How long do you think a powerhead should last?

[rcpalmer1]

In my experience there are three General categories of power heads. You have a low-end that would be around $50. A midline that would be maybe $150 and a high-end that would be $300 that all rated roughly the same GPH. So my question is would you expect that the pump would last longer the more you paid for it or would the pump last shorter but just have more features.

What made me think about this was the fact that I have some old pumps that I paid around $50 for 10 years ago that still work. A little over a year ago I got another tank and had bought four midline powerheads that were around $150 each. Out of the four newer pumps one of them has completely stopped working and a second one started leaking voltage into the tank so it had to be removed. The old Power heads were just playing ac with no special features. The new pump are DC pump so they were energy-efficient quiet and they were able to be synced together so that they could alternate on and off for several different patterns. So is it all these new pumps that have the on and off sync modes and all these new variable speeds expected to last less than the old just plane AC pumps?

 

[ryeguyy84]

They don't make em like they used to...

I expect about 2 years from a cheap pump, 3-5 out of a mid range and 5-10 from an expensive one.

That said, ever koralia pump I've owned lasted about a year before they started going (these were the first gen pumps). I still have old marineland maxijets (the good ones, now cobalt) I have no idea how old they are. My vortech pumps are from 2011, just replaced a dry side on one last year.

I hate that ecotech stopped selling the Axel's on the mp 10s. Those last about 2 years before the ceramic starts falling off. Now they only sell entire wet sides.


I guess if you really think about it these pumps run almost 9000 hours a year in a really harsh environment so looking at it like that it's not so bad.

 

[HB AL]

For the price of Jebao power heads I wasn’t expecting much time but tried one 5 years ago to see, and it’s still going along with 2 others around 3 years old. Crazy $$$ what so called “ high end “ ones cost when you really think about it’s just a power head/ wave maker.

 

[mtraylor]

Expense and expectations dont always run hand in hand. I think you want to look at quality first on making a decission. Do research on the quality of the pump and longevity if its not a new brand. The cost be high or low.

There are high priced point of sale just as much as low cost point of sale.

Fwiw. I use tunze pumps and they last me around 6 or so years on average. Cables get brittle or swell from vinegar baths is basically about it. The pumps are tanks

 

[andrewkw]

They don't make em like they used to...

While you are referring to quality, they really don't make pumps like they used to, as they never used to have so many settings. Pretty much all pumps were AC and not DC. Anyway the biggest factor, perhaps even bigger then build quality / price is how often are you cleaning them? If you're not cleaning them you are shortening their lifespan and having them run at less then optimal performance while running.

For a jebao style pump I would say they should last 1 year and 2-3 would be great. I have one that is probably going on about 3 years now, which frankly I'm surprised is still working but I'll keep using it until it does not. I am happy with the flow I get with it. The older jebaos were worse quality then the newer ones imo. As my WP models (I think that's what they were called) are all long gone now. I also semi recently got a coral box pump which is very similar but does appear to be slightly higher quality.

I am surprised after looking it up but my tunze 6065 is just about 10 years old. I think this was around the time tunze reshaped their powerheads. I had an even older one not last this long but I got about 8-9 years out of it. Tunze's build quality seems to be the best, and because I've only used the one speed non controllable ones, and cleaned them regularly they seem to be the best for longevity out of all the powerheads I've used. I also have 2 nano streams one I purchased in 2012 and one in 2011 they are both still working fine. That being said I would not be surprised to see these guys go anytime.

I haven't bought an ecotech pump in some time, but I did get a 1st gen MP40 when they first came out and I'm pretty sure I got 5 years out of it before it died. I bought a used one too that did not make it 5 years. I had an old MP10 last longer but it's also long dead. I'm not sure if the newer ones last longer or not but 5 years although not great is probably a reasonable amount of time to expect out of them if you expect 1 out of a jebao. On a somewhat related note I recently got a nero 5. It's a completely new design so I'm hoping to get 10 years out of this but obviously it's way too early to tell. It's very easy to clean so that fact alone should prolong life.

