Vinegar will damage pumps?

[gar732]

I had a problem with a pump and the manufacturer says its because the pump was cleaned in vinegar/water. Luckily the company I bought it from is still trying to help me out, hopefully they come through. I've used vinegar for years and I've never had any problems with anything. I tried to do a search but I really couldn't find anything. Anyone ever heard anything about this? What is an alternative for cleaning pumps?

 

[Downbeach]

It's all I've ever used, and have never had a problem.

 

[mr_bigl]

this is news to me! I've only used vinegar and never had an issue.

 

[redtop03]

I usually dilute with water about 50/50 and never had any problems, maybe if you left it in pure vinegar for a few months,don't know.....

I've never heard of vinegar harming a pump before

 

[gar732]

I always use a really mild solution, just a few cups in a 5gal bucket. The epoxy in the back of the pump is just falling apart, manufacturer say the vinegar did it but I can't find anything to support this.

 

[mr_bigl]

What pump is it ?

Sent from Da Bolt!

 

[mike007]

Food grade vineger Is not very strong. We use it to clean out tankless water heaters. It will not hurt your pumps.

 

[AZDesertRat]

BS.
Even undiluted which I have used for decades is only a slightly weak acidic solution. You can eat it on your salad, splash it in your eyes or stick your hands in it safely.
If you leave rubber parts like suction cups or shaft bushings in undiluted vinegar for days on end it will eventually attack the rubber but the plastic parts and magnets are completely safe. Sounds like someone is trying to get out of their warranty obligations to me.

 

[gar732]

Here is a pic of what I'm dealing with. The pump is an eden es2000, skimz claims its coming apart due to being cleaned in vinegar. The company I purchased the skimmer from is still working on it so we'll see what happens. Like I said I couldn't find anything like this.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Is that the epoxy potting material coming apart in the motor?
Thats strange looking but make them tell you why they think vinegar could be the cause, I think they are off base in their observation myself since vinegar is such a weak acid.

 

[shaft]

Sounds and looks to me that they had a bad batch of resin and don't want to admit it. Im a heavy equipment mechanic, i work on crains and derric trucks that have alot of electronic componants that use the same epoxy/resin to seal them. I've actually cleaned high dollar relays and electronic components with card cleaner and other caustic solventsand never had the resin dissolve like that. The only thing I can think of is a bad batch or extreme temp changing the composition enough to weakin the material.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gar732]

Yup, epoxy coming apart. No extreme temps for this pump just normal aquarium use and it was sitting unused for a few months so it doesn't even really have to much use on it either. I was thinking skimz was just trying to cop out of their responsibilities which is crappy, whats the point of a warranty if they won't honor it. The company I bought it from is looking into a new motor block so I'm just waiting to hear back from them.

 

[kv2wr1]

Sounds like you got a defective pump. I have a warner marine mf201 that uses an Eden ES5000. I broke the skimmer in running it in vinegar water. I've had it over a year and no problems. I have heard skimz is notorious for avoiding customers as they had a bad batch of impellers on their first run of their monster skimmers. The magnetic casing would break down, rust and then seize the pump that they would not warranty (use a search engine to see this discussed on other forums). The Warner Marine that I have has the 2nd generation pumps and impellars so they don't have this problem. I've been really happy with the warner marine. It's a work horse.

 

[Mrfresh]

Thats crazy something definitely is routing it away. K

 

[rlman41299]

Yes it will make the clay on the back of the pump. It has happened to me before. Left a marineland pump overnight on a 70/30 water/vinegr solution and broke the clay putting in the back if the pump. But damaging the pump, likely, someone from another forum mentioned that it breaks down magnetic coating for the impeller and damage the pump.

 

[Dahorsey Guy]

We use a drill pump to run vinegar through an on demand water heater and it destroys the pumps. I know you are talikng about fish tanks, but VINEGAR destroys the seals and the pressures involved can crack housings.

 

[Dahorsey Guy]

The substance in that picture appears to be SERIOUSLY bad lime scale, if you ever have to clean out an old tank type water heater you will see the same thing