Eclipse 3 bad impeller noise

[Rurik]

I'm new, to everything After a few months with a 5 gal tank, we picked up a 29gal system used last weekend, with an Eclipse 3 (PFE3) hood. Unfortunately, it didn't include the filter system, so I purchased all of the parts and assembled it today.

As soon as it is plugged in there's an extremely loud whir from the magnetic impeller and a morse-code like clicking, and no water is drawn into the system. I've reviewed the manual (http://www.aquatichouse.com/tanks_files/eclipse_manual.pdf) a number of times and am confident that it is going in the correct way.

I'm not even sure if it's the impeller or the pump itself. It's all brand new.

Any ideas?

 

[FroggyFox]

some of them are super loud until they get water in them and get moving...most arent meant to run dry at all. I dont have any eclipse tanks, is there any way you can put water where it's supposed to go to kind of help it along? ie, in a normal hang on the back filter you can fill up the chamber with water and that usually helps the system pull some additional water up the tube more easily.

You should also try pulling the impeller out and giving it a good once over, make sure its not dirty on either side or where it goes...run it under some water and have everything wet.

 

[Rurik]

Thanks for the response. The pump assembly doesn't actually hold water, it just pulls it up and "spits" it into the filter chamber, which cycles it into the bio-wheel chamber, then back into the tank. After a few hours of reassembling, forcing water into it, and trying different methods, I finally called the manufacturer today. I explained it all to them and she said it could only be the impeller, as that is the only moving part. So, they're sending me out a new impeller and housing unit free, no questions asked. She didn't even ask for a copy of my receipt (I bought from bhg.com).

We'll see when that comes in if it fixes the problem.

 

[Rurik]

Well, I don't know what to say. My wife and I are beside ourselves. Over a month, a ton of money, and we still don't even have our first real tank up and running

I now have two impellers and two motors. They're all doing it, and now the rubber foot on the bottom of a brand new impeller just broke off.

Here's the assembly.

Just makes noise, won't suck up any water

Going to give this another week of troubleshooting then we're throwing in the towel and selling all of this off. The fish are already all dead from being in a temporary tank for the past month.

 

[mpholloway]

Hi Rurik,

I use to have a Eclipse system and the only way I could get it to prime is dunk the whole thing in the water. When the water started to flow it could lift back out and put the nozzle in place. Mine also had a opening at the top of the pump facing the inside of the tank, water would typically go in here to keep the prime. If water dropped below this point and the power went out it would loose its prime.

 

[Rurik]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was it. The water wasn't high enough to enter the priming hole (which I was completely unaware of until you pointed it out).

I had tried to prime it before by shaking it in the water (like the vacuum pumps) and by pouring water in the outlet, but never knew about that slit. There were also notes in the directions to never submerge the unit, so I never had it sitting in water. After reading your response, I went back and checked the tank, and it actually sits completely submerged in the water. I just didn't fill the tank up all the way until I knew all the components worked.

So, it's in, and working like a charm. Letting it run for the weekend with a new heater, then to decide what fish to get now

*celebrate

 

[Matt Nace]

Nice, glad it works. Now how are you going to cycle that tank...with or with out fish?

 

[Rurik]

We're cycling it with fish, there's a small colony of Zebra Danios in there now (half normal, half albino) to get it started up. With the loss of the last batch, we're revisiting our choices. Keeping the water right at 80* and looking through a variety of tropicals now.

 

[FishGalIllinois]

Rurik, Thank you, this is my exact problem!

And, the directions from manufacturer say their switchboard is open from 8 to 5 Pacific. When I called it turned out to be 9 to 5 eastern. Aaargh. So grateful for this thread. Am going to try to add more water. I did exact same sequence of events as you! Am hopeful. More soon. Fish are in a pitcher and I need to get them to tank!

 

[FishGalIllinois]

That worked for me too - 1000 Thank Yous

Thanks again to Rurik and MPHolloway. Seriously. So appreciate your both taking time to post on this forum. It completely worked. Just was a few inches off the top in water and brought it to the top to make all the difference. Yay. I love the Internets! Now, I can get this aquarium back to my kid's preschool. Thanks again!

 

[ltdueck]

i also have a problem with the ECLIPSE 3,,,please help

i have already learned a lot in this thread,,more than customer service will give me,,anyhow,,now that i have the water up as high as it needs to be,,why would my pump stop producing water after approx 3 min of working just fine?