Fluval Fx5 Faulty Motor

[michaelwgroves]

The flow is probably reduced so uch with you sending it through so many tubes and valves. Cant you just keep it one input and one output? As the longer your output tube is, the more the motor has to pump, and this reduces the flow. Try blowing down a 1 metre peice of hose , then a 50 metre, Its much harder. Have you tried it just using the fluval 1" hosing?

Oh, and since my last post ,i have sold my FX5 and replaced it with a Eheim pro 3 2080 and pro 3e 2078 - Great filters, never looked back on my decision.

All the best, hope you get it sorted soon, Adam

I think your right about all the extra pipework, although I think I would go for the 2180 if I had the cash.
Just considering my options, if I could pick up a cheap FX5, I could use the new one for media and run mine bare, just for heating and CO2. How much did you get for yours?

 

[adamgreen240]

The flow is probably reduced so uch with you sending it through so many tubes and valves. Cant you just keep it one input and one output? As the longer your output tube is, the more the motor has to pump, and this reduces the flow. Try blowing down a 1 metre peice of hose , then a 50 metre, Its much harder. Have you tried it just using the fluval 1" hosing?

Oh, and since my last post ,i have sold my FX5 and replaced it with a Eheim pro 3 2080 and pro 3e 2078 - Great filters, never looked back on my decision.

All the best, hope you get it sorted soon, Adam

I think your right about all the extra pipework, although I think I would go for the 2180 if I had the cash.
Just considering my options, if I could pick up a cheap FX5, I could use the new one for media and run mine bare, just for heating and CO2. How much did you get for yours?

Hi, i paid £184.99 for the 2078 and £169.99 for the 2080. to be honest ive heared bad things about the 2180s , i think people have had problems with them, couldnt you just use a Hydor 300W heater inline with it?

 

[michaelwgroves]

The flow is probably reduced so uch with you sending it through so many tubes and valves. Cant you just keep it one input and one output? As the longer your output tube is, the more the motor has to pump, and this reduces the flow. Try blowing down a 1 metre peice of hose , then a 50 metre, Its much harder. Have you tried it just using the fluval 1" hosing?

Oh, and since my last post ,i have sold my FX5 and replaced it with a Eheim pro 3 2080 and pro 3e 2078 - Great filters, never looked back on my decision.

All the best, hope you get it sorted soon, Adam

I think your right about all the extra pipework, although I think I would go for the 2180 if I had the cash.
Just considering my options, if I could pick up a cheap FX5, I could use the new one for media and run mine bare, just for heating and CO2. How much did you get for yours?

Hi, i paid £184.99 for the 2078 and £169.99 for the 2080. to be honest ive heared bad things about the 2180s , i think people have had problems with them, couldnt you just use a Hydor 300W heater inline with it?

Just catching up on old posts, sorry I did not respond sooner. I can't use the Hydor 300W inline as this only has a 12mm input, the FX5 has a 25mm output, so this would massivly reduce flow. My best option would be a 3 way branch, but I can't find one. So my only option was to use the splitter above

 

[adamgreen240]

Hydor 200w heater = 12mm
Hydor 300w heater = 16mm

So you would probably be better using 2 of the 300w ones

 

[england]

ive had my fluval fx5 now or just over 1year, to me its the best filter "IVE" ever had
does not seem to have lost any steam

don't want to speak to soon

 

[michaelwgroves]

Hydor 200w heater = 12mm
Hydor 300w heater = 16mm

So you would probably be better using 2 of the 300w ones

Sorry, you are correct, it is 16mm.
I am already using 2 * 300W, but you also need a third @ 16mm so the flow rate is not reduced. I have my CO2 reactor on the third.

 

[jgray152]

Unfortunatly I seem to be back with the same problem

How did you have it plumbed with your first Fx5?
How did you have it plumbed with your second FX5 when you first installed it?

Splitting the flow at 90 degree turns twice in a row can reduce the flow but this will not reduce the flow overtime. It will be immediatly.

I have heard the Ehiem Media clogs quickly. Also the ehiem media even when not clogged (if its what im thinking of) could reduce the flow with its self.

