Tunze magnets rusting

[Sandy Cheeks]

Cleaning both 6055's came across this issue. Both wet side magnets have busted and been rusting, I had the idea the epoxy they are encapsulated in would prevent this; not happy and wonder what has been leached out.

 

[Andrewr2488]

rvitko will surely chime in soon, Ive been doing a ton of online searching to see if this issue still exists, It isn't actually the magnets themselves that are rusting as they're made from a ceramic. It could be one of two issues, it could be that something has stuck to the magnet and that debris has started to rust, or it could be the backing plate under the magnets that is made of iron and coated in polyurethane, the polyurethane coating could've gotten a pinhole and exposed the iron. Ive seen a great pattern of customer service and surely your issue will be taken care of. I myself am looking into ordering the Tunze 3152 Nano ATO and I've seen issues with the magnets but I'm going to place my order because I am confident that their customer service will take care of me.

 

[epon]

tagging along since mine did the same thing ...

 

[rvitko]

I need a clearer photo to give a definitive answer. There are 3 generations of magnet holder used on these products. The oldest seems to be what you have, but I need a clearer photo to be sure. The oldest version used a rare earth magnet which is coated in polyurethane, all that is inside is a non plated neodymium magnet pair and an iron plate. We believe neodymium is mildly toxic, a breach of this style magnet holder is very rare and usually would be due to the polyurethane cracking. 2006-2010

The second generation used ferrite magnets, these are inert ceramic, they also have the iron plate underneath and these are not fully coated, the ferrite itself is exposed as it is much weaker and coating reduces the strength. This style is completely inert, ferrite is a manmade magnetic ceramic and the plate underneath is iron, it is not plated or galvanized and contains no heavy metals. On this type, it is not impossible for the iron plate to be breached but the byproduct is only the rust we use as GFO, more commonly, the 3D surface has attracted magnetic material, such as GFO dust and this is the cause of the staining. 2010-2015, this the was the result of China nationalizing production of rare earth metals, as the virtual sole source they created a 6x cost increase in raw magnets in 2009, this was widely covered on reef blogs as it affected lanthanum and neodymium prices and both are used in reef tanks, one for phosphate control, the other for magnet holders and cleaners.

The third generation is the current 6025.515, it is basically a redesigned 1st generation which is much more stream lined, the protruding lobes with rubber feet have been replaced by a silicon ring and the magnets are thinner, they share a similar construction but we were able to achieve the same hold with less neodymium through better optimization of the design. 2015-present

I can only tell what you have is 1st or 2nd gen. The current 6025.515 would be a suitable replacement.

 

[epon]

here's mine

 

[rvitko]

That is 2nd generation, the loose flaky rust is indicative of attracted material rusting on the surface, I would clean it with vinegar and a toothbrush, CLR will work faster but must be rinsed thoroughly as it is phosphoric acid and detergent.

 

[epon]

thanks, will do !

 

[Sandy Cheeks]

Magnets pics.

Magnets pics.

Here are couple more clear images; one of the magnets is badly rusted.
I never expected for this to happen; a magnet is not something that wears out eventually as moving parts.
I think from a quality product it's unacceptable. None of the older magnets from my 6100's 6080's either black or brown, had that issue.

 

[rvitko]

Yes, it is the 1st gen version, this can and has happened to the older H shaped ones as well as many brands of magnet cleaner, water and breached the coating. I would replace it with the current equivalent 6025.515 which can be ordered on Tunze.com.

 

[Sandy Cheeks]

Yes, it is the 1st gen version, this can and has happened to the older H shaped ones as well as many brands of magnet cleaner, water and breached the coating. I would replace it with the current equivalent 6025.515 which can be ordered on Tunze.com.

So is it a polite way to say I'm screwed up for an obviously defective item?
I would understand if I had gotten power-heads from X-brand where their "research and development" is based on someone's design or patents (knock-off); not from a well respected German company...

You get what you pay for, right?

 

[rvitko]

Not at all, it is simply that you have a product that is 7-10 years old. It is out of warranty and not unreasonable to expect to need to replace a part. I can say with confidence that our competitions product would not likely even be running at this age. I am sorry this happened but it is an older product and the warranty has long since passed.

 

[Sandy Cheeks]

Not at all, it is simply that you have a product that is 7-10 years old. It is out of warranty and not unreasonable to expect to need to replace a part. I can say with confidence that our competitions product would not likely even be running at this age. I am sorry this happened but it is an older product and the warranty has long since passed.

I differ, I'd understand on moving parts such as impeller assemblies, bearings, propellers; even on plastic housings that are taken off to clean but on a magnet that does not move and whose sole purpose is to sit inside a water tank to hold a power-head in place and is not supposed to burst and leach who knows what into the water...
I have a couple Seio 1500 that have been running inside a 50 gallon Brute container for the past 9+ years with live rock, not a single issue...

I've read some other posts about Tunze magnets, not good, not good.
I'll deal with the issue but I'll give a second thought on Tunze products and recomend those asking my opinion to check first the forum.

