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Eheim Classic Noise - New Impeller

jameson_uk

jameson_uk

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10 Jun 2016
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879
Location
Birmingham
I inherited an Eheim Classic 600 (2217) which has been running on my tank for about 7 months but has started to get really noisy. The filter was 20 years old when I got it (but had never actually been used).

It isn't the gurgling noise when you get air in the filter and tipping it up doesn't release any air but it doesn't really sound like grinding either which is the other noise people seem to report.

I have taken apart and cleaned the impeller (several times) but without any real change (it does seem quieter after a water change as the filter is getting going again and clearing air but it soon gets noisy again.

It kind of sounds like an air pump / fridge noise.

My first thought was just to get a new impeller and shaft as worst case scenario I will have spares.

Any suggestions on what to look at?
 
Hi
I'm not familiar with this model.
I'm sure there should be a little rubber bush, that attaches to the bottom of impellor shaft....could this be missing!
hoggie
 
Madhav said:
No way, without the rubber bush, impeller will make rattling noise and impeller shaft will break in an hour or even less. Why dont you apply some silicone lubricant and see?

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Click to expand...
I remember looking before and needing some specific lubricant as some weren't safe for aquariums. Any idea which one to get?

Also what do you actually lube?
 
When I buy spare part for my eheim 2080, the item that connects impeller housing to the outlet, eheim supplied some lubricant with it. I just apply a thin coat when I wipe the shaft may be once in a couple of months. I dont really think its an absolute must. As the chamber is always filled with water, it acts as a lubricant.

You are getting some noise means one moving part is touching the other part, in the canister only moving part is impeller. So the culprits are impeller, shaft and the rubber housings for the shaft. Open up the canister head and give the impeller housing a good scrub. Make sure the impeller housing doesnt have any leaves, loose soil or sand etc. If your noise is more like water flow through a pipe line, then its a sign that air is entering the canister which is not good, you have to check the oring and intake side piping for potential air leaking to the canister.
In any case, complete re assembling all the components should fix the issue and classic should run silent.
Lubricant is not the reason for noise, so if you dont have dont worry. U still can fix your classic.

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One thing someone posted on another forum was that gunk around the impeller actually helped. I cleaned it a lot and removed anything from the outside and I am wondering if I cleaned it too much.

I have ordered a new impeller and shaft anyway so I have spares but will take it apart (yet again) tomorrow and see.

Noise is subjective so...

My phone makes this sound worse than it is. I did a big water change earlier so have just been releasing some air and I think the microphone is also picking up the air pump slightly. Does this sound like air getting in or mechanical?
 
That's exactly how my eheim sounded...Mine use to make this grinding noise each time I started it after water change.... The noise would stop in a 30-60 seconds and the filter would then work fine until the next time I turn it off. However, whatever the issue is, seems to be cracking the impeller and ceramic shaft. I had a hair like crack in the impeller once and a ceramic shaft that had snapped in two pieces at another time. This is additional to a previously leaking hose adaptor...kind of a major issue with it once a year.... Unfortunately, after the last fail, despite replacing the impeller and shaft, although the filter starts up, I failed to prime it in any way possible I tried...It just would not pull any water if it had the minimum of air in it...Now its been used as a media container with an external working pump attached to it.
 
Sounds like air to me......rattling the head!
I have found Eheims can be a pain to get started up properly sometimes!
My solution was (not for this model)a Thermofilter....... you could try something similar!
Check the seal O Ring for any nicks or damage as this will let air into the canister.
Remove the tubing from the head.
Remove the head.
Fill the canister till it over flows with de-chlorinated water....you would need to sit in a tray of some sort to collect the excess water!
This will expel any trapped air....give it a slight shake.
Attach the head so that excess water come out of the top coupling!
You add some more water till it overflows you don't want any air in the head.
Submerge both the in and out hoses and draw water into them by sucking, close the valves and reattach to the filter.....open valves and switch on!
You can also use Vaseline around the seal...to help with sealing!
This always works for me!
Cheers
hoggie
 
