rena xp2 not pumping

[rambo3]

hi there i've just joined the forum and would appreciate any help with a problem i have with my filter. It seems to be making lots of gurgling and isn't pumping water as if it is air locked, i stripped it and the shaft seems a bit wobbly. Just wondered if anyone else have had this problem.

thanks

[plah831]

hi and welcome to AC!

You may need to prime it. There is probably a little handle on the side for that purpose (you may need to consult your user manual). It achieves the same goal as adding some water into hang-on-back power filters because the motor cannot run dry. Forcing it to do so may damage the motor. Plus the siphon has been broken, so priming it will re-establish the water column :)

[CaitxSith]

yeah about the without water running thing..

at my friend's house (after cleaning his tank), I ran his filter.. with no water.. it gurgles and nothing happened! So then i used my common sense and added water. then it worked :D

[rambo3]

the pump is supposed to self prime, i took out he impellor which is ok but it looks as if the shaft is unstable or there may be a problem with the magnet. I think its back to the shop in the morning.

[plah831]

I'm moving this to Freshwater Products, as that is where we "talk shop"

sounds like you know what you're doing, though :)

[echoofformless]

Actually Renas are primed with water - there is no pump handle.

It can be frustrating.

But here is what you are supposed to do to "prime" it -

The filter comes with a little black thing that looks like a long handled, solid plastic suction cup. You unscrew the black sealing cap from the top of the intake and slip that in. Then you start pouring tank water down the funnel and into the filter. About a gallon or so.

You wait at least a minute before screwing the black cap back on, then turn on the filter. If it doesn't start working, there is something either mechanically wrong with it...or I have no idea.

[dougall]

about a gallon or so ?


:eek:

you should be able to pull up the handle like you're removing the hoses to move the filter for cleaning, that way you should only have to fill up the intake hose and the top of the intake tube.. maybe a pint or a quart.. put the cap back on push down the handle on the top of the filter and let it fill using a siphon, once full it can be considered primed and it should be good to go.

filling the filter through the little funnel will work.. I just don't have that kind of patience.


but it does sound like the OP knows what he's doing, so assuming the filter isn't air locked, and the water could flow if it tried (no blockages in the plumbing for example) that I'd go with an impeller problem, either that or the motor itself.

[portabuddy]

NO NO NO thats not how you do it... you lift the tab on the filter body, that locks out the pipes, you unscrew the topcap off of the inlet pipe and pour water into the hose(1/2-1L not 1gal.), the water will fill the INLET PIPE ONLY, once the inlet pipe is fill and the filter is still dry you put the cap back on and releace the handle on the filter that engages the pipes... the water gets sucked out from the tank and fills the filter untill it comes out the outlet, after about 5-6 min for all of the air bubbles will come out then turn it on. once you have done this once you will never have to do it again. good system, better then having to suck on a spraybar.

I hope this helps.


edit: sorry i just noticed that dougall summed this up pritty well.