Hello; As many who have power filters with impellers know here can be some noise especially as they get some time on them. I have a very used REGENT HOB. Not sure of the model number but believe it is the one for 30 to 60 gallon tanks. It has two media chambers if that helps. What I did to fix it may not apply to other impellers.
I have had the HOB in operation for around six years myself and got it with a used tank so it may have been used for some time before that. About a year into my use (five years ago) the impeller became noisy and I sort of "fixed" it with a bit of rubber band. Bear with me on the description and ask if you do not follow. There are rubber caps on the ends of the impeller. My theory has been these caps somehow do not fit into the small cups after a time and lets the impeller move enough to make noise. A small piece of rubber band placed over the rubber cap and between the cup tightens that connection. I usually only put the rubber band piece on the cap at the end with the impeller blades. This had worked for me a few times over the years and worked pretty well the last five years.
Last week the impeller became noisy. I tried the bit of rubber band and it did not help. Today around midnight I decided to see if there was anything I could do. I went to Wal-Mart earlier in the day to get a new HOB and they did not have the big one in stock and my other shops are over 40 miles away.
I figure the impeller assembly has worn over many years of constant use. I noted that the plastic impeller assembly could be moved up and down on the metal shaft a bit so there is a small gap. I carefully pried off the end cap near the magnet. I then worked a small rubber O ring over the end in hope to take up the gap.
The O ring was too thick so I removed it and sanded it down thinner. That was a problem to solve. I eventually was able to sand one down by using two emery boards. Emery boards like used to do finger nails.
I was able to lay the O ring on one and place the second board on top. With care and practice I eventually sanded the O ring down thin enough to just take up the gap and not bind the impeller assembly.
For reference the O ring was a size 007 which is 1/16 W; ID 5/32; and OD 9/32. I think these are inch units. I think an 006 O ring which is slightly smaller might work also. These are the two smallest sizes in my O ring assortment. My guess is there are likely to be O rings that will fit somewhere.
Back to the rubber caps. Mine were so loose the impeller assembly would not stay when placed into the cups anymore. I carefully pried the rubber caps off each end and inserted a bit of thin rubber under them and pushed them back on. ( The rubber was from a finger cot. A rubber glove should work) Have to be careful performing this operation as there are delicate plastic parts to break. I could then put the impeller assembly in place and it stayed put.
So far the impeller is working and running quietly. Do not know how long it will last. Hope it will last long enough till I can make a trip to get another filter. Anyway it was something to do between midnight and 3:00 AM. Good thing I am retired.
I have had the HOB in operation for around six years myself and got it with a used tank so it may have been used for some time before that. About a year into my use (five years ago) the impeller became noisy and I sort of "fixed" it with a bit of rubber band. Bear with me on the description and ask if you do not follow. There are rubber caps on the ends of the impeller. My theory has been these caps somehow do not fit into the small cups after a time and lets the impeller move enough to make noise. A small piece of rubber band placed over the rubber cap and between the cup tightens that connection. I usually only put the rubber band piece on the cap at the end with the impeller blades. This had worked for me a few times over the years and worked pretty well the last five years.
Last week the impeller became noisy. I tried the bit of rubber band and it did not help. Today around midnight I decided to see if there was anything I could do. I went to Wal-Mart earlier in the day to get a new HOB and they did not have the big one in stock and my other shops are over 40 miles away.
I figure the impeller assembly has worn over many years of constant use. I noted that the plastic impeller assembly could be moved up and down on the metal shaft a bit so there is a small gap. I carefully pried off the end cap near the magnet. I then worked a small rubber O ring over the end in hope to take up the gap.
The O ring was too thick so I removed it and sanded it down thinner. That was a problem to solve. I eventually was able to sand one down by using two emery boards. Emery boards like used to do finger nails.
I was able to lay the O ring on one and place the second board on top. With care and practice I eventually sanded the O ring down thin enough to just take up the gap and not bind the impeller assembly.
For reference the O ring was a size 007 which is 1/16 W; ID 5/32; and OD 9/32. I think these are inch units. I think an 006 O ring which is slightly smaller might work also. These are the two smallest sizes in my O ring assortment. My guess is there are likely to be O rings that will fit somewhere.
Back to the rubber caps. Mine were so loose the impeller assembly would not stay when placed into the cups anymore. I carefully pried the rubber caps off each end and inserted a bit of thin rubber under them and pushed them back on. ( The rubber was from a finger cot. A rubber glove should work) Have to be careful performing this operation as there are delicate plastic parts to break. I could then put the impeller assembly in place and it stayed put.
So far the impeller is working and running quietly. Do not know how long it will last. Hope it will last long enough till I can make a trip to get another filter. Anyway it was something to do between midnight and 3:00 AM. Good thing I am retired.
