Skimmer pump stops and restarts constantly
 

So I have a BM NAC5e skimmer, replaced the stock pump with the 'Rock (SP2000) pump' last year, ran great for a couple months and then started to constantly turn off and restart (seemed like every 10 minutes or so). Ran very hot as well, pump housing eventually started to crack and leak so I pulled the skimmer and ran skimmerless for a few months. Decided last month to order another pump and start up the skimmer again, guess what? Its doing the exact same thing, am I doing something wrong? Skimmer runs longer between turning off and restarting 90 minutes or so. Is it possible I got another bad pump?

There's no siphon break or anything like that, skims great when its running.

Colin

Did you change out the pinwheel impeller as well, if not it may the problem or you possibly just got a another bad motor, but unlikely. :neutral:

New pump came with a new impeller, might put the old one in just to see.

Colin

If the problem is happening after couple of month running...very possible calcium deposit on the inside of the pump...take the pump to a bucked of water and vinegar run it for 15 minutes then wash and try

Maybe you have stray current in the tank. Maybe a grounding probe.

Only thing we can do its make suggestions.

I've only been running the skimmer since last Tuesday (after I got back from vacation) Prior to leaving on vacation I ran it in a bucket of water with vinegar to clean any impurities from it.

Curious Matt, how would stray voltage effect the pump, it is external or am I missing something? I have noticed a few corals not doing so well the last few days, zoas not opening and some STN in a few acros. Only other thing I've done to the tank recently is switched out a Maxi jet powerhead for a korillia that I had sitting around

Colin

Water connects voltages.

Do you get shocked at all when you stick your hand in the water?

Had a hang on the back skimmer that had the same problem.
Put a grounding probe on and went away.

Turns out to be an old korillia pump i had.

Hmmm, Do you guys have grounding probes in stock?

Could be completely off base here but could it possibly have anything to do with water depth could be working too hard?

Does the motor feel hot right after it shuts itself off?

I have a BM E5 (hob) skimmer. The first pump quit after 8 months and was replaced under warranty. The replacement pump was cutting out almost from day one and again replaced under warranty. The third pump has been running for over a year without issues.

This skimmer was bad for overflowing for no apparent reason. I now believe that it was overflowing on occasion after restarting. With the third pump it has never overflowed and has been night and day difference from the first two.

So yes it is possible to have gotten a bad pump.

Of course, before adding a probe one should check for stray voltage with a multimeter as adding a probe without knowing what's going on can be very dangerous, and possibly harmful or deadly to both yourself and your critters
If you do have stray voltage, adding a grounding probe will give it a path to ground. This is not good unless you have a GFCI

With a multimeter set to 120VAC, put the red (positive) probe in the tank water and the black (negative) probe into the d-shaped socket in any outlet

If you do find current in your tank, unplug one piece of hardware at a time until you find the culprit

Any current above a couple volts should be investigated, but sometimes you can get a reading just from lights above water creating a 'field' (for lack of the proper term)

+1 however if you can put your hand in the tank with no issues, not likely stray voltage.

I had a skimmer pump that would turn off and on. I narrowed it down to the pump after it kept randomly overflowing after a few days of perfect skimming. One day i was looking at the sump I heard a rattling noise, then silence.I put my hand under both pump inlets, and sure enough one wasnt running. After replacing the bad pump, it was perfect. Pump happened to be a sicce PSK2500. I would replace the pump.

yup. I think its the pump.

The reason I ask is that a I once had a NAC7 skimmer that was doing the same thing. It had the Atman pump on it. It would run then get hot, quit, cool down and then start again. Aquadigital sent me a whole new pump that I used for a couple weeks and all was good. I was moving at the time and had to move in with my parents while the house was being finished so I shut down the tank and sold my skimmer among other equipment. I told the buyer about the old pump and asked that he contact me if there were any problems. About a month later he contacted me, the pump actually blew up his sump tank. Again Aquadigital took care of him and this led to the voluntary recall notice on his website. The new pumps are supposed to be much better but if it is getting hot I would be on the safe side and remove it until you get a new one.

This is supposed to be the new pump that replaces the troubled Attman pumps, the first one was also a replacement from Aquadigital.

Colin

well sent the pump back, lets hope pump number 3 is the ticket.

Colin