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Dart pump crazy loud

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=81779
Printed Date: March 28 2024 at 4:31pm
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Topic: Dart pump crazy loud
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Subject: Dart pump crazy loud
Date Posted: January 19 2017 at 10:00am
The dart pump on my skimmer is crazy loud. When I shut off the air intake the nose is cut 90%. That doesn't sound like bearings to me, am I wrong?

Adam

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Replies:
Posted By: phys
Date Posted: January 19 2017 at 8:10pm
could be your impeller has worn out and the lack of pure water in it causes it to knock around. maybe same thing if the bearings are bad?


Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 19 2017 at 8:34pm
Impeller was intact when I repaired that pump, but it could have broken.

First check.
Cavitation? Cavitation is caused by a restriction on the pump intake.

Second check.
Bearing going bad? Disconnect the pump but leave it in place and run it dry. If it makes more than a clean "whirring" sound, then there may be a foreign object stuck in the impeller or a broken bearing. Don't worry. Running it without water for a short time causes absolutely no damage.

Third check.
Foriegn object in the impeller? An out of balance impeller can be noisy.

Aloha,
Mark

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Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 9:47am
It's not easily accessible. This will be a project.

Adam

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Come to a meeting, they�re fun!


Posted By: evan127
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 9:51am
Is the skimmer performing the same as before the noise? Has it overflowed or underperformed on producing skimmate?


Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 8:21pm
Hmm. I don't think it's affected the pump performance. Good question!

Adam

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Come to a meeting, they�re fun!


Posted By: evan127
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 8:33pm
When my skimmer started acting up and overflowing a lot a few weeks ago, it turned out that a small strand of chaetomorpha was intertwined in the impeller.


Posted By: reefnfeef
Date Posted: January 21 2017 at 8:20am
Sometimes salt creeps into my skimmer intake and it sounds like a whistle. I pour hot water down the intake and it usually clears right up.

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aaaaaaaaaaaaaannd.... I'm broke


Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: January 22 2017 at 10:45am
Right now, it appears to be cavitation. Turning down the air inlet has solved the issue (so it seems).

Thanks all!

Adam

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Come to a meeting, they�re fun!


Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 22 2017 at 11:20am
Cool. 
Evidently, too much air was the cause of the cavitation? Since the pump was just repaired it makes me think perhaps, it's been a long time since the pump had that much power. Smile With all that power, it may have been forming very low pressure expanded air bubbles that collapsed upon leaving the pump.

Cavitation typically occurs only with strong pumps. If the pump intake is restricted the powerful spinning impeller forms extreme low pressure on the intake side. I have seen where cavitation actually creates such low pressure that water molecules are pulled apart, forming steam and giving off heat in the plumbing. Almost immediately upon passing out of the volute (cavity where the impeller spins) into the return line the steam bubbles collapse. This rapid expansion and immediate collapse causes loud vibration in the pump and plumbing.

This is also why flow control valves are installed on the output side and not the intake side. Smile

Aloha,
Mark  Hug



-------------
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:
www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member



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