RIO Powerheads watchout

[jedimaster]

This should possibly go into the equiptment section but I'll make it brief.
I have/had two rio 1100's, one burnt stopped pumping last night. I took it out of the tank and put it in a bucket and plugged it back in, and it threw out a flash brighter than my 35 mm camera flash. followed by some black charcol oozing out of the vents.
I replaced it with a maxijet 1200, much quieter. If your rios start getting loud plan on replacing them soon.

 

[keitho]

well, from what i heard, don't get rios if you have an option. i have always run hagen aquaclears without any issues. i've also heard maxijets are great pumps as well, but in my area the hagens are readily available

 

[bt_1999_66]

jedimaster,
How long did you run the 1100..?
I have a 2100, 2500, and just bought a 3100, and never had a problem with the 2100 or the 2500..! <img src="graemlins//yeahright.gif" border="0" alt="[yeahright]" />

 

[jedimaster]

I have had the rio's since December 2001 so about 3 months

 

[bt_1999_66]

Sorry to hear your Rio's did not workout..
Man, I could not imagine what I would do if one of mine crapped out and mess up the tanks.....
I wonder if we could sue a manufacturer that due to faulty equipment would make us loose the few dollars that we spend on this hobby...
Hiring a lawyer would be cheaper in most cases..! <img src="graemlins//evilwhorn.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil Horn]" />

 

[ebeckels]

ya, rio's, generally speaking are crap. I use hagen aquaclears and I've used penguins and maxi jets...they are all good...rio's die way to quickly and often.

 

[fshhub]

the biggest problem wiht rios, IMO, is not their life span, but hte fact that things like that have happened more than once, to more than one person(too much for my comfort), just be extremely greatful that it did not happen in your main tank, that would have been disasterous, it was probably at least paritaly oil or grease

 

[ubeturwrasse]

this topic really is nothing new.....
Rio's suck and endanger a lot of money worth of livestock. I wish people would quit selling them. But first, people would have to quit buying them.
IMO, maxis are efficient small inexpensive and reliable; but about any other brand is better than rio's

 

[luke]

RIOs are not great pumps. I had a 2500 crap out on me. It overheated... which causes the inside bore of the impeller shaft to expand as the oil inside the sealed chamber heats. Then the impeller jams. Then the moter really starts to heat. If you don't catch this, I did not, the sealed section finally cracks from the pressure. The oil comes out, water goes in... smoke goes everywhere, your house smells like burnt elecronics for a week, and you just hope that nothing dies. In my case nothing did, because it was the return for the sump... and obvioulsy it was not doing much returning I also happened to be in bed, next to the tank, when it happened, and was able to throw the breaker before I shocked myself or burnt the house down.
Frankly, this type of thing should not happen. I have had other pumps jam, overheat, and NOT explode. That is certainly a plus when pump shopping. I like aquaclear (they don't come in big enough sizes GPH wise though) Maxi jets are great too. I also like powerfilter pumps for circulation. These are air cooled pumps. If the impeller shaft overheats, and the case cracks, it all happens outside the tank.
Luke