Pump impeller vanes keep breaking

[withaknife420]

Greets all I'm new here hope to contribute as best I can, have had many successful crops though so I'm not quite a newbie. Question for you hydro/aeroponics folks:

Anyone ever run into an issue where water pump impeller vanes keep breaking? They all seem to be made the same, crappy plastic impeller with 5 or so vanes on it. Mind you I don't expect my pumps to last forever, but none of them seem to last a full year. Never ran dry, 3 separate pumps to ensure not overloaded, also to not have all eggs in one basket so that only a few plants would be affected at a time if one failed. They are on a timer that runs every 5 mins for 45ish seconds. They still work when this happens but obviously with reduced pressure and not ideal. The brand is Active Aqua but I've searched and searched, they all seem to be built mostly the same (at least for mag drive pumps) with the same plastic impeller.

Wouldn't they be better with a stainless/aluminum impeller, or something less fragile but still not corrosive? Anyone know of a different style pump, or different make that are built better?

Image shows the white plastic impeller at the front

Cheers

 

[Skunkbudz]

Do you ever run your pumps in a cleaning solution , even clean water every once in a while?

Stainless would be wonderful but add cost. Need to be careful selecting metals working in a chemical solution environment.

 

[withaknife420]

Every 3 months (after each harvest), with 29% hydrogen peroxide and water, mixed at 1.5ml per 4 litres (34ml for 90 litre res). Optimum Hydroponix O2. Someone in another forum said the oxygen from the O2 may be weakening the blades. I also run an aeration pump in the res all the time. Or maybe the fulvic/humic acids, not sure.

I was thinking maybe it's due to the "hard start" every 5 mins, where it's not running constantly and once it primes the lines/sprayers may be too much pressure for the plastic.

 

[withaknife420]

To clarify I add O2 at start of every weekly res water change too to keep things clean and provide additional oxygen.

 

[xtsho]

I still have a half dozen pumps from when I was doing hydro. I never had a single issue with the impellers breaking after years of use. What brand of pump? If they keep breaking maybe you need to get different pumps.

 

[withaknife420]

Problem is they all seem built mostly the same, as far mag drive style goes. I looked up replacement impellers for many brands they're all similar. Brand I'm using is Active Aqua which is basically from Hydrofarm.

Do you know of a good different brand? What brand are yours?

 

[Treesomewanted77]

Every 3 months (after each harvest), with 29% hydrogen peroxide and water, mixed at 1.5ml per 4 litres (34ml for 90 litre res). Optimum Hydroponix O2. Someone in another forum said the oxygen from the O2 may be weakening the blades. I also run an aeration pump in the res all the time. Or maybe the fulvic/humic acids, not sure.

I was thinking maybe it's due to the "hard start" every 5 mins, where it's not running constantly and once it primes the lines/sprayers may be too much pressure for the plastic.

It’s probably the quick on and offs of the pump do you run a bypass valve right off the pump to reduce pressure on the system? Or you just letting them run wide open for 45seconds? Maybe the organics is making the solution thicker and causing it but not sure just drawing at straws cuz I don’t use those

 

[J232]

I have a mag drive and the impeller is hard rubber, I ran that pump for 2 years and I bought it used, never had impeller issues, I use it as a runoff pump now. I have had it apart before to get clay pellets out of it.

 

[withaknife420]

It’s probably the quick on and offs of the pump do you run a bypass valve right off the pump to reduce pressure on the system? Or you just letting them run wide open for 45seconds? Maybe the organics is making the solution thicker and causing it but not sure just drawing at straws cuz I don’t use those

I kind of rely on the pressure though as it's a low pressure aeroponics setup. 360° sprayers (see pic). No bypass valve. If I reduce the flow control on the pump, I lose some spray in the tub. I calculated the GPH requirement of the sprayers vs the pumps, I'm literally 10gph above or equal to the requirement, so almost spot on. The solution is not very thick really, but maybe.

I have a mag drive and the impeller is hard rubber, I ran that pump for 2 years and I bought it used, never had impeller issues, I use it as a runoff pump now. I have had it apart before to get clay pellets out of it.

Which pump is it? This is sorta what I'm after, finding a pump that uses something other than plastic for it's impeller. Nylon or stainless/aluminum, or hard rubber as you say may work.

 

[rkymtnman]

i hope i don't jinx myself but i'm like @xtsho . my 1 pump has been running for probably 5+years and the other one finally burned out after 6. never an impeller issue and i think 1 is an active aqua. the one burned up because i forgot to take out the little filter in it and it was clogged with kelp ( i think?)

 

[xtsho]

Problem is they all seem built mostly the same, as far mag drive style goes. I looked up replacement impellers for many brands they're all similar. Brand I'm using is Active Aqua which is basically from Hydrofarm.

Do you know of a good different brand? What brand are yours?

Some of mine are Active Aqua. They're all over 10 years old. Maybe they don't make them like they used to.

 

[rkymtnman]

Some of mine are Active Aqua. They're all over 10 years old. Maybe they don't make them like they used to.

i think the small ones i use for my waterfall are like less than 10 bucks off Ebay. always have spares on hand for anything in hydro i think.

 

[rkymtnman]

I kind of rely on the pressure

i don't think it's the cycling. i think you are trying to push too much pressure with them if i had to guess.

 

[withaknife420]

i hope i don't jinx myself but i'm like @xtsho . my 1 pump has been running for probably 5+years and the other one finally burned out after 6. never an impeller issue and i think 1 is an active aqua. the one burned up because i forgot to take out the little filter in it and it was clogged with kelp ( i think?)

Yeah I clean that filter out every grow cycle so every 3-4 months. Everything gets washed really well, mind you I don't take the impeller/magnet out to clean that itself. I might try doing that too see how it works out but some of them only last 1 cycle lol

 

[J232]

Which pump is it? This is sorta what I'm after, finding a pump that uses something other than plastic for it's impeller. Nylon or stainless/aluminum, or hard rubber as you say may work.

Rather then a link, here’s a pic. Search the brand, I have this one, the front cover is replaceable, comes with a o ring, impellers are about 75 cad on amazon. The pump body is the magnet, only plastic is the cover with the threads.

 

[withaknife420]

i don't think it's the cycling. i think you are trying to push too much pressure with them if i had to guess.

So you thinking I need more or less GPH? My thought would be more GPH would cause more pressure, but lower GPH would lessen the spray.

 

[rkymtnman]

Rather then a link, here’s a pic. Search the brand, I have this one, the front cover is replaceable, comes with a o ring, impellers are about 75 cad on amazon. The pump body is the magnet, only plastic is the cover with the threads.
View attachment 5014933

Danner is the brand for sure. Industrial applications use them too. Pricey but worth it if you need reliabiltiy

 

[withaknife420]

Rather then a link, here’s a pic. Search the brand, I have this one, the front cover is replaceable, comes with a o ring, impellers are about 75 cad on amazon. The pump body is the magnet, only plastic is the cover with the threads.
View attachment 5014933

Ok I may take a look at those. My local shop has some Danner pumps in stock too.

 

[rkymtnman]

So you thinking I need more or less GPH? My thought would be more GPH would cause more pressure, but lower GPH would lessen the spray.

i'm hardly an expert but i would say a better heavier duty pump and the GPH probably won't matter much. these cheap pumps aren't built to handle that much resistance

 

[withaknife420]

Do you know if those pumps have a filter with it? Not that it's really needed I guess but just wondering. Looks like an inline pump but I'm sure it would work fine for in-res.