Pump Fires

[GaryP]

I talked to one of our members who is an electrical engineer. He does failure analyses. He said that he thought that Rio was get an unfair rap simply because there are so many more Rios out there then any other submersible pump and as result more were going to fail. He claimed that there was no greater statistical chance of a failure of a Rio then other pumps, it was just a matter of more being in service then other brands.

[hobogato]

maybe, but my argument is i have had just as many mag drive pumps as rios, and none of them have failed. the only rio i am still using is for SW mixup only and it sounds like a meatgrinder.

[falcondob]

<snip>... Don't know what the reference is to toxic chemicals as there is a copper coil inside and electric connections, not much else. <snip>

My understanding is the Rio and some other pumps were filled with oil for lubrication and cooling. When they crack open..well I think the mental picture is enough. This is what I HEARDand READ. I have not had a Rio, so I have not personally seen one fail.

[Bill S]

I can tell you that there is NO oil in a Rio. The resin, when it melts/fails, is a black gunky mess, though. They claim that it is NOT toxic to reef inhabitants.

[falcondob]

I can tell you that there is NO oil in a Rio. The resin, when it melts/fails, is a black gunky mess, though. They claim that it is NOT toxic to reef inhabitants.

Well, there you go... I shouldn't believe everything I read. I guess the result is probably the same. Thanks, bstreep!

[LoneStar]

I talked to one of our members who is an electrical engineer. He does failure analyses. He said that he thought that Rio was get an unfair rap simply because there are so many more Rios out there then any other submersible pump and as result more were going to fail. He claimed that there was no greater statistical chance of a failure of a Rio then other pumps, it was just a matter of more being in service then other brands.

I would think there is just as many Maxi-Jets out there too. Between all of the Marineland brands for powerheads (Maxi-Jet, Penquin,....) you do not really hear these powerheads failing quite as much. Not trying to contradict on what you were saying but something to think about.

[falcondob]

I would think there is just as many Maxi-Jets out there too. Between all of the Marineland brands for powerheads (Maxi-Jet, Penquin,....) you do not really hear these powerheads failing quite as much. Not trying to contradict on what you were saying but something to think about.

I don't think the statements are contradictory. There may just as many failures of Rio pumps as there are of Marineland pumps. I think what makes the Rio failures "front page news", is the aftermath. It appears that Rio pump failures are many times followed by catastrophic infusion of toxic, or at least noxious, chemicals, leading to lots of livestock death. Whereas, it appears that Maxi-jet pumps just fail, with no release of chemicals.

Just trying to put 2 and 2 together.

[Instar]

I've had just as many Maxi Jets fail as Rios. They just stay sealed and don't burn like a Rio. No toxins in a Rio that affect fish or inverts as even the sea urchin and all the other critters and pods, mysis and remaining fish are doing just fine with no water changes, no skimmer and no carbon. If there could have been toxins inside, must have precipitated. And there is no need for lubricants, there are no moving parts inside. The proximity to the pump when the current goes through the water makes a difference. The shock is harsher near the source in salt water and gets diluted out the farther it has to travel. At the far end of the tank, things were fine, near end was death. The male six line jumped out as it turns out. He's been in there for years but he made quite a leap that day. His mate emerged a couple days later unharmed.

What do ya'll think about GFCI's after an UPS? This might solve the GFCI turning the pumps off during an electric storm?