Hydor L30 problem

I got the following problem. I plugged the pump, and worked correctly. Then unplugged it for a while, and when I plugged it again, it didn't work. I found out that I have to take off the impeller and place it back so the pump works again. But almost everytime I unplug the pump and plug it back, it doesn't work unless I follow the step described before (taking off the impeller and placing it back).

What's the matter? Is there any solution?

seeya

hm.. what kind of pump are you using?

Maverick,

From what I've heard, and in my own experience, Hydors have a somewhat dodgy record as far as quality goes. Mine worked fine for about a month, then it developed a rattle that got worse and worse as time went on. I ended up replacing it with an MCP600.

As for any solution, I honestly have no idea. Sorry.

Hm, I've never had any problems with mine. Try doing an impeller mod on it with some Goop.

Korndog, It's an Hydor L30

seeya

oops, should have read the title lol.
i'd make sure the end caps aren't torn or anything first.
when u say, it stops working, do you mean it jiggles, but don't move water, or there isn't even a hum and it don't move water?
if it jiggles, its most likly the end caps.

Edit:
oh yea, there was once where i forgot to put the end caps and it did the samething as u discribed

There's a little hum, You can say there's activity inside the pump somehow. It's just the impeller not rotating at all. When it moves the humming becomes louder.

Maverick, i had the same problem with my L30... No it's rattling like crazy, but the pump starts everytime I plug it in, almost as though an impellor mod had been done to it, and then fell off...

BTW, I bought mine from D-tek. Who did you buy yours from?

what's that impeller mod? Is there any website where I can see how to do it?

btw, got it from dangerden

seeya

Mav-

I have the EXACT problem you are having. If I let it sit and hum for a while it finally kicks in, or flipping the power on and off to the pump sometimes gets it going. It just so happens that I will be addressing this issue over the weekend.

I have heard of two impeller mods, one far more common.

The hydor "blades" can rotate 120 degrees to allow for a little umpf before they start spinning. I believe it also helps the thing deal with larger particles. People often glue the impeller blades in place with a dot or two of superglue to prevent that. I have heard of no downside (except the people who glue everything to everything else), although the fix has often been applied for noise reasons- not our problems. This link gives you the idea:

http://www.wc101.com/guides/ViaAqua/

I have also heard of people shaving a touch off the end of the impeller shaft to allow it to spill more freely. This makes more sense to me (since removing the front would let it wiggle into a start position again). I am going to start just by cleaning the thing and testing it. If that doesnt work I will try the glue- since I can undo that, and finally the shave method.

I will be your guinea pig...

More Sunday probably.

Mechsiah

ok pls let me know if u fix it

I have a L30 myself and there are two models of them model I and II i have the L30 II . Model I had some problems that where fixed in the later one. I noticed that this pump does not like air in the system and that it runs best an quitest if you have it fully horizontal and with a pad under it, then it is quiet as a mouse, you only hear a small humming sound from it. Take a close look and se if its not leaning in some direction. These pumps are made mostly for aquariums and fontains and works best when they run 24/7 and not on and off all the time.

I have never had a problem with my L30, but i may be lucky, im selling it thou as i have enough pumps already to last me for 4 PC:s

FYI, I have the L30 I, not II.

One of the downsides to doing the impellor mod is that it DOES make the pump hard to start, and this is the reason I thought it may have been done to mine. To me it seems awfully odd for the pump to get real noisy but start easily all of a sudden. Since super-glue eventually comes off, which effectively un-mods the implellor, I think this may be the cause of my noise.

Where did you guys buy your pump? And what model is it (I or II)?

I have a modell II, and bought it at http://www.vcore.dk/shop/

Well Mav, I have been screwing around with the pump for longer than I should have, and here is what I know:

The impeller mod isn't going to help. It seems to actually make it worse, but I can't be sure about that. The shaft mod does not apply to this model.

Here is what I suspect:

On either end of the impeller rod, there is a black rubber cap. This snug into the holders on either end to keep the impeller in place, yet allowing it to move freely. It also serves to prevent the magnet or impeller blades from knocking into the walls, hence preventing wear and "rattling".

The problem on mine at least, was that the "front" rubber cap did not allow the rod to spin easily compared to the "back" cap. The difference was dramatic, and investigation showed a lack of black grease within this front cap. Unfortunately, I don't have any real grease handy, but I suspect this is the problem.

If I put it back together without the black cap on the front, it started every time, first try. Course, it rattled like hell. So I grabbed the nearest lubricant available (relax, this post is rated G)- Extra Virgin Olive oil. I lubed the black cap up pretty good and put it all back together, and with a few exceptions, it started right away. Even when it didn't it kicked in after a few seconds.

Now the effects of the olive oil wear off quickly, since it is far more viscous that standard grease- but I think it is conclussive enough for you to try it if you have some grease handy.

Good luck!

Mechsiah

I think I solved my problem. The issue was that the impeller-magnet set couldn't slide over the metal bar which hold the endcaps.

After taking the impeller apart (every single piece), as shown in the pic I attached in http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=300865, I mounted it back, and now the impeller-magnet slides like a charm over the metal bar. So the bar can be fixed to the pump with the endcaps, and still the magnet-impeller is able to spin AROUND the bar, instead of WITH the bar.

That's like it should be I guess as the thing will spin MUCH faster as resistance decreases. That resistance was what was previously making my pump not to start. Btw I have the same issue with the endcaps, one is harder than the other to move. But now it doesn't matter at all.

Please answer me to some questions about your pump:

1. In urs, could u move the impeller-magnet set over the metal bar from side to side freely?? Or was it somehow fixed to the bar?

2. In my pump, the white plastic thing u see in the pic, was not glued to the magnet, so I could take it apart as u see, is it glued in urs? (I had to glue it myself in my pump)

Thx