New to me 9410 DC. Am I doing something wrong?

trmiv · Nov 28, 2019

So I bought a 9410 DC used from someone who used it for only about 2 months before leaving the hobby. I set it up on my 8 month old Reefer 350 replacing an oversized Avast skimmer that was skimming well but too big and loud.

thus far even though it’s already well broken in I can’t get it to push any skimmate into the cup. I’ve got it in about 6.5” of water. I’ve tried 20% all the way to 100% and it doesn’t make much difference. I’ve seen others talk about getting foam overs at above 50% and typically running them at around 30-40% but I can’t get mine to foam over at any level. The skimmer even sounds the exact same from around 60-100%.

I’ve also noticed above 50% it’s a bit loud. Kind of grindy sounding. Not sure if that is normal.

I’ve taken the pump apart and made sure the bushings were seated correctly. Also made sure the air line isn’t linked

here’s a video of it in action.

So did I get a bum used skimmer? Any ideas what to try?

Seeady66 · Nov 28, 2019

Lift the booster ring on the output that will lift the water in the body of the skimmer it’s all in the instrutions.

X-37B · Nov 28, 2019

Did not notice the silencer. Heres a pic of it on mine. I cant run mine over 30%. The post filter ring can be used to adjust the height in the skimmer.
Take a pic and post. Cant see all in the video.
I just took this pic.

X-37B · Nov 28, 2019

You may have a bad controller. If I turn mine up it will overflow.
The pump should make no noise, if its grinding there is an issue. Roger will answer soon enough. Dont give up they are great skimmers. I have been running mine for 5 months and have never adjusted it since day one.

trmiv · Nov 28, 2019

The silencer is installed with the bigger part closer to the pump.

adjusting the ring all the way to the top did help but I can still run it at 100% without it close to overflowing. Once it gets to about 60% I see no difference between that and 100%.

Seeady66 · Nov 28, 2019

I run mine at 100% as well if you drop it in more water you won’t be able too. The silencer should be closer to the pump than the body. It sounds like your impeller is hitting the front cover. I would try pushing the bottom bushing in with a dowel or pen

trmiv · Dec 1, 2019

Lowered it down to 7.5” and it seems to be doing better there.

This is running at about 30%

Seeady66 · Dec 1, 2019

Looks better lower the output ring so your not skimming so wet

rvitko · Dec 2, 2019

The noise is concerning, it sounds like the needlewheel is rubbing the housing and this could explain the low performance as it is running slower. I would open the pump and check that both bushings are pushed in all the way, they should not fall out when the pump is opened.

trmiv · Dec 4, 2019

The noise somewhat went away. I took it apart and pressed everything back together firmly and although it didn’t feel like anything moved it was quieter after. Part of it could be that it’s lower in the water now as well.

It seems to be skimming well at around 7.5” of water height and 50-60%. Although I still notice that it seems there’s zero difference between 50-60% and 100%. I can have the skimmer set to around 50% and then keep cranking it and it seems the same. Is there just a subtle difference in air draw and pump noise when it gets above 50-60%? It seems dramatic before that and then barely any different after 50-60%.

X-37B · Dec 4, 2019

I just took my 9410 dc out after 5 months of continuos duty. Flipped the silencer around, guess I had it backward but it did not change the performance. Cleaned it completey and then turned it on.
No adjustment was needed. I turned it to 50% and it overflowed. Its set in 6.5" of water. Fairly wet skim at 30% may turn it down or lower the ring. Heres a pic I just took.
I think you have a bad pump. Although rare it does happen. Id send it to tunze and let them check it out.
The pump should not make any noise at any level you run it at.

Idoc · Dec 4, 2019

Seeady66 said:
Lift the booster ring on the output that will lift the water in the body of the skimmer it’s all in the instrutions.

I have the non-DC Tunze version and was reading in the directions about raising and lowering that ring to control the type of skimmate. I can't see how raising/lowering that ring adjusts the water level like it says in the directions! It looks like it just moves up and down on the exit pipe for height placement of the post-filter. I currently just control the wet/dry skimming by using the screw to punch the air intake line... which the directions say i should be running wide open.

I've had this skimmer for almost 2 years... you'd think I would have it figured out, lol.

trmiv · Dec 4, 2019

90's reefer said:
I just took my 9410 dc out after 5 months of continuos duty. Flipped the silencer around, guess I had it backward but it did not change the performance. Cleaned it completey and then turned it on.
No adjustment was needed. I turned it to 50% and it overflowed. Its set in 6.5" of water. Fairly wet skim at 30% may turn it down or lower the ring. Heres a pic I just took.
I think you have a bad pump. Although rare it does happen. Id send it to tunze and let them check it out.

It could be. I can barely get skimmate into the cup at 60-100% if I run it at 6.5”. It took lowering it to 7.5” to get it going. Still can’t get it even close to overflowing at any speed. And it’s not engaging the over foaming so it’s not that.

X-37B · Dec 5, 2019

trmiv said:
It could be. I can barely get skimmate into the cup at 60-100% if I run it at 6.5”. It took lowering it to 7.5” to get it going. Still can’t get it even close to overflowing at any speed. And it’s not engaging the over foaming so it’s not that.

I just clicked on your pic and zoomed in. I noticed the solid water level is way to high. Look at my pic.
To me that would indicate a pump thats not operating correctly. At the water level you are running it should be overflowing dramaticly.
Bad pump☹

trmiv · Dec 5, 2019

Interesting yea the water level in mine is much higher. That’s partly because mine is much lower in the water and because I have the Output ring adjusted as far up as it will go without falling off. It’s the only way I can get it to skim. And this is with it at 60%.

X-37B · Dec 5, 2019

I think I would purchase a new impeller if you are not going to send it in. I have read a few posts where they had similar issues and the new impeller was the fix.
Roger could chime in in this one.
This is where I run the controller as reference to the last posted pic.