Tunze 9010 issues

[sinful]

First off I want to say that I really like the 9010 skimmer. It has skimmed extremely well for the past year and a half or so. About a month ago it started not skimming so well and I had to constantly make adjustments to get it to produce any skimmate. I cleaned it with vinegar/water for about 4 hours and it immediately started skimming like a champ again....for a couple days.

So after reading a couple threads I thought the drive unit might be going bad. I took it apart to check it out and when I removed the drive unit I found the O ring not attached to the upper bearing and still down in the pump. Also, the upper bearing is extremely loose and falls off the drive unit very easily. I have to literally set it on the drive unit and position the pump sideways to ensure it does not fall off when putting it back into the pump. Is this normal? Also, there looks to be a sort of rust or some light brown substance around the bottom part of the drive unit and inside the pump.

I went ahead and ordered a new drive unit today so I'm hoping thats my issue. Has anyone experienced anything like this with their pump/drive unit? Do you think mine was bad and replacing will get the skimmer running good again?

 

[rvitko]

What you describe is normal, the upper bearing should never stick to the magnet, it is a bearing the magnet spins on, essentially water serves as the balls or rollers. The O Ring is just a vibration dampner that sits underneath and is not permanently attached. The rust spots generally occur when some fine iron pieces stick to the magnet, they do no harm. It could be the drive unit is wearing and slipping, but none of what you describe is abnormal.

 

[sinful]

Thanks for the response Roger, greatly appreciated. Are lound clunky noises normal when its first started up aswell? I can't remember if it always made those noises and I never noticed it or if I'm just trying to find something wrong with it. Its just not skimming like it used to. I used to get nasty nasty gunk, now I can pump up the air and get very wet green tea colored skim, but I'm wanting to get it a bit dryer. Could just be my weak bioload though I guess.

 

[rvitko]

The clunking would indicate that the 3000.600 is worn and should be replaced. Wet skimmate would more likely indicate a water chemistry issue and not a technical issue. If the skimmate smells like cut hot peppers, you are skimming dead algae and the cellulose results in this watery green skimming.

 

[sinful]

pretty sure the drive unit needed to be replaced. Got new unit today and replaced it and it's already back to it's old self. The clunking on startup definitely was not normal and its extremely smooth again. Thanks

 

[thewire]

Did you see any damages on the old drive unit? chipped?

 

[rvitko]

Usually, it isn't so easily visible, it is a worn bushing or brake shoe, not something that just jumps out, but the fit is loose or sloppy.