Ehiem 1260 external use concerns

zachts · 09/10/2013, 08:57 PM

Has anyone had issues with the Ehiem 1260 leaking in external use? I'd planned on running it in my sump to over drive an EV120 skimmer but now I'm thinking I might set it up external to reduce some heat to the tank.

My concern is that it uses a similar twist lock ring to secure the impeller cover that the much cheaper Quiet One pumps use. I've had many of them start leaking in external use and some even totally come apart during operation. my concern is with how easy the Ehiem cover untwists from the housing and that vibrations would work it loose over time causing a huge mess. the quiet one pumps require a pair of pliers and a negotiator bar to get sufficient torque to unscrew the cover but the Ehiem will come apart with minimal finger pressure.

Am I over thinking this? or is there valid reason for concern.

thanks all!

Jamey1010 · 09/10/2013, 09:14 PM

Those were/are the preferred pump for water cooling cpu's on pc's and certainly wouldn't be if they had a reputation of leaking.

I ran one for a few years on my Korallin calcium reactor never leaked and was just mounted to the top of the reactor externally.

oquockyo · 09/10/2013, 09:44 PM

Got my 1260 for two yrs external with zero problems.

zachts · 09/11/2013, 07:17 PM

That's good to hear especially since after running it in a bucket for a few hours out of the box to rinse it out good, the water in a 5gal got up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit! (granted my basement was already in the upper 80's but, yikes, and these run cooler by most accounts, than the mag 7 which was my second choice if I hadn't found this one on sale.

viggen · 09/11/2013, 07:26 PM

Numerous protein skimmer manufacturers use these pumps externally......

It does use 40-60w or something like that, so not a huge source of power when used in something larger then a 5g bucket. I put my red dragon 12m3 in a trash can to mix water.... Yea the water had to be 100 degrees or so within a day or two of running. However that's 100-120w in 20-25g of water

zachts · 09/15/2013, 08:34 AM

Well, it's all plumbed and running in that same 5 gal. bucket to clean any residue out of the pipe before connecting to my tank, after running over night exteranly on that bucket water temp was only 82 degress as compared to 110 when it was sitting in the water!

Definately worth running as an external. granted I'll have to run my heater more in winter but that's cheaper than AC and a chiller in the warm months here. Although it wouldn't be that hard to switch out a hose and drop it in the sump during the winter.......

Despite using more power than the Mag 5 I have as an external return pump this thing is actually cooler to the touch!

dtaranath · 09/15/2013, 12:31 PM

i used it as an external for years and never had a single leak. just remember to put shutoff valves and unions on either side of the pump so you can take it out for maintenance, if needed.

OCCOFNY · 09/16/2013, 05:45 AM

i have had a 1262 running externally on a 400 gallon mixing tank for eight years now and not one leak !

09/10/2013, 08:57 PM	#1
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	Ehiem 1260 external use concerns Has anyone had issues with the Ehiem 1260 leaking in external use? I'd planned on running it in my sump to over drive an EV120 skimmer but now I'm thinking I might set it up external to reduce some heat to the tank. My concern is that it uses a similar twist lock ring to secure the impeller cover that the much cheaper Quiet One pumps use. I've had many of them start leaking in external use and some even totally come apart during operation. my concern is with how easy the Ehiem cover untwists from the housing and that vibrations would work it loose over time causing a huge mess. the quiet one pumps require a pair of pliers and a negotiator bar to get sufficient torque to unscrew the cover but the Ehiem will come apart with minimal finger pressure. Am I over thinking this? or is there valid reason for concern. thanks all!

09/11/2013, 07:26 PM	#5
viggen Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 2,213	Numerous protein skimmer manufacturers use these pumps externally...... It does use 40-60w or something like that, so not a huge source of power when used in something larger then a 5g bucket. I put my red dragon 12m3 in a trash can to mix water.... Yea the water had to be 100 degrees or so within a day or two of running. However that's 100-120w in 20-25g of water __________________ A tub of fish

09/15/2013, 12:31 PM	#7
dtaranath Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 542	i used it as an external for years and never had a single leak. just remember to put shutoff valves and unions on either side of the pump so you can take it out for maintenance, if needed. __________________ ______________________ 220g mixed reef

09/10/2013, 09:14 PM	#2
Jamey1010 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 133	Those were/are the preferred pump for water cooling cpu's on pc's and certainly wouldn't be if they had a reputation of leaking. I ran one for a few years on my Korallin calcium reactor never leaked and was just mounted to the top of the reactor externally.

09/10/2013, 09:44 PM	#3
oquockyo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 104	Got my 1260 for two yrs external with zero problems.

09/11/2013, 07:17 PM	#4
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	That's good to hear especially since after running it in a bucket for a few hours out of the box to rinse it out good, the water in a 5gal got up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit! (granted my basement was already in the upper 80's but, yikes, and these run cooler by most accounts, than the mag 7 which was my second choice if I hadn't found this one on sale.

09/15/2013, 08:34 AM	#6
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	Well, it's all plumbed and running in that same 5 gal. bucket to clean any residue out of the pipe before connecting to my tank, after running over night exteranly on that bucket water temp was only 82 degress as compared to 110 when it was sitting in the water! Definately worth running as an external. granted I'll have to run my heater more in winter but that's cheaper than AC and a chiller in the warm months here. Although it wouldn't be that hard to switch out a hose and drop it in the sump during the winter....... Despite using more power than the Mag 5 I have as an external return pump this thing is actually cooler to the touch!

09/16/2013, 05:45 AM	#8
OCCOFNY Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Newburgh, NY Posts: 59	i have had a 1262 running externally on a 400 gallon mixing tank for eight years now and not one leak !