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How long is a Tunze Stream supposed to last?

Greg Hiller

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Just past the warrantee? One of my two 6200's just died. I tried cleaning it out with acid, but no dice, still dead. Ran for just over 2 years, the warantee is for 2 years! Awfully expensive doorstop now.
 
The beauty of Tunze is that they are repairable and parts are readily available. There's also a great service-oriented person running Tunze USA (Roger Vitko).

I have a pair of the old Tunze turbelle 2002 pumps and they are completely rebuildable. These suckers must be 5-10 years old, and they run very strong.

Anyway, go over to RC and send Roger a private message. During the week, he usually gets right back to you. Hopefully those pumps aren't history, they probably need expensive replacement parts :)
 
Roger helped me out when I couldn't get my Tunze apart... He was great. I'm sure he'll help you out and get it repaired without having to completely replace it. They are a great product.

Did it beep when the power was on? Have you taken it all part and made sure it was all clean?
 
Yup, started to beep. I took it apart and carefully cleaned it. I may take another shot at cleaning it some more, but I'm pretty sure I got all the junk out of it.
 
Greg,

Just had the same thing happen with one of my 6100's. Took it apart. fully cleaned, and still got the alarm. Contact Roger on the ReefCentral site. I shipped it to him, it was repaired and returned within a week. I am not sure about the replacement of parts because it looks as though he sent me back a completely new pump housing and driver. Luckily, mine was 1.5 years old so it was covered under warranty.

Have you tried to switch parts out (impeller assembly, transformer) with your other 6200 to isolate the failure? If you cannot get it running, I would still contact Roger and send it to him. Even if it costs a couple bucks, it is better than buying a new unit.

JD
 
If you aren't going to try to use them for anything could I have them?
 
I have a pair that I am not using in the new tank if you need to borrow one while you are working this out.
 
I'd venture to say you'll be more than satisfied the way Rodger will handle and resolve this once you contact him.
 
Are you sure it is the pump and not the driver or transformer?

First cleaning?

I agree contact roger
 
It could be either the driver or the pump. It's very unlikely to be the transformer, which is a passive component.

I've been using Turbelle 6100 since it first hit the market. From my limited experience, I have to say that they are very durable. And I second with other's comments about Roger's customer support. The worse comes to worst, you just have to swallow the cost for the repair parts. You could've gotten a lemon, which only lasted for 2 years.
 
Yup, started to beep. I took it apart and carefully cleaned it. I may take another shot at cleaning it some more, but I'm pretty sure I got all the junk out of it.

Did you take it completely apart? I had calcium build-up in the shaft area. It almost looked like it belonged there it was so jammed up. I actually had to take a drill to it in order to get it all out.

I should have recorded it with my camera but didn't think of it.

I'd agree it isn't likely the transformer. Any idea how long the thing was beeping before you took it out? They are very well designed but it is possible to have damaged the pump/motor in such cases.

I'd get in touch with Roger; he'll sort you out in no time.
 
>I'd agree it isn't likely the transformer. Any idea how long the thing was beeping before you took it out? <

Less than 24 hours. I will work on it some more and contact Tunze, it sound like they have good customer support.
 
I bought a pair of 6100 with a multi controller probablly about the same time as you. One of mine did the same thing as yours is about 2 months after I bought it. Roger had said there was an issue with a batch of transformers around the time it was purchased and some had come back with issues. He tested the pump and it worked fine and he had called me to tell me he couldn't find a problem, he went to test it one last time while I was on the phone with him and it wouldn't work. Definately worth giving a call.
 
Sounds simmilar to what happened to one of mine. It looked clean after it's vinegar bath, but the alarm kept sounding. Hot vinegar for the impellar and in the hole where it goes did the trick.
 
Repair cost was $93.83. Kind of having second thoughts about this product as a long term practical solution to water motion in a reef tank. I have some $20 Hagen powerhead still operating after 9 years with nothing more than an occasional change out of the $0.29 plastic impellor tip, and a quick acid wash.
 
Repair cost was $93.83. Kind of having second thoughts about this product as a long term practical solution to water motion in a reef tank. I have some $20 Hagen powerhead still operating after 9 years with nothing more than an occasional change out of the $0.29 plastic impellor tip, and a quick acid wash.
Yeah but those hagens won't move 6200 gal\hr. I have a 3 MJ1000s I have had for atleast 15years or more. They still crank.
 
True Greg, but my point is more I expect quality from a product. And I feel like with the very high price, these ought to deliver on quality, and long term durability.
 
True Greg, but my point is more I expect quality from a product. And I feel like with the very high price, these ought to deliver on quality, and long term durability.

I agree, what was wrong with it?
 
I think they just said that the motor needed to be replaced. Before sending it in I performed all the cleaning that they suggested. When I put it back together it would spin free for a few seconds, then kind of stop and start, and 'chatter'. The the warning alarm would start to scream.
 
Greg, I remember reading in another post that you have a triplite inverter for power outages. I have one too. If you use that inverter for any extended length of time with the Tunze's you can damage them. The triplite inverter uses a step wave output that motors have problems with. The Tunzes need a sine wave converter. This is only true though for the Tunze models that don't have controllers. Those models convert the AC to DC so your fine with the triplite.
 
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