My experiences/tips ror the Via Aqua 1300

My experiences/tips for the Via Aqua 1300

Disgregard the dumb spelling mistakes in the title and any in the proceeding

A lot of people (especially on this community) constantly put down Via Aqua pumps; stating they're low quality, they leak, and even the noise level. Many of these users have never even tried the pump, and others [from their statements] obviously don't know how to run a pump.

Here are a few tips showing how I set mine up.

- For those people who state it's extremely loud, you need to understand something. When air flows through the pump (especially large air bubbles), the pump will cavitate. This is EXTREMELY hard on a pump, it will damage it along with causing it to produce excess heat. BEFORE starting your Via Aqua or ANY pump, make sure there is water in IT, not just your tubing/reservoir/radiator. A second thing is the noise level is dramatically reduced when all the small air bubbles are out. Mine is fairly quiet, to the point where I'm sure I won't hear it when it's in my [external] case/enclosure with a 120mm fan going (and it's only 30dbA)...this is without even glueing the impeller down.

- Yes, the pump does seem to leak a little. I ditched the fittings that came with the pump and went down to Home Depot and bought myself some plastic barbs for it, which were very similar to brass ones...as it turns out the threads on the plastic barbs didn't go into the Impeller Endcap very far, so of course it leaked. In another trip back to Home Depot, I purchased sprinkler system barbs. The threads on these are much larger, and work a lot better. This along with silicone around the barb thread AND impeller endcap will make it leak proof.

- Via Aqua does say the pump is NOT meant for inline use and to leave it submerged at all times. This is really just to cover themselves because simply, as stated above and many times before, the impeller endcap is not exactly reliable or leakproof. As I said, use silicone adhesive around the endcap and barbs to ensure a leakproof system.

- Regarding the impeller endcap again, it is VERY weak. I ordered two pumps originally, and just trying to screw a barb into the cap I broke one of the flaps that keeps it secure to the pump. If you're going to be screwing barbs in and out of this cap, take the cap off first.

I have noticed the pump does put off a lot of heat. This will obviously cause cooling problems if the pump is used submerged. I'm going to test the pump later on to see if that problem really exists when it's run inline.

Any (constructive) comments/suggestions are appreciated.

So, silicone, gotcha.

Mine was leaking,so I covered it in 1/4 inch layer of JB weld. I don't care that its permanent, for a 15 dollar pump, if it ever breaks, not like im gonna open it up to get it repaired. Ill just buy a new one.

I sealed my impeller housing with Pvc cement, I also sealed my plastic barbs with it aswell, it's been 10+ months and 2-3 reconfigures of things and still no leaks.

You know, maybe the horror stories about the Via Aqua are true and maybe I just happened to get a good one, but mine has been running for over a year and not a single problem. It's fairly quiet, runs cool, reliable... I like the Via and will get another if this one ever dies, but as far as I can tell this ones going to last forever.

FRAGN'STIEN said:

You know, maybe the horror stories about the Via Aqua are true and maybe I just happened to get a good one, but mine has been running for over a year and not a single problem. It's fairly quiet, runs cool, reliable... I like the Via and will get another if this one ever dies, but as far as I can tell this ones going to last forever.

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Good to hear that. Hopefully mine will continue to work well like yours.

FRAGN'STIEN said:

You know, maybe the horror stories about the Via Aqua are true and maybe I just happened to get a good one, but mine has been running for over a year and not a single problem. It's fairly quiet, runs cool, reliable... I like the Via and will get another if this one ever dies, but as far as I can tell this ones going to last forever.

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I agree, I love my pump. Its very reliable, but it also causes interference on my monitor when not at 60hz. Otherwise, its great. I bought it inline from aquastealth.com and havnt had a single problem.

A lot of people (especially on this community) constantly put down Via Aqua pumps;

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the reason is there are other pumps that dont require you go and do all the things you had to do . look at the list of things you did and it can be said that might need to be done for any pump out there in which i agree but the track record remains that out of the choices more people have had bad experiances with them than other brands .
i think ill stick with my small but powerfull L30

Yuriman said:

I agree, I love my pump. Its very reliable, but it also causes interference on my monitor when not at 60hz. Otherwise, its great. I bought it inline from aquastealth.com and havnt had a single problem.

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Same here. I can only run 60Hz, but it was the same way with my Eheim 1048 so I don't it's just a Via problem, it's a shielding problem in general.

I just moved my W/C gear out of my case to get my new Audigy 2 to fit and I still have the same problem. I'm going to build a box for it next weekend and move it farther away to see if this helps.

MY via aqua has been flawless for the last 4 or so months. I bought it from becooling.com and they installed 1/2 barbs and selaed it with silicon all for under $25. Yeah it was a little loud, but a thin piece of foam and an old mouse pad, and the thing is totally silent. The niose is from is vibrating the case, not the unit itself.

So basically I have no problem reccomending this pump, especially when bought from becooling.

I like my via aqua.

I cant even hear it when its submerged in my chiller.

It deserves props for withstanding the crazy temp swings I subject it to in there