New Vortech MP-40

[pinhigh1886]

Well... Pretty disappointing my first experience with Vortech MP40. As you have read here I finally bit the bullet and decided to buy a new MP40 and WXM Module. I received them last night and after getting all of the kids in bed started setting up. I was so pumped to see it in action (no pun intended). I followed the instructions to the "T" and got the pump mounted and running in the tank. It defaults to steady mode so I just played with the flow and was really impressed by the power and flow in my tank. The MP40 had replaced (2) Koralia pumps and was blowing them out of the water (again no pun intended). I decided to set it to Reef Crest mode and leave it there while I set up the WXM Module. I set the flow to about 50% and was facinated to see the pump in action. I decided to turn up the % and just watch what this thing could do. Well... As I turned the pump up past 70% it "Stalled". The light was blinking Green,Red,Green, Red. So I get online and read that this means it "Stalled" It says check the Wet Side first which I did and everything was perfect. It said run the Dry Side by itself so I did and got the same error. This led me to believe the Dry Side is the problem. Needless to say I spent the next 4 hours trying to get it to run. Nothing!!!! Of course customer service is only open Monday - Friday when I am at work. I am calling today. The only thing that will keep me from going nuts will be if they say "We'll overnight you a new one for Saturday morning delivery". We'll see!!!

[jimsflies]

I moved your post to a new thread.

Are you running it with the WXM? I would disconnect from that and see how it runs on its own to be sure it is the dry side (although I agree sounds like the dry side).

Have you tried different increments on the spacer/shim to see if it makes a difference.

Here is a link to the full manual...they don't include it with the pump:
http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/FULLMANUAL_Revision1.2.pdf

It may be worthwhile to skim through that for more info.

[pinhigh1886]

Hey Jim thanks for the info. Yeah I researched for hours last night and this seems to be a pretty common problem over the years. I tried every tip I could find online. The Wet Side seems perfect. It is definitely the Dry Side. I am at work right now waiting for CS to open. I tried the Dry Side again just now and when I plug it in the motor starts for a second or two and then stalls. It then tries one more time and stalls. So frustrated:( I had taken all of the other pumps out which wasn't easy as you know cords are everywhere no matter how hard you try to organize them. So at midnight I was re installing them back in. I did plug in the WXM Module and everything synced. So at least one thing went right! LOL my wife just texted me and said "you were so mad last night", "you threatened to throw that pump out into the front yard".:mad:

[pinhigh1886]

Update! I contacted CS and they said that they have made major improvements in the last (3) months to the MP10, MP40, and MP60 units so they are very surprised that one manufactured in January this year is already having a problem with the Dry Side. He said he would just send a whole new unit. He said middle of next week I should have it.:shake-head: I asked if he could expedite it? After talking to a manager he upgraded it to 2 day shipping and said I will have it Monday. Not bad!! I am way to impatient to wait 5 more days!

[jimsflies]

Cool.

I wonder what they changed/improved with their pumps?

[pinhigh1886]

No idea! It sounded more like internal workings to make them more fail safe so we will probably never know exactly. He did say it was over the last few months though!

[pinhigh1886]

I agree! For this kind of $$ they should be putting every unit through more stringent testing. maybe they did but it only took 10 minutes for mine to break and then when I researched MP40 stalling online I found all kinds of people who had the same problem. They are giving me a new one and I understand you are going to get the occational lemon but they should have said, You know what, we are going to pay the $30 and overnight it to you so you have it first thing tomorrow.

[jimsflies]

Yeah...it feels like a premium price for those. But my guess is, the margins start to get tight with all the costs involved. Where did you order it from?

[pinhigh1886]

Wow! Another part of this story!! So I used my last plug spot in my APEX controller for the MP40 last night and I used my IPAD to turn on that Outlet. I must have inadvertently turned my Ca doser from auto to "ON":doh: So from my calcultions i dumped 957ml of Ca into the tank over the last 14.5 hours!! I just checked my live feed and no "Snow" in the tank. Fish and Corals seem fine? PH still at 8.1? I haven't done the math yet but I was at around 450 so maybe I am OK? Any thoughts?

Oh yeah! Any code I can add to me dosers to prevent it from happening again. Something that might tell it to fallback off if on longer than 30 minutes?

[creefer]

Ecotech CS is pretty outstanding. They do what they tell you they're going to do. I've had 2 wet side replacements, both under warranty for the same failure, on my MP10 and they were great to deal with. Replacements arrived in 2-3 days of the call.

[pinhigh1886]

Jim, I set up my profiles for the vortech modes but I get errors when I try to write the actual program. Do I have to have pump synced to be able to write and save the program?

[pinhigh1886]

Yeah...it feels like a premium price for those. But my guess is, the margins start to get tight with all the costs involved. Where did you order it from?

I bought it from Marine Depot!

[creefer]

I just put in an order for an MP40 myself..... really don't want to see this LOL

FWIW, I did have the pump for 8 months prior to any issues. It was about the same duration when the replacement developed the same problem. Again, they stood up to the plate and managed the issue to my satisfaction. It's a bit of a bummer to be pumpless and have to pull out the old ones to get by.

[jimsflies]

In my experience, you want at least one extra wet side. They do wear out (which of course is not something we like to think about with a $400 pump). I think the short pulse mode/wave mode is pretty hard on the pumps and my sense is that mode wears it out the fastest.

[creefer]

I tend to agree with you, Jim. In both of my failures, which as mentioned were approximately 8 months, the ceramic coating on the shaft completely failed. In the first incident, the material cracked, failed, and would not allow me to take the wet side apart at all. The second one started cracking and I noted it while cleaning and called Ecotech CS. They sent me a new one and I sent the old one right back. The 3rd wet side I'm on now seems to be working very well, but it's only been 4 months. I may order another one just to have around as you suggest.

