New skimmer replacement parts?

[Still_human]

I just got a free skimmer from work. They replaced it because part of the inside parts is broken so it doesn't work well. I don't even know what kind of skimmer it is, so I have no idea if one can replace the internal parts. Does anyone know?

[linkfalcon]

Leets like a eshopps skimmer see if there any numbers on it can give them a call or post some pics 

[jason the filter freak]

What part is broken? Youll need a cup lid in addition to whatever is broken "inside"

[Still_human]

On 4/24/2019 at 11:55 PM, jason the filter freak said:

What part is broken? Youll need a cup lid in addition to whatever is broken "inside"

I'll take a picture of the inside, tomorrow. You can kinda see something inside that's at an angle. I don't know if that's cause it's broken or bent, or just something that's removable and not in place. It's actually sitting on the cup lid. thankfully I don't need THAT part, TOO:)

Edited April 27, 2019 by Still_human

[Still_human]

Does this come with an internal pump, so it doesn't need any additional pieces besides the skimmer???

[smh254]

It looks like the bubble plate is off of the pump. I would disassemble and give it a good vinegar bath to see what your working with. If everything is there and the pump works then you can probably fix it.


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[jason the filter freak]

2 hours ago, Still_human said:

Does this come with an internal pump, so it doesn't need any additional pieces besides the skimmer???

It looks like the pump is in there? Second what @smh254 said. You need to give it a nice 24hr soak in some white vinegar/water like 1:3 ratio.

 

Regarding something being bent vs broken. I would say the likely hood of anything in our hobby ending up bent is very low due to the materials used most frequently (glass, abs, PVC, acrylic) most stuff straight up breaks

[Still_human]

16 hours ago, jason the filter freak said:

It looks like the pump is in there? Second what @smh254 said. You need to give it a nice 24hr soak in some white vinegar/water like 1:3 ratio.

 

Regarding something being bent vs broken. I would say the likely hood of anything in our hobby ending up bent is very low due to the materials used most frequently (glass, abs, PVC, acrylic) most stuff straight up breaks

Yeah, i guess it's pretty stiff, and not thin plastic like some things. Broken is better anyway, since it can probably just be reattached. It must have the pump, as it has the cord coming out. Also, it was in use as of just a couple hours before I took it home, so everything is definitely present, and not TOO broken. I'm just hoping whatever the problem is can be fixed instead of replaced.

[Still_human]

Ok, so the plastic tuna can shaped thing that sits on top of the pump is loose, even when it's in place on top of the short pipe from the pump. I don't see any other parts, let alone what else could be an issue. Does anyone know if that part is supposed to be smug and tight in place, and definitely not be able to juggle at all, even slightly?

 

i guess there was a problem and that zip tie is to keep it closed, but I wouldn't think that's be a problem, since it IS zipped closed.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Still_human

[jason the filter freak]

What your looking at is a bubble diffuser plate. That skimmer is so built up with stuff it 100% needs a vinegar bath as all that stuff will inhibit bubble build up. 

 

The zip tie is a jerry rigged solution to a missing screw or broken weld ("acrylic glue"). Some companies attach the plates with nylon screws or sometimes theyre "glued" in place. For example my avast marine skimmer was glued/welded my bubble magnus one is held with nylon screws. 

 

 

Anyway soak the whole thing in a water/vinegar solution so you can ses what your working with. Post a pic of the underside/buttom of the skimmer. 

 

It would be nice if the base plate came off, im willing to bet it does since the pump is inside. 

 

If you end up needing to glue it (its actually welding technically, this is what you need. 

https://www.avastmarine.com/products/craftics-33-1-5oz

 

[jason the filter freak]

Took a closer look at the first pic. The baseplate definitely comes off. Theres black nylon screws hold it on. Popping that off should give you access to the inside and after you get all that build up soaked off you can prep the surface with some sand paper, a bit of alcohol, and that craftics glue and you can fix that bubble plate back on. Not sure why a zip tie was ever employed.  

 

Its real important you get the diffuser plate glued back on with the holes on the correct side of the chamber. 

