OH MY GOD that was close.

dburr

dburr

Active Member
Stupid me.

I was watching the SIFI channel and the lights started flickering and my tank was BUBBLING.
My RIO BURNED UP. Stupid me. After reading all the horror stories.
Well I jumped up and unplugged it. Looked for oil residue, none. It was in the back corner for current behind the rocks so I pulled it out.
The really scary part is I just got back from vacation. I unplugged that only PH because of the stories. I plugged it back in yesterday. I was out today unloading the camper and shopping for food. That could have gone at any time.
Any one with RIO power heads, consider this a warning.
Why didn't my GFCI work?:notsure: :confused:
My house smells like burnt eletrical pump now. Well, gotta change my undies now.
Good night, Dan
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
I hate RIO pumps. I have seen so many people have to bring them back because of malfunction. They are the worst!
At least you were home to catch it! You should take that as a sign and maybe get a different brand of powerhead. I use the AquaClear Powerhead for current. It works great for me, and has had no malfunctions (which is very odd for mty luck, considering I have already had my Mag Drive malfunction twice, and I have gone through two defective Won Bros. Titanium heaters).
 
zanemoseley

zanemoseley

Active Member
So was it a powerhead or a pump. I have one of the new SEIO's and have read over a hundred posts about them and so far no burn up with them, supposedly they fixed the problems with the old pumps and they are also UL listed. I definately wouldn't use one of the old one though. I think the new hyperflows are suppose to be much better than the old pumps but the SEIO's are the only ones I'd trust as of now.
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
Yup, I said it.
It was a 2100 pump.
geez, how can it burn up underwater?
Well, maybe a bad choise of words. They start to leak water in the head. Water and electricity don't mix to well.:nervous: Don't try this at home.
 
golfish

golfish

Active Member
same model that burned up on me about 4-5 years ago. Are you running some carbon? if not it would probably be a good idea.
How old was it? I've always said these pump were ok to use for in-tank flow, just don't put any head pressure on em...WRONG. Your's didn't have any head pressure on it, right?
 
shoreliner11

shoreliner11

Active Member
Somebody I new had the actual wiring burn up just 2 days ago. Once again lucky it happened when they were home or the house could have burnt down. It burnt right nest to the outlet and melted the coating off. When this happened there was also an electrical surge in the tank which nocked out some inverts. I have a rio ph for flow and a rio attached to my cpr bakpak 2. I haven't had any problems but I am going to throw out the PH when I change my system next week.
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
I had a heater pop on me before. I heard the sound of electricity and water from the second floor (tank is in the basement). It actually woke me up. Blew the breakers and everything. My downstairs smelled for 3 days. I didn't loose any fish thank God.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
Have you thrown it out yet, a good experiment would be to put it in a small aquarium, plug it back in outside and see if it would catch fire, literally, after a while....justa thought. I always wondered if they would actually cause a fire, a guy on another board had a chiller go up in flames , luckily he had some contractors over that put out the fire.
I just hope they don't literally catch fire, so nobody goes home to a smoldering house and loses everything they ever worked for.
Sorry about your pump, but remember every person that reads this post has been warned thanks to you. Pat yourself on the back.
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
How old was it? I've always said these pump were ok to use for in-tank flow, just don't put any head pressure on em...WRONG. Your's didn't have any head pressure on it, right?
I ran it for a year, stored it for a year and then dusted it off for extra current about 6 months ago.
It had no pressure, other than a 3/4 PVC pipe with a bunch a holes in it running along the back of the tank.
Somebody I new had the actual wiring burn up just 2 days ago
Funny thing, I told my buddy this story and he tells me his pump burned out the same night as mine.

Have you thrown it out yet, a good experiment would be to put it in a small aquarium, plug it back in outside and see if it would catch fire, literally, after a while....justa thought. I always wondered if they would actually cause a fire, a guy on another board had a chiller go up in flames , luckily he had some contractors over that put out the fire.
Hmmmm:thinking: , I don't think so.:D
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
dburr, I've been trying to get your attention for a month now. Have you been avoiding me?
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
I was jusk kidding. I wanted to use your pic of the spotted clownfish. Its up in the sticky in the Disease Forum.
 
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