Ecotech Vectra L1

azreeftank · Nov 7, 2017

My tank has been running with a Mag12 for 15 years and it was the most reliable pump I have ever owned, never had a single problem. Well with new technology i decided to upgrade to the L1 a few months ago. Always read the amount of heat the Mag puts off I saw it as a good upgrade since I live in Phx every degree in the summer matters. Well my L1 seized this past week and stopped working and the new replacement pump is on its way (fantastic service and warranty by Ecotech by the way). So anyways my tank runs 79.5-80 all year like clock work no matter what. The DAY my L1 seized I pulled out the handy old Mag 12 and hooked it up until the new one arrives. Over night my tank dropped to 78 and has stayed there from the moment I swapped them. What gives???? I run the Vectra at 80% and it’s making my tank run 1-2 degrees hotter. Could this be why it seized up??

10Seconds · Nov 7, 2017

I cant contribute but am following along as am considering these pumps.

Bosko777 · Nov 7, 2017

I run the L1 at 30%. I haven’t had any issues as of yet. My temp stays at 78 pretty much.

azreeftank · Nov 7, 2017

Bosko777 said:
I run the L1 at 30%. I haven’t had any issues as of yet. My temp stays at 78 pretty much.

The concern I have is I replaced a $70 MAG pump with a $500 pump that not only runs hotter but only lasted 10 months before needing to be replaced. I would not have spent that much money to run it at 30-40%. I hope the replacement that is in transit now is much better but I highly doubt I will get the 15+ years out of my L1 that I did from the Mag.

mlb75 · Nov 8, 2017

This is the exact issue that has me reeling about finding a replacement return pump on my tank. I've got a 300DD that was running for probably the last 10 years with a Blueline external that to the best of my memory was NEVER cleaned or "maintained" until it finally died during a storm recently. Since I had to get water flowing again I literately just threw a mag18 I use for water changes in the sump and used some hose and a couple fittings I had laying around to plumb it back up to the display. When I did that I to saw my tank temps go from 78-79 with me running a fan in the cabinet most of the time and routinely keeping the doors open to the cabinet to me being worried about tank temps being to low. I'm now running 76-78 with the doors closed and no fan with the pump submerged vs external...

The L1 was what I was looking at to replace the blueline because it was throttled back so far and the "new" DC pumps were supposed to be the way to go. It looks like the L1 though has had a nasty habit of needing constant maintenance and or failing. It's also interesting that all the online stores seem to be out of stock of them. Anyone know if there's a new version coming out that will fix these problems or should I just look at other alternatives?

Hope you have better luck with the replacement pump.

mtraylor · Nov 8, 2017

Interesting. Mags do give off heat, but it sounds the Vectra was really hot. I"m interested to see if the new one runs as hot or if you had a bad one. You would think the dc motor would be cooler. Keep us informed.

azreeftank · Nov 8, 2017

mtraylor said:
Interesting. Mags do give off heat, but it sounds the Vectra was really hot. I"m interested to see if the new one runs as hot or if you had a bad one. You would think the dc motor would be cooler. Keep us informed.

This is the inside of my 10 month old L1 that seized. It looks like it was starting to melt on the inside. It MUST have been running hotter than normal and that’s why my MAG is cooling the water down. Thankfully Ecotech has a fantastic warranty dept The new one is on its way. But out of warranty or if I had to buy again not sure I would do this pump again too many horror stories.

azreeftank · Nov 8, 2017

mlb75 said:
This is the exact issue that has me reeling about finding a replacement return pump on my tank. I've got a 300DD that was running for probably the last 10 years with a Blueline external that to the best of my memory was NEVER cleaned or "maintained" until it finally died during a storm recently. Since I had to get water flowing again I literately just threw a mag18 I use for water changes in the sump and used some hose and a couple fittings I had laying around to plumb it back up to the display. When I did that I to saw my tank temps go from 78-79 with me running a fan in the cabinet most of the time and routinely keeping the doors open to the cabinet to me being worried about tank temps being to low. I'm now running 76-78 with the doors closed and no fan with the pump submerged vs external...

The L1 was what I was looking at to replace the blueline because it was throttled back so far and the "new" DC pumps were supposed to be the way to go. It looks like the L1 though has had a nasty habit of needing constant maintenance and or failing. It's also interesting that all the online stores seem to be out of stock of them. Anyone know if there's a new version coming out that will fix these problems or should I just look at other alternatives?

Hope you have better luck with the replacement pump.

