My new Vortech bit the dust (photos added!)

[Anonymous]

Unless they made an even newer magnet that is the new one. The older one was actually metal, I still have a few of the rusty bubbling things around.

 

[Anonymous]

:x Mitchell, that's a load of poop! Those components should not have broken down in that manner, let alone so soon? Not even a full month into it!

 

[Anonymous]

And that's what EcoTech will do him right... that being said however I can easily see how that happened, if that impeller got overly stuck in the ceramic bearing the torque could have twisted the crap out of the screw (which it apparently did )

 

[Anonymous]

So I send these photos along with a copy of my reciept to EcoTech yesterday. Today they email me back that they want more photos of the wet side completely disassembled. :evil:

Wrong answer for my three week old $400 pump. Just send me a new wet side assembly. I'm a photographer (semi-pro). Don't these photos tell the whole story??

 

[Len]

Sorry to hear that

In their defense, they probably want to see if there was anything (not covered by warranty) that jammed the unit.

 

[namor]

wow, I'm going to have to rethink what I plan on buying for my tank. I had been leaning towards the Vortechs but I really dont like investing that much money in pumps to possibly have them fail in the first year. I might just drill a few holes in the back and do a closed loop instead.

 

[Anonymous]

That, or go with Tunze.

Mitchell, tell us you bought that Vortech with your American Express. That gets a body customer service right quick in my experience.

 

[Len]

Most manufacturers will require that you send back the defective merchandise before they will repair or replace. I can understand your frustration, but I can also understand where Ecotech is coming from.

 

[Anonymous]

That, or go with Tunze.

Mitchell, tell us you bought that Vortech with your American Express. That gets a body customer service right quick in my experience.

How would pushing a LFS (where he got it... CC transaction) do ANYTHING to push EcoTech to help him faster? Seems like pissing in the wind to me. EctoTech is just protecting their back end.

What is the big deal about taking a few more pics, your semi-pro after all it should be easy peasy for you???

 

[Anonymous]

That, or go with Tunze.

Oh, and Tunze will make you send the entire pump back prior to anything happening. With the pics sent in, EcoTech most likely won't require the defective part sent back. His turn around will be much faster with ET due to this.

 

[Anonymous]

What is the big deal about taking a few more pics, your semi-pro after all it should be easy peasy for you???

EcoTech has agreed to send me a new wet side unit.

As to the photos, don't these three photos clearly show a shattered shaft and fouled ceramic bushing? I thought the photos came out rather nice (evan though they are lacking in composition). What would be the point of having a customer take even more photos of their broken pump when these clearly show the problem?

I like taking photos, but I prefer to take photos of subjects of my choosing. I'd rather not take photos of my broken $400 pump that is only 3 weeks old.

 

[Len]

I think what they want to see is how this damage may have occurred, so a photo of an opened assembly would help. If nothing else, it helps them QC their products to prevent these problems for future productions. I don't think they doubted the unit was broken, and how it broke. If it were me (the manufacturer), I'd want to try and figure out why it broke 8)

 

[Anonymous]

I think what they want to see is how this damage may have occurred, so a photo of an opened assembly would help. If nothing else, it helps them QC their products to prevent these problems for future productions. I don't think they doubted the unit was broken, and how it broke. If it were me (the manufacturer), I'd want to try and figure out why it broke 8)

Agreed. I'll be happy to send them the broken wet side unit back when they ship me my new one. They obviously have to figure out this problem.

 

[Sea Turtle]

I had a similar problem with my mp40. They were good about it. Made me take extra pics as well and then all of a sudden, they sent a new one. No questions asked. They have good service and back their product well, IMO.

 

[dirtysumpguy]

Len: you said you plan on replacing yours every 2 years (wet side) - any reason? I've had mine now about 1.5 years and I hadn't even thought of replacing it.

 

[Len]

When I replaced my wet side after 3 years of use, I found the new ones were quieter. But (a big but) the magnet assembly was different between the old and new unit, so that could be the difference maker. I'll swap mine out after 2 years use and see if it makes a difference. If not, then I won't bother doing that again

 

[Anonymous]

I think I've been pushed over the edge. Now budgeting for the extra Tunze will cost me.

 

[Anonymous]

The piece of mind is worth the extra money. Now I am afraid that when I go on vacation that there will be a problem with the pumps. I didn't clean my tunze for almost two years. I have had it for about 5 years now and the only thing I did was change the impeller and I cracked the strainer(due to my own negligence). I have 2 Vortechs and one has been serviced 3 times for failure/seperating. The second is 6 months old and I have not had a problem yet.....yet.

 

[Len]

I've had no problems with the Gen2 Vortechs, only the beta ones (which doesn't really count).
The new Tunze are attractive to me since they made them smaller and equipped (stock) with a magnet holder. They're probably quieter than Vortechs, and I can mount them on the back of my tank since they are directional. My only real gripe is the power cable having to go into the tank. I'm also unfamiliar with how it's programmed, but I'm sure it's easily learned.

 

[Anonymous]

I think what they want to see is how this damage may have occurred, so a photo of an opened assembly would help. If nothing else, it helps them QC their products to prevent these problems for future productions. I don't think they doubted the unit was broken, and how it broke. If it were me (the manufacturer), I'd want to try and figure out why it broke 8)

Agreed. I'll be happy to send them the broken wet side unit back when they ship me my new one. They obviously have to figure out this problem.

While I am sure you are an honest guy, the amount of dishonest people out there ruin it for the rest of us and thus them asking for a full picture set (so they know they are not getting scammed and sending out a free wet end). Feel lucky they are sending a wet end so you can get back up quickly. No other pump maker will do this for you The rest will wait till the product is in their hands.