Eheim 2217 Impleller Problem - Please Help Me

[nagukush]

Hi Friends !

I have a problem / doubt regarding the Impeller Assembly of the Eheim 2217 and just wanted to request for guidance. Kindly help me here, Friends...

Today, When I removed the Impeller to clean it for the first time, I noticed that I could remove the following parts -

1. The Plastic Fan like thing - The Impeller
2. The Cylindrical Magnet which attaches to / below the Impeller
3. The Thin Ceramic Rod, which I guess is the Shaft
4. A Single Rubber Bushing which connects to the Shaft End (the end which is near the Fan like thing, not the end which goes inside the Pump's End.

Now if you look at the following pic (for reference)

I'm not able to pullout the Rubber Bushing on the Pump's end - The one which I've Marked with a Red Colored Square in the pic. No matter how hard I try, I cant pull it out.

Just wanted to know if this is the way its supposed to be or should I be able to pull it out easily. If yes, then is this a problem ? I'm asking this because - Is it supposed to be moving freely inside, so that the Impeller can rotate freely ? Is it supposed to come out easily ? How do I pull out this Bushing which seems to be stuck inside ?

Kindly guide me friends, I'm really worried that this might be a serious problem and that my Filter might stop working soon because of this.
Awaiting your replies and help...
Regards
Kush

 

[dudley]

The impeller blades should be attached to the impeller magnet. If they aren't, you may need a new impeller.

The rubber bushings are actually the bearings that keep the impeller shaft centered. One is located in the center recess of the pump latch (the part that you rotate to access the pump cover and impeller assembly) and the other one is located in the center recess of the pump head. These normally stay in place and should not be removed unless you are replacing them.

The impeller shaft does not rotate. It is held in its proper position by the rubber bearings and the pump latch being locked onto the filter head.

The impeller magnet is what rotates when the power cord is plugged in.

It sounds like everything is the way it is supposed to be. When I clean my impeller, occasionally the rubber bearing that is located in the pump latch comes out with the impeller shaft. I just stick it back in the recess. Just make sure you don't drop it in the sink drain because then you will not be able to use the filter until you buy another one.

I hope this answers your questions.

 

[nagukush]

The impeller blades should be attached to the impeller magnet. If they aren't, you may need a new impeller.

The rubber bushings are actually the bearings that keep the impeller shaft centered. One is located in the center recess of the pump latch (the part that you rotate to access the pump cover and impeller assembly) and the other one is located in the center recess of the pump head. These normally stay in place and should not be removed unless you are replacing them.

The impeller shaft does not rotate. It is held in its proper position by the rubber bearings and the pump latch being locked onto the filter head.

The impeller magnet is what rotates when the power cord is plugged in.

It sounds like everything is the way it is supposed to be. When I clean my impeller, occasionally the rubber bearing that is located in the pump latch comes out with the impeller shaft. I just stick it back in the recess. Just make sure you don't drop it in the sink drain because then you will not be able to use the filter until you buy another one.

I hope this answers your questions.

Hi there !

Thanks a lot for the kind reply and for guiding me.

When I was cleaning the filter, My Impeller Blades (The Small fan like thing) and the Cylindrical Magnet came-off separately - so do I need to replace the impeller now ? I do have a spare impeller in hand, will it be wise to change it now, then ?

Also a small black plastic piece broke off from the Impeller / Magnet (I'm not sure where it came from). I didnt have a spare in hand so I just assembled everything and put it in. The filter is running fine, but there is a very slight noise when the filter runs. Should I let it run for a few days and change the spares next time when I clean or should I just change everything now ?

Also wanted to request you to kindly let me know on how to remove the Rubber Bearing that is inside the pump end. Actually I want to replace the Shaft and the bearings also (as I have a new set in hand)

Kindly guide me on how to safely remove this Bearing.

 

[dudley]

If the impeller blades don't stay on the impeller magnet, it needs to be replaced NOW!!

In order to remove the rubber bearing in the pump end, you need a tool like a pick. Here is a link to the type of tool I'm talking about.
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt2554.html . The pick can usually be purchased at any home improvement or auto parts store. Or if you have long handle tweezers, they might be able to fit. You need a good light source or a flashlight, to be able to see the rubber bearing. It is not glued in but sometimes there's a bit of suction that keeps it from falling out.

Here is a pic of where the bearing should be located in the pump head.

Here is a pic of the rubber bearing in the pump latch. I use tweezers to remove it.

Your filter is definitely not operating properly if the impeller is not secured onto the magnet. As long as you have the parts, it is best to replace them now.

Can you post actual pictures of what your impeller looks like? It sounds broken but it may be repairable.

 

[nagukush]

Hi there !

Thank you so much for caring and for taking the time, and helping me out. I'm really grateful, honestly...

I just replaced the Impeller, Shaft and the bearings and I have the old Impeller with me. I will post a few pics shortly and just wanted to request you if you can kindly see them and let me know if I can repair this impeller. It will be great if this can be repaired, as I will have one in hand incase of another emergency.

I'll let you know as soon as I post the pics. Kindly have a look and help me here...

Thanks a lot again for the kindness and for caring...
Regards and Lots of Care
Kush

 

[nagukush]

Hi there !

The pics are attached. Kindly have a look and guide me if I can repair the impeller.

Thanks a lot !
Regards
Kush

 

[dudley]

WOW!!! The pictures are perfect for showing the damage done to the impeller magnet.

If it was me, I would at least try to repair the magnet using an epoxy glue that would secure the white plastic piece to the bottom of the magnet. Make sure to line up the ridges in the plastic with the grooves in the magnet. There might be a problem though with keeping the hole the impeller shaft slides through clear of epoxy that may ooze out.

It wouldn't hurt to try and make a repair. I'm not sure how well it will hold up or even if it would work properly. If you feel comfortable trying to fix it, give it a try. The worst that could happen is that it won't work.

Here is a pic of a similar Eheim impeller assembly with the impeller blades removed from the impeller magnet. I just disassembled it to take a photo to show what it looked like.

You can always save your broken impeller in case the blades ever break on your new one. All you need to do is gently squeeze together the two clips at the top and the blades will slide off. Then you could swap them with the broken ones.

I appreciate you taking the photos. I don't know how old your filter is so I don't know if this would be covered if it was still under warranty. The blades on my 2217 are white and I see that yours are grey. I wonder if this is an older model. Do you know how the damage was done to the impeller?