Last night my Ecotech Vectra L1 return pump failed at 3am. My wife was up feeding our baby and noticed the tank sounded funny. I got up, removed the Vectra from the system, completely disassembled it, cleaned it, tried to remove some interference that it has "grown" in the magnet chamber of the pump. It looks like the housing may have melted in a few spots and that expanded/melted plastic is dragging on the impeller shaft/magnet. I got it reassembled and reinstalled around 4am or so and fired it up. It is running again but definitely louder.
Was back up for work at 6:30, on the phone with Ecotech at 7, and they are overnighting me a replacement so that I don't need to try to use the bad pump all weekend. Now THAT is good customer support. I just send the faulty unit back once I have it all removed.
One question if anyone else owns a vectra, when I took it apart, the area where the plate behind the impeller slots into the pump body was dry, like it had salt creep it was so dry. That seems like it should be wet and fluid should be surrounding the magnet and impeller shaft to lubricate and cool it. I fear that lack of water movement may have led to the pump overheating/melting/and failing.
It is nice that the pump notices when it is failing though and slows itself down or stops (instead of catching fire). So there is something to be said for the controller!
I am still a fan of the product, it is a strong, affordable, controllable pump. I'll give it a pass and hope that this next one lasts me years (previous one lasted about 6-7 months).
Was back up for work at 6:30, on the phone with Ecotech at 7, and they are overnighting me a replacement so that I don't need to try to use the bad pump all weekend. Now THAT is good customer support. I just send the faulty unit back once I have it all removed.
One question if anyone else owns a vectra, when I took it apart, the area where the plate behind the impeller slots into the pump body was dry, like it had salt creep it was so dry. That seems like it should be wet and fluid should be surrounding the magnet and impeller shaft to lubricate and cool it. I fear that lack of water movement may have led to the pump overheating/melting/and failing.
It is nice that the pump notices when it is failing though and slows itself down or stops (instead of catching fire). So there is something to be said for the controller!
I am still a fan of the product, it is a strong, affordable, controllable pump. I'll give it a pass and hope that this next one lasts me years (previous one lasted about 6-7 months).
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