Mag drive 9.5 not working, any suggestions

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Stingray12

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2007
579
0
16
Saranac Lake, NY
This was the original return pump for my wetdry filter, atm i am using a mag drive 5 which isnt strong enough.

I took the part off with the screws on it revealing the impeller, i dont think that anything run with that, I can hear sand in it but cant seem to get it out. Can u take the back cover off where the electrical cord is? There is no noise or anyhting.

Any suggestion welcome

Thx
 
dont take the cover off, that will usually break the seal and could cause a leak. Pumps are sealed pretty good but theres another wall of glue or whatever they use to seal, so you wont get anywhere. if you plug the pump in what happens?? put it up to your ear and if you can hear a hum, its getting power. If the impeller is not moving it could be a build up, soak in only vinegar and see if that will lodge it use. Otherwise the pump could have been run dry, thus burning out the pump, which means its no good.
 
i can hear a hum so ill put it into vinegar and see what happens thanks
 
yeah it may take some manual messing around too lol. If you take the impeller out, there should be a plastic piece around the metal shaft. This plastic piece can get stuck to the metal preventing the spinning were used to. Not all pumps are like that but im pretty sure Eheim and mag pumps are very similar in this way. Dont turn it to hard or you could break the plastic and thus really breaking the pump. The magnet should be attached to the pastic piece. if you look at it, you should be able to figure it out.

If that spins losely and the pump is getting power, then it could still be burned out. after that im a bit out of options.
 
You're going to have a bearing (probably ceramic or plastic) on the 2 ends of the shaft. Make sure the shaft will spin freely in both. A lot of times (especially if the pump runs dry) the bearings and shaft become fused and wont let the impeller work. If you hear a hum the electromagnet is working unless it's shorted out somehow. If that happened it would probably trip a breaker.

Anyway, make sure the shaft can spin freely in the bearings and you'll be set. Otherwise, the pump may be junk. Hard water can also make the impeller stick, and that can be cured by the method previously mentioned.
 
get a new impeller.... cost about 15$ simple fix :)
 
You could definitely try a new impellar, but sometime a simple cleaning is all you need. I have to do that to my Quiet One pumps every now and then.
 
like me and rallysman said, that metal shaft must spin. Most have rubber ends to them that center the impeller assembly because the metal doesnt spin. It is very easy for these pieces to fuse together. I notice this when there in SW for a while, and then taken out and let dry, the calcium deposits and salt buildup can cause this.

another method i have seen is to slightly boil the impeller, for this you need to use medium to low heat for a long period of time, to prevent to much heat. Plastic can melt, but if your careful and monitor the temp with a thermometer then you will be fine. Dont let the heat exceed 130F
 
I clean all my mags by taking the impellor out and clean out the hole with a small pipe cleaning brush or a paint gun cleaning brush (looks like a small bottle brush)If the shaft is bad or impellor it wont sit centered in the hole and it wont work either
 
becareful with the shaft it is not metal its ceramic! take it out and check the bushings on each end. and you can use a teflon paste or a drop of cooking oil for lube, also take a stright edge and check the surface for tureness . they will distort when rin dry or over heated. witch makes the impeller hang up
 
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