Yet another Vortec wet side failure!

[Poseidon]

Hmm..... I don't get the chirping noise. How about a clean up, and then a silicone based "lube"?

I am sure Eco Tech will replace that piece for you.

 

[Viva'sReef]

Just shoot Ecotech an email....they will take care of you. I had the same issue with the chirping and squeeling. My problem was I had old parts in my wetside. When they sent me the new parts, I have been problem free for a good 6 months now.

 

[roshi719]

They sent me new parts and now I'm right back in the same boat a month later. I think it is because I dose two part only once a day. I get a mini alk spike dily and I think that has been causing excesive calcification of the drive shaft. It makes sense to me since there is probably a small electrical field around the whole wetside assembly, due to the fact that there is a spinning magnet. And since calcification is sped up in the pressence of an electrical field...

Physics 101 a spinning magnet creates an electrical field. This is how all generators work!

 

[2FarNorth]

I've been have some problems with the Bearings on my MP40s, but Ecotech has been really good at getting me setup with bearings.....

Now hopefully the bearing problem can be fixed.....

Interesting about the 2-part..... I dose a fairly large amount of 2-part daily.....

Hmmmm....

 

[acronautical]

I've been weighing whether to buy Tunze 6105 (controllable) or Vortechs, but I've been seeing so many negatives witht he Vortechs the past year or so. The positive aspects of the Vortechs seem to be outweighed by the negatives. The price is WAY too high for there to be any problems for years with those devices. I've heard of no such problems with the Tunzes.

 

[Rouselb]

Dave, throw that Tunze in there! I know the Gen-2 are more reliable then Gen-1 but I dont know if its enough. I sold my Gen-1 and bought another Tunze, I never have to clean them (maybe every 6 months), they never stop working, fall of the wall, jam, overheat. They are larger, but they really create some serious flow. You have seen my setup, I have (4) Tunze streams and the flow is just crazy!! You could easily sell the vortech and get a Tunze!!!!

 

[JR's Reef]

I see more and more threads about probs with these pumps. I was going to get a pair but think I'll just stick with my tunze.

 

[dknuckles]

Larry, you are exactly correct! I am selling off a bunch of stuff to get either the controlable Tunze or Nano wave box.
I have already thrown in the Tunze 6060, now I just have to raise the funds to buy the Tunze. A reefer just sent PM for the Vortec so I think it will be sold.

 

[Sikryd]

I have had more than GREAT support from Steve @ Vortec. I too was bumbed when things didn't go well for whatever reason about 2 weeks after I got my mine. One of them failed and he did whatever necessary to get it working again. I finally just sent him the whole wetside and said fix it - since it cost so much and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. He said if the bearing is "cocked" even a TINY TINY bit - it will bind, chirp, ect. That was what was wrong with mine.
Now both are working on full tilt with no hum or anything. I run it on Pulse - Anti-sync.

Good luck either way you go....

 

[dknuckles]

I have no doubt that he would take care of the problem. I hear there customer service is awesome!
I just have a problem w/ the frequency of need for repair on such an expensive item.

 

[revo]

The problem i have with my vortec is somewhat different. i have two and the second one purchased at a later date doesn't seem to stick to the wet side as strong as the first one. I confirmed the spacing and the unit is weak compared to the older mp40w.

I agree for the price, issues should be minimal

 

[2FarNorth]

What I did was about a month after I purchased my Vortechs, I purchased a spare wetside through them, It makes life alot easier, even when your cleaning them, just pop on the spare wetside while the other one is soaking... etc..... solves alot of problems for $60

Now if something happens like a bearing seizes up,. I just plop on the spare wetside and take my time putting in a new bearing... (which only takes a couple minutes)


revo - which side is weak? the motor side or wet side?

 

[Sikryd]

I have no doubt that he would take care of the problem. I hear there customer service is awesome!
I just have a problem w/ the frequency of need for repair on such an expensive item.

Same here - we'll see how it pans out though.

I didn't even bother with getting the bearing in right and all that since I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't spin right after he sent me the parts.
So I sent it in - and he sent it back all put together and working right.
After a week in the tank I came home the other day to it whining and making noise.
So I said screw it - called him up right away and said I don't know what the problem is, don't really care to be honest - since I spent that much $ on a pair of them.
He sent out a new wetside and it got here the next morning.
So far everything is going good.
I haven't had any problems with the other one so far.

I think it was a machining problem or something wrong with the first one since it happened after 2 weeks.

I'll keep updating if I have any issues.

The support so far is GREAT - and I still love the Vortecs a LOT MORE than any other pumps out there. So I will continue to support them.

 

[kane720]

I have given up on Vortec. I can no longer tolerate the wet side issue! It is already a VERY expensive piece @$400+. Now they fail to tell you that you will have to replace the wet side (@$70+) every few months. I have had my MP40 for about 9 months and it has already needed 2 wet sides:ah:! Yes, I run mine wide open on the pulse mode, and I am meticulous on the alignment.
I am curious to hear what the manufacturer will have to say.
So I am @ over $550 for less than 1 year of service. Tunze is expensive but reliable.
I am very frustrated w/ high ticket products w/ budget performance.
It was the wrong night for this, do to the fact my $200 aquarium Plants Electronic CO2 Regulator pooped out Thursday after 2 mnths and manu will not return call for warranty!!!!!! and they do not accept Email!?

that sux dave, from what i heard vortec has great customer service so hopefully they can take care of the problem for you. maybe you need a whole new unit. good luck with aquariumplants.com, marc is a nice guy, but it took them a month to fix and send back my regulator( the older one not the electronic). you're better off calling them and asking for marc then emailing, i never could get a response thru email either.

 

[Chris22582]

I was thinking about getting a couple of the small ones for a tank Im working on building but I think I will stick with my tunze's. I have seen a good bit of these posts and for what they cost. I couldnt deal with the trouble. Good service or not at that price shouldnt much need it. lol

 

[revo]

Motor side! I think it was on this forum that there was a group buy and i went in. It doesn't have nearly the strength that the older was has. I ended up using two of those tie wrap thingys to secure it to the glass.