Ocean Runner 3700 Noise

BeanAnimal · #1 08/04/2006, 03:02 PM

Good grief... I just finished my 5' DIY recirc skimmer (well almost finished).

I just finsihed a freshwater test with no air. The OR 3700 is in a nose down position and boy is it a noisy monster. I am not sure I can live with the noise. I currently run (2) Velocity T4 pumps (dead silent) and a few MJs for the fuge and current undersized skimmer. It has a slight rattle to it, and a load hum. Honestly it sounds like a HUGE power head (what did I expect).

Some folks said that their 3700s were silent and they couldnt tell when they were running. Maybe silent compared to a big external pressure rated pump...

I am at a loss with regards to what to do next. I suppose I may need to look at some of the other pumps out there.

gbtower · #2 08/04/2006, 07:26 PM

try restarting it a couple times. although i only have the 2700, i found that it doesn't start "correctly" most of the time. there is a definite flow and noise difference when it rattles a lot, a little (sometimes intermittently), and not at all. and once running, it doesn't appear to change between states (unless something gets in there). for a couple days, i didn't realize that the pump wasn't at peak performance until i restarted it after some maintenance. it still hums though. oh, and i run it submerged (and even then the rattling is loud), so ymmv.

Roland Jacques · #3 08/04/2006, 07:38 PM

FWIW i have never noticed them to be noisy, much quieter than a lot of other kinds, almost on par with ehiem IMO. you may have to look further in to what causing the noise.

Gem Tang Rider · #4 08/04/2006, 08:41 PM

Could it be air? Because you're running it nose down. How does the water get to the magnet & bearing of the pump? I mounted a genx1000 that way. The noise was terrible.

BeanAnimal · #5 08/04/2006, 08:45 PM

Yes the "air" rising up into the shaft/magnet cavity was something that I had considered. I tore the pump apart twice and put it back together, it is now a bit better. I don't know what the problem was, but have noticed that rough start each time. It takes quite a while for the unit to start rotating at power up... hell maybe the impeller was rotating the oposite direction when I had the bad vibration and noise.... I guess I will not know until I put the skimmer through its paces over the next few weeks.

comatose · #6 08/05/2006, 01:09 AM

I can't even hear mine running, if it wasn't for the air going thru it, i'd swear it was unpluged.

Maybe it's the position that you have it. maybe the magnet chamber area is filling with air and causing the noise or vibration. try running it in the normal position and see if it stops.

Gem Tang Rider · #7 08/05/2006, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by comatose
I can't even hear mine running, if it wasn't for the air going thru it, i'd swear it was unpluged.

Maybe it's the position that you have it. maybe the magnet chamber area is filling with air and causing the noise or vibration. try running it in the normal position and see if it stops.

I have to agree.
My 2 x Genx 2400 NW pumps are mounted horizontal & they don't make alot of noise. I would have changed the mounting of the Genx 1000 NW pump on the Remora, but it was too much pump to bother with. Maxijet 600 coming along.

GreshamH · #8 08/05/2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Yes the "air" rising up into the shaft/magnet cavity was something that I had considered. I tore the pump apart twice and put it back together, it is now a bit better. I don't know what the problem was, but have noticed that rough start each time. It takes quite a while for the unit to start rotating at power up... hell maybe the impeller was rotating the oposite direction when I had the bad vibration and noise.... I guess I will not know until I put the skimmer through its paces over the next few weeks.

Did you loose the little black washers? Mine was loud when I didn't have them installed, and became pretty darn quiet once installed

BeanAnimal · #9 08/05/2006, 03:00 PM

Mine only had 1 little black washer... on the front side of the impeller, between it and the front end of the volute. Nothing on the back (magnet) end.

GROSSR · #10 08/05/2006, 04:33 PM

Mine rattles when it first starts up. I have it attached to a DIY Deltec skimmer. I have to open the threaded union to get the water flow. Doesn't always happen, but it is annoying. Once started it is absolutely silent.

rich

BeanAnimal · #11 08/05/2006, 05:04 PM

You ahve to ppen the union every time you restart it?

Yeah mine rattles when it starts. These things sure don't want to get spinning right away.

GROSSR · #12 08/05/2006, 05:23 PM

I would say 9 out of 10 times I have open the union. I get a small amount of water to leak and the unit starts and I close the union.

Really is a hassle when you want to turn off the skimmer, say when I feed Phyto or something like that.

rich

comatose · #13 08/05/2006, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GROSSR
Mine rattles when it first starts up. I have it attached to a DIY Deltec skimmer. I have to open the threaded union to get the water flow. Doesn't always happen, but it is annoying. Once started it is absolutely silent.

rich

Hmmm, i've never had that problem, mine always starts right up, granted there is a couple rattles when starting but that only last a second or two.
plus if a needle broke off at some point the wheel may be unbalanced and may have a slight wobble. double check all the needles, you can usually see if one has broken off. if it has you may have to break another off on the opposite side. or add a counter weight.
Another reason i don't like to run a recirc skimmer in the vertical position is that if air does fill the Magnet chamber the washers tend to wear out much faster from friction, water tends to help keep the friction down alot.

GROSSR · #14 08/07/2006, 01:48 PM

None of the needles broke off. It is probably the position it is in.
When it starts immediately, I get that rattling for 2 or 3 seconds and it kicks on, the other times, I wait for about 10 seconds, hear it giving the old college try and I have to power it off, get in position to open the union, turn on the pump, slightly open the union and away she goes.

rich