Blueline Pump Making Odd Noise.. HELP

[WillWorkForFish]

I went out last night at bought a new blueline pump..
and got it all set up and turned it on and it was dead quiet for about 5 seconds, then it started making a noise like a hot tub intake basically..
its hard to describe.. any ideas what it could be? sounds like its coming from the impeller area...

[HippieSmell]

What size pvc are you using?

[WillWorkForFish]

3/4" for return

[HippieSmell]

What's the intake size? 3/4" is pretty small; you are losing most of that pump's potential. Exactly which one is it?

[WillWorkForFish]

blueline md40
3/4" intake from sump and 3/4" return to tank
the bottom of my tank is drilled for 3/4"
and my sump is also drilled for 3/4"

[HippieSmell]

The intake is a too small. You are probably getting cavitation. It's a PITA, but drilling the sump to 1.5" is your best bet IMO.

[theatrus]

I run my PanWorld (aka Blueline) 50PX on 3/4" intake and don't have a problem. Is your pump below your sump?

[fade2black]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8225612#post8225612 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HippieSmell
The intake is a too small. You are probably getting cavitation. It's a PITA, but drilling the sump to 1.5" is your best bet IMO.

That isn't necessarily true. Both of my Blueline pumps have 3/4" fittings and run on 3/4" PVC and neither cavitate.

Is it the 40HD model? I've never seen an MD40 model. If it is the 40HD, it has 3/4" threaded fittings on it, so 3/4" PVC should be fine. Did you check all your PVC joints to make sure they aren't leaking?

[RichConley]

you can run on 3/4", but only if you've got significant head.

If you try to run a pump like this on 3/4" intake on a closed loop, it'll cavitate. On a return, probably not.

[theatrus]

True Rich. Mine is on a return, looped through the chiller, then through a spray bar. I have lots of head loss, hence I went for the pressure rated pump.

[fade2black]

I have the similar Blueline1100 series running my closed loop through an OM 4 way and haven't had any issues. And I know it isn't pressure rated like the HD are. Is it pumping a bunch of very fine bubbles? That is a tell-tale sign it is cavitating.

[WillWorkForFish]

I'm thinking about taking this blueline back anyways and getting a dolphin 3200/2700 for my 120, good idea or no?

[gabe3d]

I had a dolphin2700 and it will not be quiet if you think the blueline is not quiet. I am running the 40hd to feed my skimmer and i think it is reasonably quiet, compared to my Sequence Dart which is very quiet.

I'm not sure what a hot tub sounds like but is it rattling?

[WillWorkForFish]

i think the blueline is quiet.. my gen-x was loud..
the noise goes away if i reduce the flow into it with the ball valve..
but it sounds like a crackling.. like when you crack your knuckles under water.. you know? haha im sorry, i dont know how else to describe it..

[Buganddoug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8227416#post8227416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PEZBEAN
i think the blueline is quiet.. my gen-x was loud..
the noise goes away if i reduce the flow into it with the ball valve..
but it sounds like a crackling.. like when you crack your knuckles under water.. you know? haha im sorry, i dont know how else to describe it..
I have run Little Giant , Gen-X , Iwaki - American Motors and my BlueLine is the quiets and I have had it now for 6 years.

[WillWorkForFish]

well.. the only thing is... i got the 40hd, because the bottom of my stand flooded because my sterylizer fell off, anyways, I had to get a pump, so I checked all the stores and it was a choice between the 40hd or another gen-x, and i wasnt getting another gen-x.. So I got the 40hd and its only rated for 790 @ 0ft.. and I have a 120 with dual overflows, and 4 loc-line nozzles, 2 on each overflow..... not too much flow going on.. and I have a maxi-jet 1200 in there as well..

And I'm also having some heat issues.. and I run T5's.. So I had planned on getting a chiller sometime down the road, so I figured I could get one big pump instead of an additional..

What do I do? Is this 40hd gonna be enough?

[WillWorkForFish]

But my original question is... How do i get rid of this crackling noise coming from the pump? read the above posts for more details on the noise... haha

[Buganddoug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8227983#post8227983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PEZBEAN
But my original question is... How do i get rid of this crackling noise coming from the pump? read the above posts for more details on the noise... haha
Hi, I would call Champion Lighting they are the ones your LHS get them from. 1800-673-7822

[HippieSmell]

If there is a ball valve on the outlet side, which I hope there is, try throttling it back. If the noise goes away, then my guess is it's cavitation.

[WillWorkForFish]

yeah, when i cut it back it stops, but also reduces my flow by a lot.. how do i fix this, and what exactly is happening?

[HippieSmell]

It's cavitating. You either throttle it back or give it a larger intake. You could give it an "over the top" and drilled feed instead of drilling a larger hole. That should help, but it won't look as good.

[WillWorkForFish]

so by giving it a larger intake, i would have to drill my sump to 1" and then run 1" pvc with a reducer fitting? or what?

[HippieSmell]

Yup. Might as well go to 1.5" IMO. Like I said though, you could try an 'over the top' feed in addition to the drilled feed to make sure the extra intake capacity will fix it. Does that make sense? Put a 't' fitting on the intake of the pump and run an 'over the top' feed and the drilled feed to the 't'. It would cheap and easy. Probably easier than tearing down the sump.

[Buganddoug]

You should never go up out and out then down to you pump !! That will kill your pump very fast. your best is to drill a hole and run it in to your pump use this to make the hook up.
http://www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=17750&cat=436&page=1 OR
http://www.championlighting.com/home.php?cat=436
hope this helps

[HippieSmell]

Up and over worked for me for over a year. I still use the pump that was 'killed'. Panworld 100px-x. All he would be doing is augmenting his capacity with a siphon.

[Buganddoug]

Part of the problem would be the pump trying to make prime. I talked to Gary at Champion Lighting today and I told him about there Blueline pump and he said ( Part of the problem would be the pump trying to make prime).
You should never use an external pump that way. The water should all ways flow into the inlet of the pump.( if the pump is off the water should flow into the pump before you turn it on this way it will prim) You can get gravitating if he hooks up the way he has it now.
Gary told me to put this here for you to read.

BlueLine HD Series pumps are designed and built by a former chief engineer from Iwaki-Japan. They feature the same flow curves, high head pressure, low noise, and reliability that have made Iwaki the best magnetic drive pumps available. The BlueLine HD pumps are even slightly quieter than Iwaki, with a lower frequency. These units are yellow rather than green and carry a full 5 Year parts and labor guarantee. All seal-free bearings and magnetic drive for 10+ years of usable life. No seals to leak!
Hope this Helps
Daniel

[HippieSmell]

Ok, I guess I was just lucky :rolleyes: . You have to prime it yourself, then it's good to go. You can even shut the pump off and it remains primed. Melev used to do it and I copied him. He showed how to do it on his website but I can't seem to find it since he remodeled. Trust me, it can be done.

[HippieSmell]

Also, if he still had the drilled intake as well as 'over the top', he won't even need to prime it, it will prime itself.

[Buganddoug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8236335#post8236335 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HippieSmell
Also, if he still had the drilled intake as well as 'over the top', he won't even need to prime it, it will prime itself.
Bingo:D

[RichConley]

Bugan, you CAN go over the top, you just have to set it up in such a way that you can initially prime the pump.

You just need to fill the plumbing up with water. Once the pump starts, as long as the pipe opening doesnt come out of the water in the sump, it will stay primed. This is not an issue.