 

[rvitko]

I am sorry I was not able to help, we try our best to make an excellent product and offer the best support. After many years, while I generally agree the magnet should be solid and non wearing, numerous factors beyond our control can result in degradation, any exposure to acids, solvents, heat, shock, can damage the resin coating. I cannot conclude that these factors were present, but a lot of time has passed and it is reasonable to assume a defect would present much sooner, but it could never be completely ruled out. I think our reputation for concern for our customers stands on its own and my comments regarding project longevity are specific to controllable DC pumps, 7-10 years is a fairly stellar life span for such a product, an AC motor should indeed last at least that long as it lacks any electronics.

 

[bbazemore]

Seeing as how this thread is fairly old I would have thought the problem with their magnets would have been corrected however I have a 2.5 year old nano osmalator that has a rusted wet side magnet. This is unacceptable for a company that prides themselves on being the gold standard of quality

 

[A Saint]

Rusting magnets on Tunze Comline filter and skimmer

Rusting magnets on Tunze Comline filter and skimmer

I need a clearer photo to give a definitive answer. There are 3 generations of magnet holder used on these products. The oldest seems to be what you have, but I need a clearer photo to be sure. The oldest version used a rare earth magnet which is coated in polyurethane, all that is inside is a non plated neodymium magnet pair and an iron plate. We believe neodymium is mildly toxic, a breach of this style magnet holder is very rare and usually would be due to the polyurethane cracking. 2006-2010

The second generation used ferrite magnets, these are inert ceramic, they also have the iron plate underneath and these are not fully coated, the ferrite itself is exposed as it is much weaker and coating reduces the strength. This style is completely inert, ferrite is a manmade magnetic ceramic and the plate underneath is iron, it is not plated or galvanized and contains no heavy metals. On this type, it is not impossible for the iron plate to be breached but the byproduct is only the rust we use as GFO, more commonly, the 3D surface has attracted magnetic material, such as GFO dust and this is the cause of the staining. 2010-2015, this the was the result of China nationalizing production of rare earth metals, as the virtual sole source they created a 6x cost increase in raw magnets in 2009, this was widely covered on reef blogs as it affected lanthanum and neodymium prices and both are used in reef tanks, one for phosphate control, the other for magnet holders and cleaners.

The third generation is the current 6025.515, it is basically a redesigned 1st generation which is much more stream lined, the protruding lobes with rubber feet have been replaced by a silicon ring and the magnets are thinner, they share a similar construction but we were able to achieve the same hold with less neodymium through better optimization of the design. 2015-present

I can only tell what you have is 1st or 2nd gen. The current 6025.515 would be a suitable replacement.

I recently purchased a used a Comline Filter and skimmer. When I was taking it apart I realized the interior magnets were rusting. I did a search and found this thread. I am trying to figure out which generation battery I have and if there's any danger using it while waiting for a replacement. As this thread is a few years old, I would like to know which replacement I should be ordering. There's a
6025.515, 6205.500 and 6150.515 available on the webpage. Is it best to order directly from the Tunze webpage? And about how long does it take to receive them?
I have uploaded photos so you can see which model I have. Any info on model so I can download the manuals would also be very helpful. Thank you

 

[A Saint]

Rusting magnets on Tunze Comline filter and skimmer

Rusting magnets on Tunze Comline filter and skimmer

I need a clearer photo to give a definitive answer. There are 3 generations of magnet holder used on these products. The oldest seems to be what you have, but I need a clearer photo to be sure. The oldest version used a rare earth magnet which is coated in polyurethane, all that is inside is a non plated neodymium magnet pair and an iron plate. We believe neodymium is mildly toxic, a breach of this style magnet holder is very rare and usually would be due to the polyurethane cracking. 2006-2010

The second generation used ferrite magnets, these are inert ceramic, they also have the iron plate underneath and these are not fully coated, the ferrite itself is exposed as it is much weaker and coating reduces the strength. This style is completely inert, ferrite is a manmade magnetic ceramic and the plate underneath is iron, it is not plated or galvanized and contains no heavy metals. On this type, it is not impossible for the iron plate to be breached but the byproduct is only the rust we use as GFO, more commonly, the 3D surface has attracted magnetic material, such as GFO dust and this is the cause of the staining. 2010-2015, this the was the result of China nationalizing production of rare earth metals, as the virtual sole source they created a 6x cost increase in raw magnets in 2009, this was widely covered on reef blogs as it affected lanthanum and neodymium prices and both are used in reef tanks, one for phosphate control, the other for magnet holders and cleaners.

The third generation is the current 6025.515, it is basically a redesigned 1st generation which is much more stream lined, the protruding lobes with rubber feet have been replaced by a silicon ring and the magnets are thinner, they share a similar construction but we were able to achieve the same hold with less neodymium through better optimization of the design. 2015-present

I can only tell what you have is 1st or 2nd gen. The current 6025.515 would be a suitable replacement.

I recently purchased a used a Comline Filter and skimmer. When I was taking it apart I realized the interior magnets were rusting. I did a search and found this thread. I am trying to figure out which generation battery I have and if there's any danger using it while waiting for a replacement. As this thread is a few years old, I would like to know which replacement I should be ordering. There's a
6025.515, 6205.500 and 6150.515 available on the webpage. Is it best to order directly from the Tunze webpage? And about how long does it take to receive them?
I have uploaded photos so you can see which model I have. Any info on model so I can download the manuals would also be very helpful. Thank you

 

[rvitko]

I replied to your email, please reply with the photos.