MP40QD wet side is noisy

[jmatt]

I have not one but two MP40QD powerheads that are less than 18 months old... and both are making noises on the wet side. I disassemble fully, hit with a toothbrush and water and they go back to being quiet. For four or five days until they're both making noises again.

And I don't mean subtle, these are loud. A friend suggested using Molycote 111 to seal them but it doesn't seem to be working and is really gooey and sticky to work with.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? And it's both of them so it's not like it's a one-off lemon.

I don't know if this plays into it but for some reason (perhaps this issue) I have found on a few occasions around six weeks back that the dry side had detached and fallen to the floor for both units. But the dry sides seem to be working fine and make no noise on their own.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

sometimes i just need to move the dry side a little and it grabs better and quiets down. twist it around a little while its on to see if that helps

 

[Jimbo327]

do you have the spacers installed on the dry side? what happens is the dry side slips without the spacers and then the wet side makes noises.

 

[jmatt]

sometimes i just need to move the dry side a little and it grabs better and quiets down. twist it around a little while its on to see if that helps

If only it was that subtle. They will be very loud, I disassemble, clean and they are instantly quiet again for a few days. And it's not as if I ever find anything inside that's the culprit. I dunno.

 

[jmatt]

do you have the spacers installed on the dry side? what happens is the dry side slips without the spacers and then the wet side makes noises.

No spacers. I keep wondering if there's some kind of gasket I misplaced on them or something. But it's two units. Weird.

 

[Jimbo327]

If new, these should come with a thin and thick spacers with gasket. put those on the dry side, and it will have much less movement on glass. Look in the original box. Hope this helps you. When you said the dry side fell down, that's a sign that yours didn't have spacers and the dry side moves and eventually falls off. Good luck and hope that solves your problem. Normally, you stick the gasket on the spacers if it doesn't already have it on.

 

[jmatt]

If new, these should come with a thin and thick spacers with gasket. put those on the dry side, and it will have much less movement on glass. Look in the original box. Hope this helps you. When you said the dry side fell down, that's a sign that yours didn't have spacers and the dry side moves and eventually falls off. Good luck and hope that solves your problem. Normally, you stick the gasket on the spacers if it doesn't already have it on.

Okay, I'll take a look. But these have been in place for 18 months and never had a problem before. The dry sides don't appear to move around and I'm quite sure that I installed appropriately when I first got them (I'm pretty thorough like that).

And in fact I just did it again. They both sounded like baseball cards in a bicycle wheel. Pulled em apart, brushed clean and are now silent again. I did one with Molycote and one without. Let's see. Maybe I just need to use more of the sealant.

I actually do find little bits and pieces of sand or shell that somehow makes it inside.

 

[Lavey29]

I've never taken my wet or fry side apart ever and have not ever cleaned them at all for over 3.5 years now. I just leave them running and they stay quiet .

 

[jmatt]

Well, I think I figured it out because today my main COR20 stopped working. There is a population of small snails suddenly infesting the tank.

I'm ready to scream. I have been fighting aiptasia for 6 months and last night finally said to myself that it looks like the berghias have it under control. In addition to bubble algae, I now have this to deal with.

When do I just get to enjoy this thing? 18 months and I am careening from one disaster to another to another.