MP40wQD Seized Wetside Out of the Box

[wpeterson]

I just had my MP40wES serviced and they replaced the wetside with a new MP40wQD wetside, which I was happy about. I was happy until I installed the pump and it immediately popped off the glass when power was applied.

Investigating the wet side, the impeller was completely seized and wouldn't move. I took it apart and there was a thick, dried white gunk all over the base and impeller shaft. I was able to break it down with a vinegar bath and lubed it back up with vegetable glycerine and it worked fine.

Has anyone else experienced this? Not at all what I expect from Ecotech. Perhaps this was a seasonal problem where a recently applied lubricant froze or coagulated during shipping due to cold winter weather?

 

[mcarroll]

Never heard of that! Bizarre.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Did you contact them about it?

 

[wpeterson]

I opened a ticket, but have yet to hear back. I posted this thread to see if this was an aberration or if other folks had experienced this with new wetsides.

 

[hybridazn]

Well that's interesting, curious to see what they say it could have been. Glad you got it working though at least

 

[wpeterson]

I'm sure it's hard to find a reef-safe lubricant that also doesn't solidify at very low temperatures. It's the first time in the 4x ecotech powerheads I've owned that I've had something like this happen out of the box.

 

[wpeterson]

Ecotech said they use a medical grade silicon grease on the propeller shafts, support folks seemed to think congealed/hardened because of the extreme cold weather during shipping.

I replaced the silicon grease with a much thinner vegetable glycerine I've used a reef-safe pump lubricant. Do other folks know of a source for the same medical grade silicon grease?