In any case, I love the pump. I also am very happy with the CS received from Ecotech.

[MizTanks]

I've had my MP10 running for a year and its been a solid pump the entire time :)

[jduck]

I had a couple magnets split on me, but my MP40's were some of the original ones. And they sent me 3 new wetsides.

[pinhigh1886]

UPDATE!! - Ecotech lied! They said they would ship it (2) day so I would have it today. I just checked on it and it was shipped ground. Won't get it until tomorrow. IMO thier CS sucks!

[jimsflies]

I'm surprised that they didn't have you return it to where you bought it for an exchange.

They are sending you a new pump without having to send the other one back first?

[pinhigh1886]

Yeah I called Ecotech first because I was hoping they would say "Oh here's the problem" and fix it over the phone but they right away said "That is weird, we never have Dry Side problems". They wanted it back ASAP and said they would just send me a whole new one. They took a credit card number incase I didn't send the other one back. Again he said his manager told him to do (2) day but shipped it ground anyway. :shake-head:

[pinhigh1886]

I am still holding out hope that this pump is the best ever so I feel better but yeah right now not happy! How long did Andy say it would take to get you one?

[schminksbro]

WOW!!!!!!!!! I would definitely be making a phone call, and point out that your a member of several large forums, (even if your not) places don't like to know their image could be easily tarnished quickly via the lovely ol social media. A video of their brand new pumps failure so quickly could easily create a wave of well guess I am going to buy a tunze instead.... who wants to drop nearly $500 to have to wait to hopefully get one that works all while being lied too, I know I don't.

I know your problems are making me wish I would have just bought coral instead of ordering one the other day :doh:
This is all true except that Tunze is only comparable in price. The performance isn't in the same league not to mention Tunze quality has slipped in recent years in my opinion. It is unfortunate that this happened but once the new pump is in and operating the corals will remind JD why he bought a Vortech. Nothing else compares. Just another reminder that nothing good happens fast in this hobby. I have 2 MP40s that have been running in my home tanks for a few years now. I wouldn't buy anything else.

[pinhigh1886]

I know they are the best I just can't wait to see it! They emailed me back this morning and said their policy is always Ground Shipment and he sent it 2 day. The only thing is I think he forget to check the 2 day box because according to Fed-Ex it was shipped ground. I'll quit *****ing I promise:tear:

[schminksbro]

I totally agree, and have heard the same thing about Tunze slipping as well lately, which was why I decided to actually break down and get a vortech as well. But as far as the reminder that nothing good happens fast in this hobby, someone should remind them that for the price something should happen when it plugs in LOL.
While this is true Vortechs are sophisticated pieces of equipment manufactured in high volume. The tolerances are tight and a certain fail rate is to be expected. I know of no manufacturer that produces 100% flawless product 100% of the time with zero fail rate. That said I have had several MP40s running at the store flawlessly for over 2 years. One of them is the old style gen 1 which is at least 4 years old. I also have 2 at home running even longer. You never see a thread that say " My x piece of equipment has been working perfectly for years. However everyone wants to pile on when a product fails. The bottom line is that there is no other option on the market that does what Vortechs do at any price.

[Rabidgoose]

Wow...can always find a way to bash TUNZE. I have 2 of the new 6085 Tunzes and I have not seen any sign of diminished quality. So as an owner of both brands (2 MP40's) I will say that Ecotech does have a smaller footprint in the tank, they both move a lot of water and the Ecotech is a lot louder. I have always heard that Ecotech's CS was very good, until now. I can't speak to Tunze's CS......I never needed it.

chuck

[jimsflies]

It seems to me that ecotech has done okay here. Most manufactures would tell you to return it to place of purchase for an exchange when it's that new. But instead if giving you the run around, they sent out another pump before requiring the original to be returned ( again many companies would not do that).

I think the fact the problem spanned the weekend has made it seem longer. Your still only a few days from problem to (hopefully) resolution. Like Andy said "nothing good happens fast in a reef tank". Once you're all setup, this will be a non-issue.

While you have two pumps, you should see how they work together for a few minutes (assuming the other one will work for a few before stopping). Might be a good indicator of whether you'll want two or not.

[pinhigh1886]

I am sure they are a good company and I agree that it was nice for them to just take care of it from their end. I guess it just really got to me because it took me forever to bite the bullet on the $500 price tag. Then when I get it, it works for 10 minutes, and quits. Promised "(2) day" for new one and I get "Ground"! They responded to my email today and seemed really sorry but that there was nothing they could do about it now. I am used to shipping products to auto companies. If we send a bad part all heck breaks loose, our quality rating drops, and its hard to get the good rating back. We bend over backwards to make it right or we don't get anymore work. They do have the best pump out there that I can tell and no competition. It reminds me of Comcast Cable. LOL. I am really not trying to bash them as I am sure I will being buying more from them. I just wanted others to see my experience and let off a little steam.:crying: Good stuff doesn't happen fast but the bad stuff sure does!

[thepanfish]

I've heard too much about how good Ecotech Marine's customer service is to tempt me into an MP40. I had an MP10 on the 55 but I got rid of it due to the noise.
I now use TUNZEs and am very happy, although I do miss the random mode alot.

[pinhigh1886]

So it's the end of this MP40 saga but not without one last intense moment. So I got the new pump installed last night and the Control Knob would not work to increase intensity. I tried to reset and that didn't work. I finally realized that the Knob would keep going in both directions so I pulled it off and realized it wasn't pushed on all the way. Lined it up and pushed it down and it worked fine. Made a few modifications to a program Jim gave me and it's working great!