Regarding peristaltic pumps

[nlreefguy]

Oh really? So they just burn out after a while, eh? Not a great long term investment then, really.

[hillegom]

I would email the co. and ask them.
Here is the presidents email
stanf@reefdosingpumps.com

[nlreefguy]

Yes, I tried that, I am just waiting for a response. But thanks for the suggestion.

[hillegom]

Well, you could try to oil the gears inside. That is assuming the electrical motor is ok

http://reefdosingpumps.com/Pages/gears.html

[nlreefguy]

OK, I'll try that. What kind of oil or grease do you think would be acceptable for this purpose?

[mark]

have they been in use for 5 years or just 5 yrs old?

[nlreefguy]

They are 5 years old but have only seen regular use for about half that time.

[hillegom]

Originally Posted by nlreefguy

OK, I'll try that. What kind of oil or grease do you think would be acceptable for this purpose?

I would first take it apart and see if the gears are binding when they turn. Are the bearings, where the shaft for the gears are in, are they loose?
If everything seems ok, then clean off the old grease and use something like that white grease, lubriplate i believe. It turns so slow almost any grease would work. ie, better than no grease at all.
But, the brushes on the electric motors could be shot too. Or the bearings on the motor. Does it dose every day? for 5 years?
So hard to say, long distance and all

[nlreefguy]

Originally Posted by hillegom

I would first take it apart and see if the gears are binding when they turn. Are the bearings, where the shaft for the gears are in, are they loose?
If everything seems ok, then clean off the old grease and use something like that white grease, lubriplate i believe. It turns so slow almost any grease would work. ie, better than no grease at all.
But, the brushes on the electric motors could be shot too. Or the bearings on the motor. Does it dose every day? for 5 years?
So hard to say, long distance and all

Thanks for your insight, by the way. Sounds like you know a thing or two about peristaltic pumps! Where would you get lubriplate?

One pump was used for top-off so it was every day for at least 2 to 3 years. The other was barely used at all, just for dosing calcium once a day for about 3 years. Oh, come to think of it, that pump was also used to pump water into my denitrator (or out of it, I can't remember!)