Fluval 405 Laid Out

[davidkye]

My fluval 405 seems to be working better lyind down? Im worried later it might break and cause havoc. Some insights from the pros, please.

just checked and now its not even pumping...some advice and visual explanation of replacing parts?

Fluval 405 not pumping...what might be the problem?

 

[Wolf3101]

The most likely causes are either a lack of proper prime...
Easilly solved by ignoring the instructions and the priming pump and filling the canoster up through the intake port before starting it back up.
Sand ingestion in the impeller chamber...
A good cleaning usually takes care of it.
Or a broken ceramic impeller shaft...
Pop off the impeller cover and slide the impeller out of the motor housing. The impeller and magnet run on a ceramic shaft that should be in one piece...if it's not you'll have to replace it.
Also make sure theres no blockage in the hoses.

Running a 404/405 on its side is a bad idea for a number of reasons. The motor is designed to operate in an upright possition. The only reason I can think of that it might have worked a bit better on its side, at least short term, would be either a broken impeller shaft or a bad seal allowing air into the canister causing the impeller to cavatate.

I'll need more information and possibly pictures to be of any more assistance in case none of this helped you.

 

[davidkye]

The most likely causes are either a lack of proper prime...
*Easilly solved by ignoring the instructions and the priming pump and filling the canoster up through the intake port before starting it back up.

*Sand ingestion in the impeller chamber...
A good cleaning usually takes care of it.

*Or a broken ceramic impeller shaft...

*Pop off the impeller cover and slide the impeller out of the motor housing. The impeller and magnet run on a ceramic shaft that should be in one piece...if it's not you'll have to replace it.
Also make sure theres no blockage in the hoses.

Running a 404/405 on its side is a bad idea for a number of reasons. The motor is designed to operate in an upright possition. The only reason I can think of that it might have worked a bit better on its side, at least short term, would be either a broken impeller shaft or a bad seal allowing air into the canister causing the impeller to cavatate.

I'll need more information and possibly pictures to be of any more assistance in case none of this helped you.

First of all, Thank you Wolf. Youre the man.

1. i tried filling the water to the intake before restarting. Worked...and stoped working.

2. I have never cleaned in the inside of the motor...a friend suggested never to touch the motor area.

3. The ceramic impeller shaft is a plastic little stick like figure? Is it supposed to be attached to something? because it seems to be out of place...and it was out of place...so i put it back in the little hole. Also, a lil picture. http://www.petmeister.com/usrimage/20066232.jpg does the black rubber looking piece needs to be on there as well? because that was missing; if found is it operatable?

so in conclusion, the impeller shaft seems to be the problem.

Thanks again inadvance.

 

[Wolf3101]

Yes thats the ceramic shaft...not plastic by the way but it looks like it. It fits into holes in the top of the impeller housing and also on the impeller cover. The little black thing your talking about is a piece of rubber that holds the impeller shaft in place and needs to be there for proper operation. However before you assume that it's gone... take a flash light and look up into the motor housing and make sure that it's not still in the upper hole. They stick sometimes. If it's gone you'll have to buy a new shaft. I don't know of anyone who sells just the spacer..

What happens if this is gone is that the impeller magnet binds against the motor housing and won't turn. This might be why it ran for a short time on its side. As this rubber spacer wears out the motor becomes increasingly noisy and more difficult to start back up. This normally take a LONG time and is one of the VERY few moving parts in an otherwise reliable filter system. Running the filter on a tank with a sand substrait seems to really speed up the process and wear this spacer out quickly.

I run a BUNCH of 404/405 fluvals and I always keep an impeller cover...impeller shaft...and impeller along with a motor housing O-ring in stock...just in case. You should clean out the impeller chamber and cover every time you servace the filter. Just make sure that you center the impeller shaft carefully in the hole in the cover and that you press the cover down evenly...

Normally the impeller slips off the shaft easilly and the shaft remains in place. If it falls out easilly then the spacers most likely either gone or worn out.

 

[davidkye]

Yes thats the ceramic shaft...not plastic by the way but it looks like it. It fits into holes in the top of the impeller housing and also on the impeller cover. The little black thing your talking about is a piece of rubber that holds the impeller shaft in place and needs to be there for proper operation. However before you assume that it's gone... take a flash light and look up into the motor housing and make sure that it's not still in the upper hole. They stick sometimes. If it's gone you'll have to buy a new shaft. I don't know of anyone who sells just the spacer..

What happens if this is gone is that the impeller magnet binds against the motor housing and won't turn. This might be why it ran for a short time on its side. As this rubber spacer wears out the motor becomes increasingly noisy and more difficult to start back up. This normally take a LONG time and is one of the VERY few moving parts in an otherwise reliable filter system. Running the filter on a tank with a sand substrait seems to really speed up the process and wear this spacer out quickly.

I run a BUNCH of 404/405 fluvals and I always keep an impeller cover...impeller shaft...and impeller along with a motor housing O-ring in stock...just in case. You should clean out the impeller chamber and cover every time you servace the filter. Just make sure that you center the impeller shaft carefully in the hole in the cover and that you press the cover down evenly...

Normally the impeller slips off the shaft easilly and the shaft remains in place. If it falls out easilly then the spacers most likely either gone or worn out.

You are amazingly knowledgable in regards to the fluval canister filters. :bowing down:

1. Will look for the spacer after my long day is over tomorrow.

2. "impeller magnet binds against the motor housing and won't turn." Great explanation. i was wondering...why it wasnt turning..it just stops. Within this month...the fluval was making a lot more noise than usual. Sorry to ask before your great response, what do you mean by taking a LONG time?

3. As soon as more money comes through i will stock up on impeller shaft, impeller cover, impeller, and o ring. Though i do not know how to replace any of it.

4. Now, i understand the impeller cover. What is the chamber?

Thank you wolf for your awesome words of wisdom. Hope to hear from you again.

 

[Wolf3101]

The chamber is nothing more than the hole the impeller/magnet set in. 404/405 Fluvals can run for 5 years or more before needing an impeller replacement. The magnet eventually weakens and the flow rate drops off...this happens to ALL mag drive pumps by the way. If you replace the O-rings and moving parts...impeller/magnet....impeller shaft...impeller cover you can keep them running in top form indeffinatly.

All filters hate sand but the Fluvals have slightly closer tollerances and the sand acts like...well...like sandpaper...LOL