Experience Vectra Pumps

bami82 · 03/27/2017, 11:25 PM

Hello All,

I am wondering how many people got the same issue as me running a Vectra pump.

My first Vectra L1 broke within a year, plastic completely melted around the magnet. Got a new one (good service), its been 3 months, cleaning it yesterday and found out plastic start to melt again (attachement, the white in the bottom of the magnet that looks like calcium, its actually melted plastic).

Contacting EcoTech again but its not very hopeful that the replacement they gave me gives the exact same issue.

Been doing some googling, there is a thread on another forum about this exact issue but I have'nt seen a lot of people talking about it yet.

ca1ore · 03/28/2017, 05:59 AM

I've been running mine without issues since it came out - 15 mos (thereabouts). I've not taken it apart so cannot say whether mine is also doing same, but there have been no operational changes so I assume not. Are you running it as an external or internal? Seems odd that you'd have the same issue twice. Perhaps the pump is not being cooled adequately.

bami82 · 03/28/2017, 06:59 PM

I am running the pump internally and my other pumps dont have issues (3 x aquabee for skimmer, 1 x waveline to chiller).

tkeracer619 · 03/28/2017, 07:43 PM

Strange... Are you dosing anything? I wonder if your getting some crazy precipitation that's damaging it? Even then... Can't say ive ever seen a pump that got hot enough to melt plastic while submerged in water. Certainly not typical.

bami82 · 03/28/2017, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Strange... Are you dosing anything? I wonder if your getting some crazy precipitation that's damaging it? Even then... Can't say ive ever seen a pump that got hot enough to melt plastic while submerged in water. Certainly not typical.

Well as mentioned there is another forum where it shows this issue, they say the magnet swells causing friction.

If it would be from my dosing, the issue would be happening on my skimmer pumps and my waveline pump as well, but they look brand new on the inside after many years. I am dosing Triton.

mikeatjac · 03/28/2017, 10:49 PM

One year no issues. Being used as a return pump.

shiftline · 03/28/2017, 10:58 PM

I have a m1 for a few weeks now being used as a return pump. No issues yet. Only complaint is it's not actually "silent". At 50% it's pretty darn quiet but at 100% it's decently loud

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rtparty · 03/28/2017, 10:58 PM

I'd mention that there are reports of swelling magnets but Ecotech may get mad at me for passing along that news...

(I have no experience with these pumps and people seem to love them. Just passing along that it has happened)

bami82 · 03/29/2017, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtparty

I'd mention that there are reports of swelling magnets but Ecotech may get mad at me for passing along that news...

(I have no experience with these pumps and people seem to love them. Just passing along that it has happened)

It explains, since I live in Asia, probably their master distributor was not aware and sent me a replacement pump that has the exact same issue

.

paal · 03/29/2017, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftline

I have a m1 for a few weeks now being used as a return pump. No issues yet. Only complaint is it's not actually "silent". At 50% it's pretty darn quiet but at 100% it's decently loud

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same here; internal return pump, running at roughly 75%
Pump has never failed me, but when my light's fans are stopped, the M1 is the loudest thing on my system.
(Not that it is really bad, but based on all the "silent hype" I really thought it would be quieter)

Overall I am satisfied, but would probably not buy again.

shiftline · 03/29/2017, 12:57 PM

Running at 50-60% it's quieter than my jebao DC pump in that's it's a faint hum vs the jebo whirl turbine type of noise. Still not sure if it was worth the $ but I have been happy with all my other ecotech products so hopefully it lasts a long long time

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aplatn13 · 03/29/2017, 02:05 PM

This is why i run more then 75%

ldc3000 · 03/29/2017, 09:22 PM

I was planning on getting the L1 for my next build. I hope this issue is resolved by then.

03/28/2017, 05:59 AM	#2
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	I've been running mine without issues since it came out - 15 mos (thereabouts). I've not taken it apart so cannot say whether mine is also doing same, but there have been no operational changes so I assume not. Are you running it as an external or internal? Seems odd that you'd have the same issue twice. Perhaps the pump is not being cooled adequately. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

03/28/2017, 07:43 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Strange... Are you dosing anything? I wonder if your getting some crazy precipitation that's damaging it? Even then... Can't say ive ever seen a pump that got hot enough to melt plastic while submerged in water. Certainly not typical. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

03/28/2017, 10:49 PM	#6
mikeatjac Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,433	One year no issues. Being used as a return pump. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 525 - BK 160- G5 Blue - GHL

03/28/2017, 10:58 PM	#7
shiftline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 537	I have a m1 for a few weeks now being used as a return pump. No issues yet. Only complaint is it's not actually "silent". At 50% it's pretty darn quiet but at 100% it's decently loud Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ ReefDudes - Making Reefing Easy! Current Tank Info: Fuson 30L

03/28/2017, 10:58 PM	#8
rtparty Raise The Reef! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 7,404	I'd mention that there are reports of swelling magnets but Ecotech may get mad at me for passing along that news... (I have no experience with these pumps and people seem to love them. Just passing along that it has happened) __________________ Ryan Click on my user name and check out my homepage! Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+

03/28/2017, 06:59 PM	#3
bami82 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 12	I am running the pump internally and my other pumps dont have issues (3 x aquabee for skimmer, 1 x waveline to chiller).

03/29/2017, 12:57 PM	#11
shiftline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 537	Running at 50-60% it's quieter than my jebao DC pump in that's it's a faint hum vs the jebo whirl turbine type of noise. Still not sure if it was worth the $ but I have been happy with all my other ecotech products so hopefully it lasts a long long time Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ ReefDudes - Making Reefing Easy! Current Tank Info: Fuson 30L

03/29/2017, 02:05 PM	#12
aplatn13 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 30	This is why i run more then 75%

03/29/2017, 09:22 PM	#13
ldc3000 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Greensboro Posts: 37	I was planning on getting the L1 for my next build. I hope this issue is resolved by then.