# New Eheim 2180 no flow???



## curefan (19 Mar 2012)

Please help....Im having trouble priming my filter for the first time. Been ages at it and cant get it running and am getting very angry    

I opened the filter and it seems to be full, but i still emptyed the tray prefilter as manual suggests and tried prime it again but no joy. The only time there is flow is when i hold the prime button in! 
Do you prime it with both intakes submerged? Is the spray bar over or under water?

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Dave.


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## Alastair (19 Mar 2012)

Hi dave, leave the outlet above water level, both Inlet's under the water but pinch one whilst your priming and also if it's full of water plug the power in whilst you prime


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## Calzone (19 Mar 2012)

You can find a lot of details in my journal on this!!!

This is a fiddly filter.

1.  Assuming you have set it up correctly, and all bits fitted right
2. Have the whole filter empty, or at least half empty
3.  Absolutely have the prefilter tray completely empty, and not sitting in water
4.  Know that the impeller does not "suck" at all.  It will not pull water into the filter.  The filter fills via siphon from the inlets.  This is important, because if you're canister is full, there will be no siphon into it and the impeller will do nothing
5. Have both inlets under water
6.  Have your outlet above water but pointing into the tank as it will spit water out.  Try to have the biggest hole possible (ie dont fit the spray bar yet)
7.  Avoid restrictions and low lying loops on your hoses
8. Assuming your hoses are empty to being with, connect the inlet head, and open the valve.
9. If your filter is empty, you will need to press in and out on the priming button many times, fairly quickly to get some suction going.  This can take a lot of effort, we might be talking 10+ pushes maybe more, in quick succession.
10.  At some point you will pull enough water through one of the inlet hoses to get over the tank side and below the water level, at which point a siphone should start.  You will hear the alarming sloshing when it does.  Filling the filter can take2-3 minutes.
11.  Check to see if both inlet are sucking.  In my case only one was.  This is ok for priming but clearly needs fixing.  Two ways: a) it says you can restrict by squeezing the other hose and this will lead to more pull on the other one.  think this works for bubbles and airlocks but not empty hoses. b) shove an airline up into the airlocked inlet hose from inside the tank up to the highest point, and suck out the air by mouth (or pump if you have a nonreturn valve).  Once you get the air out it will siphon.
12.  Once your filter is full you will see water filling up your outlet hose to some degree.  At this point you are good to submerge your outlet and fit your spray bar.
13.  This is a fiddly filter to prime.  two hoses, sensitive design with the prefilter tray.  it is not always sufficient to have an empty prefilter tray.
14.  Grinding / loud noises are always air lock and un primed state.  No noise at all means broken or no power (unlikely); whirring means its working (will gurgle to start with while the air bubbles work their way out).  If no flow but normall whirring noise most likely you have pipe blockage or the outlet duct attached directly to the impeller housing (white rubber) has come loose.
15.  Once working, shake the filter a bit to release trapped air.
16.  Be careful with your outlet, this thing really kicks out water.


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## curefan (19 Mar 2012)

...well i tried empying filter completely again and doing as above but no joy....might have to contact Eheim (even though filter seems to be making the right noises).
Filter always fills but no flow when plugged in and no kinks


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## Calzone (19 Mar 2012)

If its primed properly, and when you switch on it hums and doesn't grind, then most likely you have the problem I have namely that the white rubber outlet duct is not  seated properly in the slots by and held down by the impeller cover.  Suggest you google John Allan aquariums and phone them.  I spoke to Alan and he was very helpful and knowledgeable, and is eheim's service agent in the uk.

Also, try pumping the priming button when the impeller is running.


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## Calzone (19 Mar 2012)

Also, is there any water in your outlet pipe before you switch on and after priming?  How long does priming take?  More than 30 sec I presume.


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## curefan (20 Mar 2012)

Cal....your a star!
You hit the nail on the head with the white rubber duct not seated properly (you think they would mention this in the instruction manual!!!)
Thanks for the time you took to help me, much appreciated.
One last question, do you run your filter with the flow open fully?

Dave.


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## Calzone (20 Mar 2012)

curefan said:
			
		

> Cal....your a star!
> You hit the nail on the head with the white rubber duct not seated properly (you think they would mention this in the instruction manual!!!)
> Thanks for the time you took to help me, much appreciated.
> One last question, do you run your filter with the flow open fully?
> ...




Glad I could help.  Apposite timing.  I always run my filter fully open, and as I understand it you should never run less than half open.  To me seems silly to buy the biggest filter in the market and run it half.  Anyway my tank is large and deep and I need the flow as have  a long spray bar and need the "power" to get the flow down to the substrate.


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