foam or sock clog and need a lot of maintenance to not reduce flow.

https://www.tunze.com/US/en/details/6150.135-protective-foam-for-stream-3-grey-3-pieces.html