I have a couple of hydor pumps that are old, some still work, most are long dead. When these first came out they were basically the high end of low end, but many leaked electricity. To hydors credit they did replace them at no cost, and some of those leaked as well. They eventually fixed that issue and the pumps I had would last a few years before dying. I have one still in constant use but it's yet another powerhead on borrowed time. This is most of my personal experience. I have used a few other ones too. To be fair the best built was the original maxijet powerheads. You could get the mod kit for extra flow, or basically treat them like trash for pumping water, running dry ect and they'd still last for years and years and only cost $30 or whatever it was. Of course the pumps of today have much better flow patterns.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

While you are referring to quality, they really don't make pumps like they used to, as they never used to have so many settings. Pretty much all pumps were AC and not DC. Anyway the biggest factor, perhaps even bigger then build quality / price is how often are you cleaning them? If you're not cleaning them you are shortening their lifespan and having them run at less then optimal performance while running...

The difference between AC and DC pumps is actually a bigger factor than most realize. DC pumps typically run tighter tolerances. Good for form factor and efficiency, but more vulnerable to scale and small debris causing blockage or damage. Also, as you noted, necessitating more frequent cleaning.

Not poo pooing DC pumps, as they have other benefits. Lifespan doesn't seem to be one of them though...

 

[jerseypete]

My mp40's are going on 6 years now. Jeabos usually lasted me a year . Ecotechs are 6x's the price of jeabos, but for me I prefer the reliability of the ecotechs.

 

[ca1ore]

Remember that most older powerheads are full on full off. No torque strain from varying speeds. I’ve some at home that are 20 years old and still running fine. They’re inexpensive. Failure tends to be swelling or damaged magnets. Vrariable speed powerheads almost certainly won’t last as long. Most of the Jebao units I bought failed a long time ago, with a couple of years as median longevity. In that case inexpensive = cheap. Pumps like Tunze should last you a decade. Not inexpensive, but great value. Vortech are in a class by themselves because they attempt something no other pump does that probably limits longevity to less than Tunze. I’ve drysides 6-7 years old that show no signs of failing. Wetsides need replacing more frequently.

 

[mamgm2]

!

 

[mamgm2]

I have a Quiet One return pump and several Koralia power heads that are over 10 years and doing fine. Now that I just jinxed myself!

 

[davocean]

These days nothing seems to last like it used to, like all electronic objects.

I do pay the extra for vorts, for longevity as well as less sound, but occasionally I'll get one that may be fussier than others.

I did have one of the original MP20's when they first came out, and just traded it about a year ago and it still actually worked fine, kinda regret I let it go.

Despite the occasional dud, I'll still prefer quality gear as I hate buying crap that just adds to landfills

 

[saltyhog]

My MP40's and MP10's have been running 24/7 for almost 7 years. I have some less expensive pumps that have been used intermittently (which may worse for them, I don't know) that I usually be 1-2 years out of.

 

[rcpalmer1]

Thanks for the response. I definitely bought the wrong brand. I just looked and the pumps I got are now significantly cheaper than when I bought them. I seen them at RAP and they looked like they were nice pumps and cost twice as much as Jebao so I thought they would be a good middle ground.

So now I need to get some new pumps. I have read post where many people are complaining about ecotech not warranting their pumps and then I see people saying they have had Jebao pumps for ten years. It seams every brand has some that last and some that don't. I just spent another $1000 upgrading lights. I just hate having to rebuy things.

 

[peder]

Tunze.....Will run Forever !

 

[Mical]

Another vote for Ecotechs. There's a good DIY for replacing bearings here on R2R and the bearings are less than $5 for the pair on Ebay

 

[Aman]

My mp40's are going on 6 years now. Jeabos usually lasted me a year . Ecotechs are 6x's the price of jeabos, but for me I prefer the reliability of the ecotechs.

How long do you run your wave maker in a day?

 

[92Miata]

My mp40's are going on 6 years now. Jeabos usually lasted me a year . Ecotechs are 6x's the price of jeabos, but for me I prefer the reliability of the ecotechs.

My current set of $60 jebaos have lasted longer than my vortechs did. Significantly if you delineate by when the wetsides had to be replaced.

I don't really consider a $400 pump that you need to replace $80 worth of parts on regularly to be reliable.

It's been a long time though. Maybe they've improved quality.

 

[X-37B]

I bought 3 tunze 6015's
used for cheap.
They are old models from 2012, no controller.
Cleaned them up and wow they move alot of water. They did come with the upgraded power supply.
Also run 6095's that I bought new.
2 6095's new $450.
2 ow-25's new $100.
Ran 2 jeabo ow-25's that I replaced with the 6105's for a year and they worked well but are now just backups.
I am just a tunze guy and am always looking for used tunze equipment.