Aqua Clear Filters

[fatheadminnow]

That's fine rebrn, you did not hijack my post, lol.

I have taken apart the filter many of times to find this problem, yet I am still puzzled as to what it is.

I also prime the filter every time by filling the filter up with water well above the impeller well to ensure proper priming.

I also did some research last night, and it seems only the "newer" AC filters make this sound. Meaning, AC make 2 years ago and older where constructed with different material, and those ones do not make the annoying "crackling" sound the new ones make today.

So, I hope it is not the case, that all new ones are made differently rendering them annoying with the "crackling" sound!

-FHM

 

[draconis]

I have 2 brand new (a couple of months) 110's and haven't noticed this sound or noise. But I haven't cleaned the impeller yet...

 

[fatheadminnow]

After some further research, it seems that the impeller "floats" up out of the impeller housing (motor) a little bit and the impeller will strike against that gray plate thing in the filter. I guess some people have moved that gray plate up just a hair and the noise has stopped. Maybe I just push that plate down too far after cleaning? idk. I am not at home right now so I cannot try to move the plate on my 70, but the 20 here at my dorm seems to have quieted down a lot. It is just down to a little humming sound now.

-FHM

 

[Neesmo]

i have ALWAYS been super anal about priming my filters properly before plugging them in so i know that i did not cause it like that. I know my girlfriend didnt do a poorly primed start, because she never touches the filters. Im 99% sure that mine was damaged due to some debris getting into the impeller housing like was stated before. I run sand on the tank in my bedroom(the one thats really noisy) and i did find small bits of sand in there. I can see the grooves you mentions FHM. my other AC filter has some smaller grooves but its a lot quieter and doesnt make the noise for as long after a cleaning. I had already tried to keep the filter level and see if that would fix the sound. I used a peice of tapered styrofoam to change the angle of the filter. didnt make a difference for me. I even checked the metal rod that the impeller slides onto for true and it looked pretty straight to me..

FHM, yes it is an R32. That is a picture of one of my favorite cars in my car club found @ http/forums.gtrcanada.com/index2.php

Pics of my car are up in the "what car do you own" thread on here.

Kyle

 

[fatheadminnow]

I might buy a new motor and see if that helps anything as well.

MY favorite is the R34 GTR! Very nice car! I love all the skylines though! My buddy had an s13 and an s14. With the s13 he pulled the stock motor and imported from Japan an SR20DET, did a full rebuild, forged internals, the WORKS! It was machined and built to handle roughly 27 pounds of boost from a GT42r! Unfortunately he only had the stock turbo on there at the time dyno tuned at like 180 whp. Not bad at all! He also stripped it out. The only thing in the car was the two front seats and the dash! He was able to hang, bumper to bumper, with an Evo 9 on a free way pull! But, then he decided to sell it for some personal reason! It was a beautiful car!

-FHM

 

[bitteraspects]

Yeah, sand would do it.
Keep in mind that most AquaClear filters are stronger than other comparable HOB filters, so if you're using sand you would need to keep the intake higher off the substrate or use a foam prefilter. Sand and impellers are not friends. Lol.

changing the impeller and housing should do the trick.

 

[RookieAqua]

Hello, I don't actually have an aqua clear filter, but my neighbour has them on all his tanks and he used to have that problem with all three of them, even after replacing the motor. What he did to fix the problem was first make sure the filters are completely level on the tank (I think that was mentioned earlier), and second, he bought some thin isolation sheets, the really thin stuff, I am not sure how to explain it. But it basically looks like really thin foam padding. Anyway, he discovered that the "slight hum" that comes from the motor is actually the motor vibrating off the plastic from the main compartment of the filter, so he wrapped the motor in this thin foam stuff, and Voilà, no more crackling no more hum. Well he still gets the louder crackling sound if the filter isn't seated level on the aquarium, but once it is he has a virtually silent filter.

Hope that helps. Oh and I believe he has a 30, 70 and 110, but not sure if those numbers are correct, or if it even matters.

 

[kelly528]

I had this problem with my AC 20s. I went through 4 before giving up and settling for the quietest one.

From my research, there is a high incidence with AC 20s where the hole in which the impeller sits is slightly lopsided, casing that quiet but very annoying sound. I got frustrated after the first two and then went out and bought 3, then played 'musical impellers' until I got the quietest one.

You can pretty much do that, wait for it to wear down or wait for it to slime over. It's really frustrating because they're such a good filter, but I'm sure this problem is less common in the 30s and so forth so I would definitely buy another one, swap the motor then return the noisy one.

If you want to find out whether it's the impeller shaft/well thingy, take the impeller out, put it back together and fill it with water. It should run silent if the issue is as mentioned above.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I have noticed that the impeller is bigger than the shaft, so that could be it?

-FHM

 

[rebrn]

Hello, if you want to replace the motor or just try a different impellor don't buy a hole new filter, there are quite a few on-line stores that you can just by the AC replacement parts for fairly cheap.

 

[kelly528]

Hello, if you want to replace the motor or just try a different impellor don't buy a hole new filter, there are quite a few on-line stores that you can just by the AC replacement parts for fairly cheap.

Or you can get them for free by buying a new filter, swapping motors then refunding the defective motor and newer filter (I always switched the motor because by the time you go through 5 ACs, taking the whole thin apart and setting as new one up becomes a pain).

 

[rebrn]

Well I just have the slight hum left, like a vibration noise. So I tried wrapping the motor as mentioned above. I went to walmart and gott some of that really thin craft foam. Guess what no more hum. I now have a completely slient AC20 The craft foam from Walmart was like 97 cents and I have a ton left over so extra incase it falls off or needs to be replaced.

 

[Neesmo]

im just not going to clean mine as much anymore. thats the easiest fix. Im going to try the foam around the filter next time though. Should be easy enough

FHM- i love all Nissans. i used to own a S13 before the R32. i love them both for different reasons

Kyle

 

[fatheadminnow]

Dang man! You have an R32! You are the first person I have ever talked to that has a Skyline!

I love Skylines, but cannot afford one right now... lol... I have an Integra GSR right now. Going to make 550 whp when I am done building it. Should be about 2 years until then.

Here is a video of my car on the dyno with a few bolt on's:

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r-_WhDg05Y

-FHM

 

[Neesmo]

nothing wrong with a GSR if you dont mind the FWD. I got pulled on by a turbo'd GSR a couple years ago. Only time though.. but he was running a lot more boost than me. I like sliding more then torque steer so i stick to RWD

Back on topic. seems like we have got this issue all figured out and wait on your results with a new AC motor setup

Kyle