I cannot catch a break!!!!!!!!
 

I don't know what is wrong with my tank but last weekend, a maxijet 1200 burnt and today, out of no where, when I was taking some photograph, the skimmer pump suddenly started to whiz and BURNT!!!!!!! I don't know why this is happening!!! It was connected to a reefkeeper pc4 module. My tank is seriously ****ing me off! What would have happened if both the time I wasn't home!

The fact you were home is pretty much as good a break as you'll get in this hobby :)

do you have filter socks on your sump?? maybe some sand or other small particles are getting in your sump and causing issues with your pumps??

Its like I am playing with fire. I was taking some photographs of my new coral and BAM the pump starts throwing smoke. Good that nothing got into the display. I am not afraid of every pump I put in my tank :S

I am not sure but if that can be an issue, there would be lots of burnt pumps since many people out there run pumps without any sort of filter sock/sponge. But I do have filter floss at the corner of the drain to grab floating particles.

Was the mj1200 in the water or ran as an external? I've had dozens of mj's and never had one fry like that

Internal like they should be.

How old were the pumps? Warranty maybe?

It was a 2nd hand skimmer. Dont know the age. MJ was 2nd hand too.

Anyone has any insight on why this might be happening?

Ya, they're used pumps that you have no idea how old they are. They do eventually break.