Reversed power head help

[TrueTricia]

So I took out my koralia power to clean it, and when I put it back in, it's running backwards with reverse flow.

 

What do I do? And how did I do it in the first place?

[Rob A]

Turn it off and then on again, might have to do it a couple of times but usually once is enough. I have a couple that do that too. Not sure why they do that...

[davelin315]

That doesn't sound right... I'm far from an electrical engineer but sounds like you've somehow reversed the polarity of the impeller?  Could it be something as silly as plugging the plug in the other way around?  I would imagine that that couldn't have an affect, but then again, I can't imagine a powerhead running backwards, either.

[Rob A]

If I turn the power off and on they will sometimes turn the right direction and sometimes the wrong direction. I saw one at a LFS running backwards once as well. It's a pain if you shut them off to feed...you might have to cycle them on and off a couple of times to get them to go the right way.

[Squishie89]

Sometimes you need to clean the little bumper in the front part that comes off.

[Origami]

That doesn't sound right... I'm far from an electrical engineer but sounds like you've somehow reversed the polarity of the impeller? Could it be something as silly as plugging the plug in the other way around? I would imagine that that couldn't have an affect, but then again, I can't imagine a powerhead running backwards, either.

A lot of AC motors used in the hobby easily start up in the wrong direction.

 

On the Koralias, the impeller is supposed to ride up the shift, pulling the magnet out of the cavity when it runs the wrong way. The magnet is then supposed to settle back in and restart hopefully in the right direction. If it's not riding up all the way, it may need a good cleaning in a dilute vinegar solution.

 

Sent from my LG G-Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition

 

 

[DaveS]

Looks like the rubber bumper fell off when you were cleaning it.  It's designed to prevent the impeller from spinning the wrong direction.

[John Ford]

+1 that was their fix to the on going koralia problem. Even with it on somehow the one in my FW tank runs backwords after a power outage

 

Looks like the rubber bumper fell off when you were cleaning it. It's designed to prevent the impeller from spinning the wrong direction.

[TrueTricia]

Turning it off and on a few times worked! I was worried I broke it lol.

 

Thanks!

[Rob A]

I swear I saw something somewhere about cutting a short piece of airline tubing and sliding it on the propeller shaft to keep the propeller from jumping around at startup. Don't know if that helps this issue or not. I might have to do some experimenting in the kitchen sink with one of them.

[Sharkey18]

I had two that were doing that and i finally chucked them. I have too much to worry about to deal with power heads that need babysitting. 

[TrueTricia]

Well in the powerhead's defense, I took the cover off of it to clean it and may have caused the problem in the first place. But I think a good soak in some vinegar is in its future! And I'll look for that rubber bumper too.

 

Thanks all for the help!

[zygote2k]

when it happens again, stick your finger in it and spin it the other way.

[MBVette]

when it happens again, stick your finger in it and spin it the other way.

+1

[smallreef]

when it happens again, stick your finger in it and spin it the other way.

Yep...no clue what Jan was missing...human sandpaper it is.....lol

[wildcrazyjoker81]

Yep...no clue what Jan was missing...human sandpaper it is.....lol

I do this all the time on the one that I have. No missing bits of finger here.