Something Wrong With My Filter...

[wrightt3]

I have an interpet PF3 internal filter (not even a year old) that's driving me insane!
I haven't really had any problems until recently, it keeps stopping for about a minute or so and then starting back up again for a minute. I cleaned it out, replaced the sponges and even checked the motor to see if something was blocking it.
Seems fine to me but when i plug it back in, the problem persists. If anyone has any ideas on what to do it would be appreciated (rather not have to buy a new one unless i have to)

 

[Mamashack]

Right - learn your filter anatomy as it sounds like you need to take out the impeller and clean it and also clean out the impeller housing. I had this problem with a different make of filter after only 6 months and the supplier told me the impeller should be cleaned every month and the housing every 2-3 months. It's good practice to make it part of your tank cleaning routine.

If you've never done it before the impeller will feel like it's resisting you  but that just the magnetic field trying to keep it in place. You'll probably find it's covered in sludge and so not able to do it's thing.
Good luck!

 

[wrightt3]

oops... when i typed motor, i meant impeller.
I can't see anything on that or the cover that could possibly block it or stop it from working. The only part i haven't cleaned is the bio chamber because i don't want to kill off any of the bacteria.
any other ideas? Thanks for the quick reply anyway though!

 

[dgwebster]

maybe need to grease up the impeller a little bit, your symptoms indicate it is sticking for one reason or another.

 

[wrightt3]

How exactly do you grease it up? 
By the way when i take the impeller out, it is red hot... not really sure if that's relevant or not?

 

[bodge99]

Hello,
 
The impeller shouldn't be red hot...
 
Remove the impellor shaft (normally a ceramic or steel shaft mounted in two rubber "cups"). Check that the impellor is free to rotate on the shaft. If it is tight, try **gently** cleaning it to remove any deposits. Some people use a touch of silicon grease as a lubricant.
 
Now refit the shaft and impeller to the housing and try and rotate the impeller by hand. You should just feel magnetic resistance to movement... Anything more than this (i.e. the rotation is "tight") indicates that the impeller has "picked up" on the plastic surround (case moulding) and has probably caused distortion here.
 
It is sometimes possible to repair this... the most accurate tool to use would be an adjustable reamer... however, most people don't have access to one of these. I've managed a repair in a pump with this problem with the use of a short length of copper pipe (the impeller recess happened to be 22mm diameter). I filed a couple of flats onto the pipe and used it as a very crude reamer (press into the recess about 5mm, rotate to remove a small amount of plastic, remove pipe, clean out plastic debris... rinse and repeat, inserting the pipe a bit further into the recess.).
 
If you can manage to do something like this, then ensure that any waterways in the pump are clear.. the impeller is supposed to run with water as both the coolant and lubricant.. Lack of water will cause overheating and possible distortion.
 
Good luck!
 
Bodge99 

 

[betta fish]

I think it's relevant! the impeller is not meant to be hot at all, it sound as if it is getting caught and overheating somehow, it's difficult to work out what is going on, does it have enough water coverage? is it seated correctly? maybe there is an airlock? try shaking it a bit when it stops, other alternative is to buy a new impeller, to clean filters just wash them in old tank water squeezing them to get the gunk out, never replace as that will affect your bacteria.  

 

[goldfinger]

Sounds like bushes and shaft issues when assembling back! Make sure the shaft is positioned correcly and not binding in the magnet it should slide in and out easily and have the bushes (rubber cups) at both ends.

 

[dgwebster]

For reference, if the impeller is not rotating, the magnetic force becomes a braking force, trying to stop the motor. This causes heat. As it heats up it gets worse. As per the previous posts, check your impeller is rotating freely, because it probably isnt.

 

[wrightt3]

I took a look at the impeller without unplugging the filter after it stopped earlier and there is no resistance at all...
One minute it's working fine and rotating normally, the next it completely stops as if someone has simply unplugged it. 

to clean filters just wash them in old tank water squeezing them to get the gunk out, never replace as that will affect your bacteria.  

I only replaced the carbon sponge and the thin layer of filter wool that traps small particles, the bio chamber was left alone and the white sponge wash cleaned in tank water (don't worry, i'm not new to fish keeping and i know how to properly maintain the tank)
Thanks for the tip anyhow though. As i said above the impeller isn't getting stuck, it just stops as if the filter has been unplugged.

 

[dgwebster]

In that case, its under a year old, time to claim on your warranty.

 

[wrightt3]

If i can find it that is, knowing me I've probably lost it ha ha...
Thanks for the advise anyway everyone.
When i get the new filter should i leave them both running for a while to let the good bacteria build up or would simply moving the media from the old filter to the new one be enough?

 

[dgwebster]

if you paid for it by debit/credit card and it was the only product purchased at the time, your statement counts as proof of purchase.
 
I personally would just move all the media over unless you buy a different make/model in which case I would swap it over 25% at a time each week.

 

[wrightt3]

Right then, that's all i need to know, thanks a bunch for the help.
After the past few days i'll be glad to be rid of this filter.