Eheim 2217 - Difficult to start after water change

abcdefghi · Apr 9, 2013

I have an Eheim Classic 2217 on my 55G, and am having real trouble getting it started after each water change. It used to start up fine when I plugged it back in after re-filling the tank, but now I have to pick it up and shake it vigorously to get it to start. Once working, it works fine. But, obviously something is not right.

In the past I used to just unplug it, perform water change, plug it in again, lately I have tried having the output valve closed, input valve closed, both closed etc, but nothing seems to make any difference to getting it started. It get's cleaned fairly regularly (not on a set schedule though). Any suggestions? anytime I have taken it apart the impeller feels like it rotates smoothly on the shaft (I usually also remove the impeller and clean the shaft when servicing it).

It's so annoying it makes me want to ditch an otherwise perfectly running filter.

AqEnthusiast · Apr 9, 2013

What You mean by not starting? No motor rotation at all? Else can you make sure you are priming properly after cleaning? I have this 2217 and 2215.. needs priming before it can function after cleaning.. Just in case if that is what can help. . Below kind of link can show it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdbeXIqySOU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Basically a good quick 2 second suck from outlet after properly diping inlet in the tank and then wait till water starts filing in the filter..works after that..

Or otherwise may be propeller clogged? Be careful if you open propeller Chamber. .need to be fitted well. . Can be done but just some care of proper fitting back.. I had hard time to fit it back such that it is noise less and shaft working well. . my two bits - not to do this unless sure of what getting into. .Not needed to do this most of the time. . So may be priming most probably or else I am not sure what it could be. .

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abcdefghi · Apr 9, 2013

AqEnthusiast said:
What You mean by not starting?

I can hear it start, and the impeller rotating, but it's just simply not pulling water down. I have gone down the road of sucking briefly on the outlet in order to prime the filter a few times, but honestly it's ridiculous having to do that. None of my other filters require anything other than simply plugging them in. I will take it apart this weekend and give the propeller chamber a good clean and check everything out. But, am not expecting to find much as I have dismantled it more than once and still have the same problem.

Could it be possible that if I have too much filter media in the canister, it will cause difficulty in priming? I can't remember exactly what I have in there, its pretty much what came in the box when I originally bought it, except I dumped the original floss and put in new floss each time I service it.

AqEnthusiast · Apr 9, 2013

not sure if this can be due to "dense" filter media.. i dont think it could be because of that.. hey how about priming once without this particular filter media? just do it for few seconds and that will clear your doubt.. if it works, it is due to that (hard to believe) and if it does not, issue is somewhere else.. but do it as per what that link shows 1. empty canister 2. properly closed 3. put inlet pipe in tank 4. suck outlet 5. it should start priming from top coming to bottom 6. after canister filled water shall come out of outlet due to natural gravity flow from top tank to canister and out (assuming that outlet is below inlet).. 7. put output above tank 8. start canister 9. starts working like a charm.. in that sequence.. ?

sometime most obvious we tend to not see.. hence just noting inventory of things i will look at - cleaned your pipes? sure filter is below tank water bottom level? sure no air leakage in pipes? prime well as that link shows.. hope it helps.. to me, 2215 and 2217 works very well and sufficient powerful, needs priming, but with that it works.. hope it works for you..

authmal · Apr 9, 2013

Considering that I know what exactly is in tank water, I can't see myself willingly sucking on any kind of hose for any duration. It's why I have a self-priming canister.

Have you tried reaching out to eheim, or looking on some other sites for information?

abcdefghi · Apr 9, 2013

AqEnthusiast, Thanks for your help. I will give it a try with the dense filter media removed, but I also don't know that this would cause it. Maybe my tubes need to be replaced/cleaned, they are looking kind of dirty.

authmal said:
Considering that I know what exactly is in tank water, I can't see myself willingly sucking on any kind of hose for any duration. It's why I have a self-priming canister.

Could not agree more, it's a really weird aspect of the Eheim Classics that they have no priming method to them. I have seen an accessory that you can buy, kind of like a squeeze ball that you put on there that performs the sucking action, but it's just odd that they have nothing built into them.

To3kn33 · Apr 9, 2013

Clean all the pipes for the filter, I do mine twice a year or its a bit like your filter is having a heart attack.... Too many build ups in the tubes affecting the flow.

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dudley · Apr 9, 2013

I find that having the filter empty of water + draining the water from the output hose to the tank + having the output pipe/spray bar/nozzle above the water line, the filter primes properly every time.

Twice annual cleaning of all the hoses can also help as suggested above.


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Eheim 2217 - Difficult to start after water change

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