VorTech Pump – What the Future Holds

[FuzzyLogic]

Soooo, late June at the earliest with July being more realistic. Is this the official word from IC and EcoTech?

 

[RichT]

so following that logic, the early summer would be June 21 to July 21 right?

So basically, we need to be on the look out from May 22 to July 21 if I'm following correctly. 8)

 

[EcoTech Marine]

more or less.

-Tim

 

[niko5]

im going to freeze myself till late spring, then when I thaw out I can get the controllable upgrade!

 

[MikeD]

Is this for the wireless controller? Or just a controller period? I was looking into getting a couple of vortechs but don't know if I should get them in June when I do my tank upgrade or just wait until the official final package is done.

 

[ASH]

If you're planning on getting the Wireless Controller when released, the $25.00 discount and extra year warranty with the upgrade, now makes more sense.
Also, you'd be locking in the current MSRP vs. a slightly higher retail with the new version when it is released.

Andy

 

[MikeD]

What if I want two vortechs? How does that work? Do I need to get two controllers or will the one wireless controller work with the two?

Also, if I order, I can't order through the vendor of my choice and just provide proof of purchase?

 

[ASH]

1st comes the up-grade to a Wireless Capable Driver and single Driver Controller.

Next comes the release of the Wireless Controller, expected at the end of 2007 which can operate numerous Drivers.

If you did two up-grades to Wirelessly Controllable Drivers you'd have $50.00 in discounts for the Wireless Controller and you'd only need one to control many VorTech Pumps.

Andy

 

[ASH]

Why is IceCap doing this direct?

1. The up-grade goes for $50.00. It's not a stretch to see there's no profit there for retailers. The decision to make the Driver up-gradable is the most environmentally correct method we could think of to make VorTech Pumps in the field continue to be cutting edge technology.
This up-grade offer vs. telling customers to just go out and buy a new unit, says a lot about the companies bringing you this product.
2. The issuance of the $25.00 coupons, and later giving customers credit for them, needs to be monitored from a single location.
3. There was no other way to do advance swaps of Drivers, which most VorTech owners expect.

Andy

 

[MikeD]

in my situation, I don't need the pumps until June. What do you recommend? I just thought it might be silly to have these pumps right now (too powerful for my current tanks) sitting around and still have to go through the whole upgrade process. What I do want (in June) are two vortechs that are controllable and I will want the wireless controller when it comes out at the end of the year or next year. Can I just wait until June to buy or am I pressured to buy now? Is the pricing supposed to change in June or before then? For someone who is in the market such as myself, will I save money buying this older unit and upgrading vs. waiting? I'm always worried that if I buy now, the upgrade may not go as smooth or work as well as one that is 'fresh' from the factory already with the upgrades installed?

 

[niko5]

Can you give us any more info about the upgrade? Id really really love to get a controller on these.

Also what is Ecotechs thoughts about having the units on a battery backup and shuting the power to the main power supply off at night to slow the pump down for a few hours?

 

[ASH]

Up-graded Driver to wireless controllable and single Driver controller starts when release is ready. Presently that looks like July. The features have been discussed and I don't remember a long time sleep mode being one of them. As to using the BB as a way to back into a sleep mode, as long as your Backup Battery is plugged in and charging while you flip to BB mode it shouldn't be a problem, but I'd look at it as a band-aid. The real solution would be a controller that did that and I believe it's on the Wireless controller short list of features to have.

Andy

 

[jnarowe]

Nick,

The instructions that you get with the BB explicitly describe that shutting down the electrical supply for long periods will tend to degrade the battery life. It has been discussed in these forums a few times that the BB could be used as a temporary "controller" of sorts by cycling the power on and off to reduce the Vortech to a 50% state and thus control them in a rudimentary manner without the danger of code corruption.

I bought into that and purchased two BB units, only to find that using them in that manner would greatly reduce their effective service period. I have now reverted to just using them as designed, for battery backup, and I recommend that you buy them for that feature, not to control your pump(s).

Also, there are no indicators on the BB units as currently being sold so I don't think there is any effective way to monitor the battery life at the user level and really know how long they will last and what draw-downs do to the battery.

 

[ASH]

Point taken. I run one of my VorTech pumps on my BB several hours a day, with the trickle charger running. After a year of service I'll test it vs. a new BB and post the results. I agree that running on BB for a long period of time or everyday is a potential Chernobyl like experiment with potential dire results. Let me test limits.

Andy

 

[jnarowe]

So I just got back from a week-long trip and during my abscence there was only one stall so that went well. When I went to check on the tank there was zero Vortech noise. Yay!!!

And when I got home I had a brand new MP40 and a re-furbed MP40 waiting for me.

I just mounted them and they both running quiet right out of the box. The new one is serial # 01011140 and it did not come with a dry side gasket. Since I have a few various gaskets I just turned an old one into a "donut" and it was no problem.

These new and refurbed versions seem to be much better than what I had originally got and their magnets are much more powerful. I also noticed something interesting about the new unit in that its motor (dry) side magnet is black. That is a new one for me and I am not sure why that is, although I seem to recall something being said about a change in that magnet.

 

[MikeD]

I can't wait until June when I setup my tank... It's either going to be 48" long or 63"... But either way, it's going to have vortech and the tank should really do well when these controllers come out!

 

[wesheltonj]

wish list

wish list

Just installed my pump, run smooth so far.

However, I have to have this thing on a side pane because of this size (no room between the back pane and the wall). The wire is comming down the side of the canopy. A great improvement would be to have a flat supply wire instead on the round one. Any plans or is it possible the have the wire changed out?

 

[jnarowe]

Update:

4 MP-40 running smoothly and quietly! One more is being reburbished. I am happy to have that stress behind me. I guess one thing that may be good for me, is to get spare shaft/bearing sets so that I can swap them out when needed.

wesheltonj: If you can, post a picture to get some suggestions. I zip tied mine to the rim of the tank.

 

[niko5]

Soo where almost to May which meens where close to June ohh not long now.... RIGHT???

 

[sirjohn]

Just to confirm, this offer is available if the Vortech is purchased through an online retailer such as drsfostersmith.com?