6105 dead again

jimmyd01 · 10/19/2014, 08:51 PM

Last year I replaced the power supply because it was dead and per Rogers recommendations. That fixed the problem, but its dead again the red led is lit the pump is clean and I don't have another power supply to test with.Do these things only last about a year?

rvitko · 10/20/2014, 09:19 AM

They should last 3-4 years, they can fail prematurely if they get wet, if the pump is jammed so the draw excedes the 50W limit of the power supply or if the power supply is operated in a location with a temperature over 80F and or over 70% humidity. My best guess is the drive unit was partially locked up by calcium, the pump uses 35W when clean at full power, this creeps up as the pump gets dirty, if the drive unit seized to the shaft, it easily peaks past 50W. The first few times it will shut off as a safety, but it cycles back on once it cools down, if unnoticed for several days, the power supply eventually fails.

jimmyd01 · 10/20/2014, 09:12 PM

Roger just placed an order for a power supply, hope that's the problem. It quit working a week or so after being cleaned so I don't think that was the problem. I have a 6101 all original parts that has never let me down, guess they don't make them like they used to.

rvitko · 10/21/2014, 09:49 AM

In general the new power supply should be more durable than the 6101 power supply. It does have a 2 year warranty, if you sent in the power supply and it did not get wet we would replace it.

jimmyd01 · 10/21/2014, 06:26 PM

OK, I did not know about the warranty. When the new power supply comes in and if it fixes the issue I will send the old one back to you, it was purchased 9/25/13 but I don't think I still have the invoice, I found that date from previous posts on RC between us.
If the power supply is not the problem are the motor blocks repairable?

rvitko · 10/22/2014, 09:57 AM

Sometimes, if it is a drive unit issue, an end connector, something along those lines, yes, but the motor itself is sealed and not serviceable, still much cheaper to replace the motor though.

jimmyd01 · 10/29/2014, 09:22 PM

*Update* After installing the new power supply it still did not work. Was getting ready to box the motor and decided to plug it in one more time out of the tank, It started to work so I put it back in the tank and has been working for almost a week. It quit again today so I took the pump apart again, this time I worked the blue bushing inside the motor block out and noticed the hole was worn for the shaft I also noticed that the bushing inside the motor was different than the one on the other end. The one inside the the block has just one outside diameter while the one on the end has two and looks like a top hat. I just ordered a new drive unit with shaft and bushings, this should correct my problems.

rvitko · 10/30/2014, 10:07 AM

It sounds like calcium cemented the magnet/prop assembly to the shaft, the shaft was then turning when it should be a static part and the magnet turns on it, as a result the shaft acted like a drill. It was able to start dry as it did not have the added resistance of the water.

jimmyd01 · 11/06/2014, 09:10 PM

OK, new drive unit installed on Monday. Plugged it in and it did not run, pulled it out of the tank then plugged it in again and it started to work. Has been working for 4 days now...But, it is very loud, has a bad vibration that causes it to move in the mount and point up and splash water out of the top of the tank sometimes. Had to turn it down to 80% with my Apex controller to keep the noise and vibration down some. Can a bad motor block cause these symptoms?

rvitko · 11/07/2014, 09:47 AM

I think this may be a newer pump and the shaft is supposed to be fixed in the motor, not the older removable type you described. I think the blue piece you were referring to was not a shaft end but the anti attenuation disk and the root issue is the shaft pulled out with the original drive unit, they likely were seized together with calcium, as a result their is nothing to retain the magnet in the middle and the drive unit you bought has the wrong shaft type which cannot seat in the bottom of that pump. I would send it in and include the old drive unit if you haven't thrown it away.

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

jimmyd01 · 11/07/2014, 10:53 PM

Roger, PM sent

10/19/2014, 08:51 PM	#1
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	6105 dead again Last year I replaced the power supply because it was dead and per Rogers recommendations. That fixed the problem, but its dead again the red led is lit the pump is clean and I don't have another power supply to test with.Do these things only last about a year?

10/20/2014, 09:19 AM	#2
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	They should last 3-4 years, they can fail prematurely if they get wet, if the pump is jammed so the draw excedes the 50W limit of the power supply or if the power supply is operated in a location with a temperature over 80F and or over 70% humidity. My best guess is the drive unit was partially locked up by calcium, the pump uses 35W when clean at full power, this creeps up as the pump gets dirty, if the drive unit seized to the shaft, it easily peaks past 50W. The first few times it will shut off as a safety, but it cycles back on once it cools down, if unnoticed for several days, the power supply eventually fails. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/21/2014, 09:49 AM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	In general the new power supply should be more durable than the 6101 power supply. It does have a 2 year warranty, if you sent in the power supply and it did not get wet we would replace it. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/22/2014, 09:57 AM	#6
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Sometimes, if it is a drive unit issue, an end connector, something along those lines, yes, but the motor itself is sealed and not serviceable, still much cheaper to replace the motor though. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/30/2014, 10:07 AM	#8
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	It sounds like calcium cemented the magnet/prop assembly to the shaft, the shaft was then turning when it should be a static part and the magnet turns on it, as a result the shaft acted like a drill. It was able to start dry as it did not have the added resistance of the water. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/20/2014, 09:12 PM	#3
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	Roger just placed an order for a power supply, hope that's the problem. It quit working a week or so after being cleaned so I don't think that was the problem. I have a 6101 all original parts that has never let me down, guess they don't make them like they used to.

10/21/2014, 06:26 PM	#5
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	OK, I did not know about the warranty. When the new power supply comes in and if it fixes the issue I will send the old one back to you, it was purchased 9/25/13 but I don't think I still have the invoice, I found that date from previous posts on RC between us. If the power supply is not the problem are the motor blocks repairable?

10/29/2014, 09:22 PM	#7
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	Update After installing the new power supply it still did not work. Was getting ready to box the motor and decided to plug it in one more time out of the tank, It started to work so I put it back in the tank and has been working for almost a week. It quit again today so I took the pump apart again, this time I worked the blue bushing inside the motor block out and noticed the hole was worn for the shaft I also noticed that the bushing inside the motor was different than the one on the other end. The one inside the the block has just one outside diameter while the one on the end has two and looks like a top hat. I just ordered a new drive unit with shaft and bushings, this should correct my problems.

11/06/2014, 09:10 PM	#9
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	OK, new drive unit installed on Monday. Plugged it in and it did not run, pulled it out of the tank then plugged it in again and it started to work. Has been working for 4 days now...But, it is very loud, has a bad vibration that causes it to move in the mount and point up and splash water out of the top of the tank sometimes. Had to turn it down to 80% with my Apex controller to keep the noise and vibration down some. Can a bad motor block cause these symptoms?

11/07/2014, 09:47 AM	#10
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	I think this may be a newer pump and the shaft is supposed to be fixed in the motor, not the older removable type you described. I think the blue piece you were referring to was not a shaft end but the anti attenuation disk and the root issue is the shaft pulled out with the original drive unit, they likely were seized together with calcium, as a result their is nothing to retain the magnet in the middle and the drive unit you bought has the wrong shaft type which cannot seat in the bottom of that pump. I would send it in and include the old drive unit if you haven't thrown it away. Tunze USA 305 Victor St Austin, TX 78753 __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

11/07/2014, 10:53 PM	#11
jimmyd01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spring Hill,FL Posts: 137	Roger, PM sent