Help! Vectra s2 not working

[Lizbeli]

Hey guys- stumped on this one.

Vectra S2, a year and a half old. Driver is blinking orange and red and the pump is not working.

Ecotech customer service is gone for the holidays and I am stuck here with a supposedly reliable pump not working like it should.

I ordered a new one ($300 frickin pump) and paid top dollar for shipping, but it won’t get here until the 28th. I rigged up the tank to work but now I am afraid ill mess something up with manual dosing and top off.

Anyone out there have a similar issue? Google searches didn’t bring much of anything.

 

[Lizbeli]

Right now its looking like a bad motor. But this thing is practically new. Unbelievable!

If anyone has any tips to try please tell me.. tried unplugging, resetting with buttons, and cleaned the pump thoroughly.


Is there any way to open it up further than the impeller? So I can see the actual motor?

 

[naterealbig]

Prolly not, winding for submersible pumps are usually set in epoxy, and are generally not serviceable (and therefore not accessible). No tips on the Vectra other than hard reset, which I assume you've already tried.

What's keeping you from running to home depot, and picking up a pond pump to get you by?

Nathan

 

[Lizbeli]

That’s actually a good idea. For some reason I didn’t even think about. No one has suggested that yet on several other forums either. Lol

Im working all through the holidays but maybe I can get someone to go out. But even then it will just save me two days of doing things manually since the new pump should be delivered the 28th.

Maybe ill grab one just to have in hand. I heard mixed results on Ecotech standing by their products after their one year warranty is up. Honestly, I probably should have purchased a Varios 2 as the replacement. Heard good things about those.

 

[Hincapiej4]

Long as there is circulation inside the tank you're fine without the return until it's fixed or replaced. Just put a heater in the main tank.

 

[Lizbeli]

I increased the flow and added a small pump to break up the surface for oxygen. Of course added the heater to the display.

Was worried about not having my skimmer and algae scrubber on but ill just do small water changes every other day. I feed a lot because of my anthias.

Ill just test all my parameters daily to keep it stable. Have some sticks and a clam in there.

Just a set back we reefers have to deal with at times. And of course this tank was really moving along well. Two weeks ago a nero 5 needed to be replaced. And my battery backup wasn’t working. Stinks

 

[Phil D.]

Did you try a hard reset? Look up on Google how to do the reset. The orange/red means pump needs reset. I had this issue and cleaned pump with citric acid to get calcium out, then reset controller. Works fine. Could be the controller and not the pump.

 

[Lizbeli]

Did you try a hard reset? Look up on Google how to do the reset. The orange/red means pump needs reset. I had this issue and cleaned pump with citric acid to get calcium out, then reset controller. Works fine. Could be the controller and not the pump.

I tried resetting it by using the buttons on the controller. Last night I soaked it in citric acid and it was sparkling clean today. I hooked it up and tried again, nothing.

However there is a strange noise coming from the power brick. Its light is green though. Does yours make a low electric buzzing noise?

 

[Lizbeli]

Never mind can’t be the power brick. Everything is all the same even with the battery backup plugged in.

Maybe it is just the controller. Pump looks to be in perfect condition.

 

[naterealbig]

I've always had great experiences with ecotech. Calling them is best, in my experience. Varios is a good option as well. Either way, as mentioned above, you'll be on with a skimmer /scrubber fit a few days.

 

[Lizbeli]

Wish I could call but they are on vacation. Just the timing that stinks.

I ordered a pond pump from Lowes, Ill pick it up Saturday. Just incase shipping of the new pump gets delayed. Im too stressed out without a return pump.

 

[Lizbeli]

@Tim at EcoTech Thought I saw you on this thread yesterday. Any input?

 

[Lizbeli]

Just wanted to update this thread.

Ecotech is sending me a new pump.
I am so relieved. I ended up buying another pump through bulk reef supply so now ill have a new vectra as a back up. As well as a crappy, loud pond pump haha.

They never told me specifically what was wrong. They just called it defective. And I give them props- this pump was purchased July 2019. So it’s technically out of their warranty. But like I said earlier- with the price of these things, they should last a while especially when its only ran half power.

 

[Tomplatz]

Im having exactly the same problem after 11 months of use supplying a UV on half power (purchased 24 months ago). The distributor is saying that I have to send it back for repairs and will charge me for looking at the pump. Im UK based. Not happy. Ive got eheim pumps still running after 8 years and Aquamedic ocean runners still running on my koi pond after years of service. Could be worse I suppose, it could have been my M1return pump.

 

[josvanmeer]

Not to be crapping on vectras but I really loath the way these are deemed as reliable purchases when this forum is absolutely littered with complaints about them dying early. Absolute shame on such expensive pumps.

 

[Tomplatz]

Not to be crapping on vectras but I really loath the way these are deemed as reliable purchases when this forum is absolutely littered with complaints about them dying early. Absolute shame on such expensive pumps.

The real problem for me is that I believe in the saying buy once buy the best, I think I will now buy three cheap return pumps and have the safety of 2 spares

 

[Lizbeli]

I agree. I honestly thought they were a higher end pump for the average hobbyist. I will be trying a Varios on my next build if I have trouble with these pumps again within the next year. It stinks because I do like them. Very quiet and strong. But what good is that if it will die just after warranty?

Im just thankful that they held up their end. However it says that they will charge me for the replacement if when they receive my pump if they deem the issue was caused by me. So lets see what happens.