Interesting your right I was looking a few places online and the L1 shows out of stock. Doubt they are selling that fast they have been out for a while. I would hate to get the new one under warranty now only to find out the “new and improved” comes out next month. I wonder if Ecotech found something wrong with these pumps and pulled them. I have read more long term reviews that are negative on the durability of the pump. Everyone loves them at first but not sure they are a 15 year pump like my MAG was.

mtraylor · Nov 8, 2017

Holy Cow!
Never seen that before. YOu are lucky that didn't cook your fish. Do you have a controller. I would set an alarm or something whenever you get the new one to warn you before it starts.

Jamie7907 · Nov 8, 2017

I have had 3 of the L1 pumps fail in the exact manner shown here. To be fair all three were externally mounted and I have several mounted internally that I’ve had no issues with. Ecotechs customer service is stellar but that doesn’t help when you’re down a pump that should last for years trouble free. I’m also not a fan of the cheaper power supplies that come with the newer pumps. Before the first one failed I kept getting warnings about the pumps internal temperature being to high, when I spoke with Ecotech about it the first time they said something to the effect of it being a software issue that was going to be fixed in the next update. Sure enough the next update came out and I no longer got warnings but then the pump failed. The way I see it now they disabled or raised the alarm temp level so warnings don’t go out but the pumps still fail many of them just out of warranty.

Porkstar · Nov 8, 2017

I’m waiting for online stores to stock the L1 and scoop one up. Now I’m concerned...

azreeftank · Nov 8, 2017

mtraylor said:
Holy Cow!
Never seen that before. YOu are lucky that didn't cook your fish. Do you have a controller. I would set an alarm or something whenever you get the new one to warn you before it starts.

I do have an apex so I have it set to shut pump off if temp goes over 82.5. I am now concerned seeing so many replies about others melting away like this.

mtraylor · Nov 8, 2017

Definitely set your apex. I would also set the alert to email you so you know right away.

Porkstar · Nov 8, 2017

I saw one website that says “new shipment release” 11/15/17
Are they releasing a newer and improved L1?

azreeftank · Nov 8, 2017

Porkstar said:
I saw one website that says “new shipment release” 11/15/17
Are they releasing a newer and improved L1?

Would not surprise me at all something stinks here. Too may issues or pump failure and the warrant replacements they sent out WILL fail again in a few months, only next time the pump is out of warranty and I’m SOL. I spend thousands a year in my tank and when my replacement L1 dies I will NOT be buying another Ecotech pump. Their warranty is A+ but the only thing better than a A+ warranty dept.....is a warranty dept I never need to deal with because their product last. Give me a pump I can plug in and I’m safe for years over a “fantastic warranty dept” any day.

10Seconds · Nov 9, 2017

Just a though from my real life experiences - ever use dimmer switches for lights? Notice the switch gets hot when the lights are dimmed? When operating it at less that 100% the difference is generated in thermal loss. My guess is that these pumps are the same way. Run at 40% or whatever is going to make a lot more heat.

Personally I dont see why people buy things to then choke down to half the capacity. Buy the size you need and run it. Just because you can adjust doesnt mean you should.

JDowns · Nov 9, 2017

azreeftank said:
This is the inside of my 10 month old L1 that seized. It looks like it was starting to melt on the inside. It MUST have been running hotter than normal and that’s why my MAG is cooling the water down. Thankfully Ecotech has a fantastic warranty dept The new one is on its way. But out of warranty or if I had to buy again not sure I would do this pump again too many horror stories.

That is basically what my L1 looked like at about 10 months. My rotor magnet also had rust build up due to the grinding. I thoroughly cleaned it and got it working again, only to have it seize up again a month later. This time what was most likely the result of a snail population boom. I ended up ditching mine and going with a Red Dragon that has a built in calcium build up discharge. Yes.. much more expensive, but now I have piece of mind that thousands of dollars worth of coral and fish aren't at risk due to a pump seizing up when I'm not around to catch it.

azreeftank · Nov 9, 2017

10Seconds said:
Just a though from my real life experiences - ever use dimmer switches for lights? Notice the switch gets hot when the lights are dimmed? When operating it at less that 100% the difference is generated in thermal loss. My guess is that these pumps are the same way. Run at 40% or whatever is going to make a lot more heat.

Personally I dont see why people buy things to then choke down to half the capacity. Buy the size you need and run it. Just because you can adjust doesnt mean you should.

Yeah I see your point! I was running mine 80-90% just to say I was not at 100 but I will try that for sure. My overflows can handle full go I just thought why run it full blast if I can get it to last longer at 80%. My replacement comes in today so I will go 100% and see if that helps. I will know right away from the temp increase on my apex. The tank is running this week 1-2 degrees cooler with the substitute Mag than my L1 did the past 10 months.