Powerhead maintenance

[Paul B]

I think almost all of us use powerheads and they are built very well and last a long time, but sometimes we throw them out before their time. I don't remember how old my powerheads are but I think they are all at least 20 or maybe 25 years old. I have no recolection of buying them, but I'm old.
This one ran my DIY skimmer and it was placed behind the rockwork so I never pay attention to it. I had to shut it off last week to change around some wires and it didn't re start. This is how most powerheads fail.
The steel shaft on older powerheads are chrome plated and they do not last forever. Newer powerheads use ceramic but even those have problems. The hole the shaft sits in in the base of the powerhead is a hole with no special treatment to the plastic in that area so eventually the hole enlarges causing the magnet that revolves to hit the sides of the enclosure. The hole through the center of the magnet also enlarges over time causing the same problem.
These things don't last forever especially in salt water.
Usually they are very easy and almost free to repair.
All of my powerheads have a piece of shrink tubing over the shaft.
It costs about a nickel and takes seconds to install. You can get heat shrink at Radio Shack. I just slip it on the steel or ceramic shaft and it takes up the space that was worn away from the center of the magnet and the "bearing" holes in the housing. This does not look like it will last but the design of powerheads allows water to enter and lubricate the shaft so the plastic shrink tubing lasts for years. And when it wears out, I just install another one.
I have never bought a powerhead since these were first installed and they all have had the shrink tubing repair many years ago.
You can see the white shrink tubing here.

 

[Somethings Fishy]

thats an impressive run for a powerhead!

 

[returnofsid]

Very nice FIX!! This brings up a question I've been pondering for awhile now. I run Modded Maxijets, using the Megaflow mod kits. These are amazing mods and I absolutely love them. However, eventually, the metal shaft breaks off, at the end, where the lil' red cap holds the shaft centered. The remainder of the MJ1200 and Mod kit are still perfectly usable. However, they're worthless with the broken shaft. I've considered going to a hobby shop and finding titanium rods, of the same size, but have wondered if there are replacement shafts made, along with the lil' red rubber caps, since the cap always seems to have a tiny piece of the metal shaft, broken off in it.

 

[Paul B]

I have replaced those shafts with stainless steel radio antennas. You can use a couple of layers of shrink tubing on the end for those caps or just glue gun the shaft in the hole. I use hot melt glue all the time because it is perfectly safe, easy to remove and easy to apply. The shaft does not spin so you can glue it in.

 

[returnofsid]

Hmmm, that sounds easy enough. I've got a few that need fixed. I think I'll try a couple of your suggestions! Thanks Paul!!

 

[Paul B]

I can't believe one of my powerheads croaked. Right after I wrote that I never changed a powerhead. What a piece of junk, it is only about 20 years old. I wonder if I still have the receipt. It started tripping the GFI then it completely died with no power going to the coils at all. I may have to autopsy it.
It was made by Christopher Columbus Powerhead company and came in a wooden box.

 

[Paul B]

An autopsy of the powerhead revealed that from the armature being so off center for so many years it had eaten a hole into the plastic that surrounds the magnetic armature exposing the coils of the stator. I could probably repair it depending on how severe the damage is but I already have a new pump and I think I got my money's worth out of this one.

 

[fulkerl]

looks like you have some spare parts now.

 

[Paul B]

Getting back to powerheads, this one is on my (tiny) goldfish pond and most morinigs I would have to bang the thing against the side of the pond to get it started, kind of what my wife does to me.
Anyway I found that the stainles steel shaft was so worn that it was a tapir. It thinned to a point and the end of the shaft was stuck in the egg shaped hole in the end of the powerhead housing.
Simple repair. I just took a common rubber washer used for repairing faucets, these come in many sizes. I got one that fit tightly in the hole for the armature and I used hot melt glue to affix a "new" shaft (from another dead powerhead) into the center of the washer. Glue gun "glue" is not really glue, but melted plastic. It makes a lousy glue but it is great to fill spaces and it is non toxic.
I pushed the washer with new shaft into the housing and I had to grind off a little of the armature and a little of the other end cap to fit the new shaft with the washer.
Now the thing works like new and the entire repair was 5 cents.
I don't like throwing things out, because I love fixing things

 

[user 2204]

I like the heatshrink idea for worn out shafts. I have found both SS and Ti rods at the hobby shop and replaced the worn out ones with those. I've also used carbon fiber as a replacement rod and it seems to be holding up fine too.

Awesome write up on powerhead repairs. I for one hate how our society has become more of a throw away and buy new one.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Peppie]

Very good info Paul, I am sure many will find this info useful. I sure did. If I were to have a powerhead go bad I would have ditched it. Now I know I CAN fix it.
Thanks.

Peppie

 

[Paul B]

Unless the powerhead has a hole worn through it and has exposed wiring or if the wire cracks where it enters the housing you can repair it. They are not rocket science, just plactic that is worn away in some place.