Filter crash!

[tartan101]

Last night, I moved my 25g from downstairs to upstairs. When I went to plug in my Aqua-clear 50, It wouldn't start. I've seen this before, sometimes it takes a few minutes to start back up. Well, by this morning it still hadn't started and I don't know why??
I have another filter on the tank now, but I'm wondering why the filter died?

--Lisa

[KLKelly]

I have a few aquaclears that sometimes don't restart.  A few things I try:
1. Screw off the black motor from the filter housing and clean off the impeller and inside where the impeller goes.  I use a qtip.
2. Put back together and fill up with water plug in and put the intake on.  If it still doesn't work - hit the impeller with a pen - for some reason mine starts right up when I do this.  I hope I've described it well - you can see a bit of the impeller showing through when you look down into it when the filter is all set up (move the filter intake to the right, the low flow setting) and gently tap it with a pen tip.

[Anja]

Some of my aquaclears do that occasionally - motor not saying a peep - after a water change. I just take the motor off, wipe the impeller and run a q-tip through the impeller well. I put everything back together, replug them and they run. Could be sth else, of course, but you might want to try that.

edit: never mind, I was too slow. ;o)

[fischkopp]

This seems to happen sometimes when the impeller gets to dirty over time. One thing you can do is cleaning impeller and motor , as mentioned. Another is way is to give the impeller a little push - I do that with a skewer. Leaving the motor on for a long time while the impeller is not rotating is not a good idea: it may overheat (no water cooling anymore!) and break.

[washefuzzy]

The "tap it with a pen" works really good for me to get my aquaclears started up again.

[KLKelly]

I wish I knew these tips early on.  I replaced two filters thinking they were broken

[dan2x38]

After a power outage I have to go check all the ACs half start up but it is never the same ones. I keep a drinking straw in my cabinet for jump starting. I also clean the impeller and the compartment with a Q-Tip from time to time. Then I grease my fingers with silicone lubricant (plumbers paste) rub it over the magnet on the impeller. After doing that they start easier.

[tartan101]

Thanks for all the replies!!! I will try to clean it out etc. once I get home from my shift. I appreciate all the help,
--Lisa

[tartan101]

It works!!!! Woohoo!

--Lisa