Vertex Alpha 200 Red Dragon Pump

[blakeorme]

I have a Vertex Alpha 200 from 2013. It has a Red Dragon pump that’s been silent and solid for years. Recently, it stalled and I did a long vinegar soak. Now it will start up then stall again. Sometimes it seems to actually start and stop intermittently. I’m assuming the motor block needs replacing. Can I order these through Royal Exclusive or do I need to contact Vertex?


Thanks in advance.

[slief]

More than likely the motor block but “long” vinegar soaks can actually damage the pump. 10 minutes in straight vinegar is about the max you need to soften up any calcium buildup. But you need to completely dissasemble the pump, remove the impeller, the bearing at the base of the block, remove all o-rings including the one on the bearing and set those aside. Then soak the impeller, motor block and pump cover in vinegar for 10 minutes. Any more will soften the epoxy that the block is potted with. This can lead to stray voltage or worse, kill the block. Once it’s been soaked, a good scrubbing with a soft dish brush to the block and impeller and a tooth brush to the inside of the magnet cavity followed by a rinse and reassamble. See thread below for cleaning instructions. Post 1 covers all Red Dragons but post 2 cover the bearing in your pump.

A couple thing to check:
Make sure the magnet doesn’t spin on the impeller shaft.
Remove the bearing and make sure the hole that the shaft sits into is clean.
Reinstall the bearing properly. See post 2 of the thread linked below.

And if the magnet doesn’t spin on the shaft and you have checked the above, then you need a new block and this is the replacement block.

https://royalexclusiv.com/Spare-Part...356dfa6029e619

And this is the cleaning and maintenance thread. Post 1 and 2 are pertinent. Note that photobucket might be down so the images aren’t showing up right now.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2573406

[blakeorme]

First off, thank you for the detailed and thorough response—it’s the best of any brand.

I went through all the steps, and it will spin for a short time then die. I’ve noticed an almost clunking sound went it starts up and then dies. The inside is thoroughly cleaned and all parts spin smoothly. I’m guessing this means a new Motor block is necessary.

Thanks!

[slief]

Originally Posted by blakeorme

First off, thank you for the detailed and thorough response—it’s the best of any brand.

I went through all the steps, and it will spin for a short time then die. I’ve noticed an almost clunking sound went it starts up and then dies. The inside is thoroughly cleaned and all parts spin smoothly. I’m guessing this means a new Motor block is necessary.

Thanks!

Glad to help. Yes, it sounds like you need a new motor block.

[blakeorme]

FYI...

I'm having a lot of issues with the site. It won't let me add the Motor Block on a mobile device at all.

I used a desktop and was able to add it, and get all the way to the "Buy" and got an error message and it kicked me back out. I'll keep trying.

Just some info you may want to forward onto any IT dept.

Thanks,
Blake

[slief]

Originally Posted by blakeorme

FYI...

I'm having a lot of issues with the site. It won't let me add the Motor Block on a mobile device at all.

I used a desktop and was able to add it, and get all the way to the "Buy" and got an error message and it kicked me back out. I'll keep trying.

Just some info you may want to forward onto any IT dept.

Thanks,
Blake

Try a different web browser. Some browsers have issues with our site. Torsten does monitor these posts so he can look further into it but it’s likely related to your browser or the browser version.

[chuckbuc]

Would this be the same replacement block for the vertex alpha cone 250 with bubble king 1500 pump?

[slief]

Originally Posted by chuckbuc

Would this be the same replacement block for the vertex alpha cone 250 with bubble king 1500 pump?

Yes. Same block.

[chuckbuc]

Originally Posted by slief

Yes. Same block.

Thanks