hogan53 said:
Sounds like air to me......rattling the head!
I have found Eheims can be a pain to get started up properly sometimes!
My solution was (not for this model)a Thermofilter....... you could try something similar!
Check the seal O Ring for any nicks or damage as this will let air into the canister.
Remove the tubing from the head.
Remove the head.
Fill the canister till it over flows with dechlorinated water....you would need to sit in a tray of some sort to collect the excess water!
This will expel any strapped air....give it a slight shake.
Attach the head so that excess water come out of the top coupling!
You add some more water till it overflows you don't want any air in the head.
Submerge both the in and out hoses and draw water into them by sucking, close the valves and reattach to the filter.....open valves and switch on!
You can also use Vaseline around the seal...to help with sealing!
This always works for me!
Cheers
hoggie
Click to expand...
I will check the o ring later but it was fine for months. After cleaning the filter I would normally just let it kick out any air on it's own and after several hours (and a couple of swishes of the canister) it would sort itself out. The noise however was slightly different (I think) to now.

When there was air in the filter just tipping it up a little would release it and cause a loud whooshing sound but there is nothing when I do this now. Also if it was ratting the head would pressing on it not reduce the noise (I did have this a while ago) ??

I will give it the once over again tonight.
 
Hi Jameson
If you have to much air in the canister and not enough resistance this will cause noise from the impellor!
Just like to say any imperfections on the seal will let air in and may also cause the canister to leak!
I found this happened on a purchased second hand Tetra Tec 600 filters O ring ....It wasn't finished properly therefore let air in and leaked...cleaned the seal up with some fine finishing Decorators Paper!
Used some Vaseline and all was good to go!
Hope you get it sorted!
hoggie
 
I have two of the eheim classic 2217's in service.
Afore mentioned rubber bushing's on either end of the shaft can become worn and this will affect the operation from noise perspective.
I have lost the bushing's on a couple occasion's while running water from faucet into the impeller well while scrubbing out the well with bottle brush.
Have also dropped impeller magnet into sink and it only takes a tiny ,tiny chip or sliver to be removed from the magnet to cause noise issue.(saw this with magnifying glass)
I think with new impeller and shaft along with new bushing's,you will note improvement.
 
And plus one for a bit of Vaseline or vegetable oil on impeller magnet and O ring seal.
I move water from my tank's with small 350 gph pump attached to python hose and the pump is taken apart when it becomes noisy and I clean the gut's and apply a bit of Vaseline to the impeller.Work's a treat.
 
roadmaster said:
I have two of the eheim classic 2217's in service.
Afore mentioned rubber bushing's on either end of the shaft can become worn and this will affect the operation from noise perspective.
I have lost the bushing's on a couple occasion's while running water from faucet into the impeller well while scrubbing out the well with bottle brush.
Have also dropped impeller magnet into sink and it only takes a tiny ,tiny chip or sliver to be removed from the magnet to cause noise issue.(saw this with magnifying glass)
I think with new impeller and shaft along with new bushing's,you will note improvement.
Click to expand...
I dont think so, if you look at my 2080 impeller magnet, you will ne shocked. It is seriously dented. It was restarted after an year of idling. The flow seem to be lesser than 2073 so I opened impeller housing and realized some salts build up on magnet and gave it a good scrub. I reassembled and it is working like a new one now...6months plus no issue. I posted some pics on this forum...let me find the link...

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😵
Am not familiar with the model's you mention.
Can only speak to my experiences/trouble shooting the filter OP was referring to.
 
Ok so I took apart the filter today as needed to get some media to seed my new shrimp tank.

Actually seems a bit worse since I put it back together so will be rebuilding it again shortly...

The impeller itself did have a tiny knick in it right at the very top of the magnet bit
a686446961d8986739eb56e901f89c2f.jpg0889af4ac7cc3c9399c3de9f8a8b5bec.jpg

You can't really see it it you could feel a little sharp bit sticking out. I sanded this off but made no difference.

The rubber bits at the end of the shaft are both there but the one inside is well and truly stuck in there. To the point I am wondering whether it is actually moulded in there (this is a very old filter which spent 20 years sat in various garages).

Before I try brute force does anyone remember whether the rubber bits were separate at both ends?

If so any suggestions on how to get it out as you can only get at it down the shaft and it is pretty tight (my planting tweezers were no good)
 
I see several nick's/chip's missing from the impeller.
A replacement impeller +shaft+ bushing's (comes with shaft) would be my path.
 
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