Mine has been running fantastic for a while now. The Fx5 im using at the moment is actually a used one so its been run before. I have a new one that I was using for a while and I was just swapping stuff around while doing the modifications. The new one ran great as well.

 

[michaelwgroves]

With my first filter I had origional 1" pipe in/out nothing else. Even with an empty filter I still only got 2" after time, but as new 8" even with both Blue and White filters at the same time.

With my second filter I plumbed all my extra bits at the outset and I had 8"
Nothing has changed since then. I agree it should not reduce overtime.
All three of my baskets are about one third full and I do not have additional blue/white filters.

The filter definitly does not throw the water around as much and hence does not collect as much rubbish. My tank is not as clean as it was

I am also very good at maintenance, I clean the filter every week and the propeller about every 4 - 6 weeks. It's better after a clean but not that you would notice unless you really look for it.

 

[jgray152]

Now I have never cleaned my propeller and never needed too.

How are you taking the motor/impeller housing apart? It may be possible that after installing the impeller/motor (not remembering how it goes together exactly at midnight) that the impeller could be fit to snug in the impeller well causing excessive resistance of rotation.

Before assuming that though, did this happen RIGHT after cleaning the impeller? Both times? Just trying to narrow down the possibilities. Seems odd that both motors would be "faulty".

 

[michaelwgroves]

In both instances it was a very gradual problem, actuially the first time I cleaned the propeller on both filters was because it started to lose power, then I remembered I ought to clean the propeller, became second nature after that.

I'm surprised you never had to clean yours, how long did you have it?

 

[jgray152]

I still have it and its been running for maybe a year now. Never had to clean the impeller. Maybe its because I run small particle filtration in it as well.

There was one time my new Fx5 had a low flow issue but I shut it down and ran it without the media baskets and it was fine again so I put the baskets back in. Not that the baskets were the issue but maybe it has something to do with the circuitry in the motor.

 

[michaelwgroves]

I've been communicating with Hagen customer service on this. They have been very helpful and sent me some spare taps so I could carry out some tests.

I cleaned the filter and run it with no media, I only get 2,300 lph when it should do 3,500 lph.
Basically I timed how long it took to fill my 16 litre bucket. It took 25 seconds so ((16/25)*60)*60 = 2,304 lph
That's about 35% down on flow!
Surprising enough, when I put my media in it made no difference!

I have sent them another email with my findings, I'll let you know how I get on.

This is an easy test and if you have an FX5 I recommend doing this test to see how well yours is performing, you might be surprised.
If you do, please let us know your results. I can't belive I've now had two filters with the same problem over the same period, I can't be the only one?

 

[jgray152]

I cleaned the filter and run it with no media, I only get 2,300 lph when it should do 3,500 lph.

3500LPH is the pump output at 921 GPH. This is not the filter output. The pump output could have been on a different container with different tubing or fittings. You want the filter output. Hagen uses the pump output to get people's attention.

2300 LPH is what you are looking for. This is what most of the Fx5s put out. That is around 605 GPH. The Fx5 has been tested many times at filter flow rates of 550 GPH to 650 GPH.

That's about 35% down on flow!
Surprising enough, when I put my media in it made no difference!

Your not "down" on flow at all. In the manual the filter circulation rating is 607 GPH. Your not doing bad at all.

Any pump on any filter could move more water than it is if there was a lot more time and money involved on making the canister more fluid friendly.

. I can't belive I've now had two filters with the same problem over the same period, I can't be the only one?

According to you from your last filter would barely throw water out of the hose. At 605 GPH, it will be about 6-8" out of the hose. I don't see where you have this "problem"... again?

 

[jgray152]

http/midnightgray.net/images/filters/flu...lervsintake.jpg

I have done lots of theory testing and measurments (although can't find them now) but I do have a picture that is worth a thousand words.

This vary well could be the cause of the lower filter flow rate verse the pump output.

I can see why they did this though. Trying to centralize the flow on the curve of the impeller in the center to direct the water to the fins. If they had it much large it may not work as efficient. Although, a little bigger may help.

 

[jgray152]

If you would like to possibly increase the flow, replace the hoses with vynal hoses and replace the output with a 90 degree fitting that has a long radius.

Then see what your flow rate is.