110 AquaClear filters broken!?

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secuono

AC Members
Aug 12, 2009
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VA, USA
I just got two used filters, I cleaned the motors out and work when run under water. As soon as I put them back in the filter and fill with water, the water's weight seems to stop the propeller!! What do I do now??


It seems that if I pour in a little bit of water, it'll run. And I have to slowly add water while it's running almost empty for it to keep working. Not sure if the other filter will be like that too.
 
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Most everything on cause, effect and cure has been discussed here or in my other threads on AC's. But you have one ace in the hole in figuring out your problem.

Run the other untested filter before taking it completely apart as the human error seems to sometimes play a role here. If it runs OK take it apart noting the EXACT location, position, and order of assembly for each part. Clean it and reassemble then if it still runs good use that good filter and you intelligence to figure out which part on the defective filter is not working and why.

You can even swap out parts from the good filter to help isolate the bad part or problem as long as you don't mix them up (mark them). Then simply replace and repair.
 
Just remember not to run the filters dry. The impeller MUST be submerged while the motor is plugged in.
 
Check the impeller, see if the inside is out-of-round. If the impeller looks good pull out the shaft and check it for wear.
 
Yes, I have no idea what it should look like.
So the trick of slowly filling while on from almost empty gets it to work.
^.^
 
It should be perfectly round, smooth, and just large enough to fir over the shaft. If the shaft is worn it will be thicker at the ends than in the middle 9/10's of the shaft.
 
I sold them the filters.

The only parts are a plastic impeller that sits on the magnet that spins inside the pump. The magnet spins around a little metal pin. Sometimes these filters stick, that's a fact about them. All you have to do is set the filter up, fill it with water and plug it in. If it sticks and doesn't spin right away just give the plastic impeller a little push/flick with your finger to get it going. The metal pin that the magnet spins around could have gotten a little jostled during shipping. If that's the case just make sure the pin is pointing straight. There's nothing more to it!
 
IME if the impeller won't run w/out being "bumped" either it or the shaft, maybe even both, need replaced. I had an AC 70 like that, wouldn't restart on its own after the power went out/came back on. One reason I have an air-driven sponge filter in all my tanks, regardless of whether there's also a hob or canister on the tank.
 
Agreed^^^ Same thing happens to mine, I have to stick my planting forceps inside and give the impeller a push start LOL
 
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