Powerhead issues

[kreblak]

I have a maxi-jet pump which I converted into a powerhead. A friend of mine with much more mechanical knowledge than myself offered to install a more efficient impeller. The powerhead works just fine, in fact, it is so powerful that I didn't need the other one I had planned to install.

The problem is that it rattles.... a lot. It rattles the glass from which it hangs, it rattles itself, it rattles the canopy top, it rattles everything! Is it possible that my friend improperly installed the impeller, and that all this rattling is the result of the impeller being off balance? If so, how do I fix it?

[OrionGirl]

Rattling is a bad thing. It means that either the impeller blades are out of balance, or that the pin is too small for the magnet. I would remove it, and check for any blemishes on the blades, then see how snug the fit is on the pin. Should slide on smoothly, but not with any wiggle room. Could just be a grain of sand or such in there--those that usually is more grinding.

[kreblak]

I called the individual who put in the new impeller, and he said that he remembers it not fitting snugly. I asked why he continued with the process if he knew it was going to cause problems. He responded by saying he thought it would be fine. If you consider "fine" to be vibrations measurable on the richter scale, then sure.

I'm just going to have to break the thing down and put back the original impeller.