Maxi-jet problems....

[Mr. Slippery]

Ok now I'm starting to get aggravated. I use a mj1200 to mix my nsw for water changes. I usually make the water and let it age for a couple days with the MJ and a heater. This morning I plugged in the MJ and it just does nothing. It makes a noise like it's running but there is no output. I always take it out when I'm done and run it in the sink with fresh water to clean it out before I put it away. This is the second time this has happened. Why is it jamming up and how do I fix it? I'm all set with buying anymore just for WC's. I have 2 in my display that have been running since April with no problems. What is going on here???????

 

[Armando]

twist the bottom and it will open up. Clean it by soaking with vinegar and you should be all set.

 

[NateHanson]

Are you mixing natural sea water (NSW) or do you mean you're mixing salt in RODI water?

Salt particles could be getting stuck between the shaft and the pump housing where tolerances are pretty close, or salt could be crystalizing in there as the powerhead dries, if all the SW doesn't get rinsed out. Have you taken the head off the pump and removed the impeller and shaft to clean them?

Nate

 

[Mr. Slippery]

Have you taken the head off the pump and removed the impeller and shaft to clean them?

No. If I do that how easy is it to break. I have been given a gift of destroying things when I take them apart.

I will try the vinegar thing but I just figured that rinsing them well would prevent all this.

Nate I mean mixing salt with RODI. I also use a flour sifter to try to remove the large particles before mixing.

 

[NateHanson]

They're really easy to take apart without breaking. just turn it upside down so the input is pointing up, and twist it . . . umm . . . counterclockwise, I think. I'm not looking at one right now, but I'm pretty sure that's right. You'll be able to tell by looking at it.

Nate

 

[RobboT]

Sooner or later almost every piece of equipment needs to be taken apart and cleaned. Due to the nature of the way most pumps operate you get calcification and other deposits that build up on the impellar shafts and in the pumping chamber. Not to mention that if you arent cleaning the venturi on your skimmer regularly it is not performing as well as it can.

 

[Daragon]

Take a nice stiff toothbrush to it...

 

[Mr. Slippery]

Ok now I feel dumb I just took it apart. It looked clean as a whistle inside, so I put it back together, and now it works fine. Go figure. I'll now try doing that to the other one. Anybody need a MJ fixed?

 

[Aquadiva]

Matt,

I just had the same thing happen to mine. I think sometimes little pieces of whatever get jammed in there, and just the act of opening it up to take a look dislodges them. Who knows. Mechnical stuff

 

[Clutchcargo]

Sometimes they just need a whack on the side to get them going again or it was just airlocked.

 

[dedfish]

I had an old one that I used to use to mix salt...you had to open it up everytime underwater and give it a jump start. Once it was started it ran ok...till you turned it off.