[jason the filter freak]

Actually i think you might have an eshopps s120 or s150 on your hands maybe a bit of an older modle but not a bad little skimmer especially for the price of free. It looks like the s150 and larger modles had the bubble plate held on with a nylon screw. I cant really tell on the 120 but heres the manual.

 

http://www.eshopps.com/manual/snow-skimmer_web-manual.pdf

 

If is indeed an eshopps skimmer figure out which one and ask them what kind of screw you need and if they can describe to you the orientation of the bubble plate or better yet provide a diagram or picture. 

 

When your vinegar soaking try and pull it apart and scrub with a tooth brush after a 24 hour soak paying special attention to the volute and pump. Build up in there will really decrease your bubble production. 

 

Good luck, hope you get it figured out.

 

[jason the filter freak]

Id help you out in person but i dont live in MD any more.

 

I think you might have an eshopps s120 or s150 on your hands maybe a bit of an older modle but not a bad little skimmer especially for the price of free. It looks like the s150 and larger modles had the bubble plate held on with a nylon screw. I cant really tell on the 120 but heres the manual.

 

http://www.eshopps.com/manual/snow-skimmer_web-manual.pdf

 

If is indeed an eshopps skimmer figure out which one and ask them what kind of screw you need and if they can describe to you the orientation of the bubble plate or better yet provide a diagram or picture. 

 

When your vinegar soaking try and pull it apart and scrub with a tooth brush after a 24 hour soak paying special attention to the volute and pump. Build up in there will really decrease your bubble production. 

 

Good luck, hope you get it figured out.

 

Here you go

Circled in blue is the nylon screw that holds the bubble plate, onto the bubble chamber, onto the pump plate. 

 

Unless they stripped out the threads they probably just lost the screw in which case you can order another one from eshopps (if it is one of their skimmers) or they can tell you what screw you need and you can order the nylon screw from some one else. The part that has no holes in the diffuser plate needs to be lined up so that the outlet of the pump is lined up with it. (See my markings in green) last thing with the red arrow is just showing you where the screw would go in on the picture you took. 

 

 

BE CAREFUL DISSASEMBLING FOR CLEANING. I would take is as much a part as you can so you can hit every little nook and cranny with a tooth brush right after you pull it from the vinegar soak (also seeing how much calcium build up there us there you might want to use st least 50/50 vinegar to water). But a skimmer thats been treated the way that one has is likely to be brittle in places and your powe cord is going to be super stiff. DO NOT try to unbend the powercord just leave it stiff trying to unbend it may crack the insulation and ruin the pump. 

 

P

Edited April 28, 2019 by jason the filter freak

[Still_human]

14 hours ago, jason the filter freak said:

Id help you out in person but i dont live in MD any more.

 

I think you might have an eshopps s120 or s150 on your hands maybe a bit of an older modle but not a bad little skimmer especially for the price of free. It looks like the s150 and larger modles had the bubble plate held on with a nylon screw. I cant really tell on the 120 but heres the manual.

 

http://www.eshopps.com/manual/snow-skimmer_web-manual.pdf

 

If is indeed an eshopps skimmer figure out which one and ask them what kind of screw you need and if they can describe to you the orientation of the bubble plate or better yet provide a diagram or picture. 

 

When your vinegar soaking try and pull it apart and scrub with a tooth brush after a 24 hour soak paying special attention to the volute and pump. Build up in there will really decrease your bubble production. 

 

Good luck, hope you get it figured out.

 

Here you go

Circled in blue is the nylon screw that holds the bubble plate, onto the bubble chamber, onto the pump plate. 

 

Unless they stripped out the threads they probably just lost the screw in which case you can order another one from eshopps (if it is one of their skimmers) or they can tell you what screw you need and you can order the nylon screw from some one else. The part that has no holes in the diffuser plate needs to be lined up so that the outlet of the pump is lined up with it. (See my markings in green) last thing with the red arrow is just showing you where the screw would go in on the picture you took. 

 

 

BE CAREFUL DISSASEMBLING FOR CLEANING. I would take is as much a part as you can so you can hit every little nook and cranny with a tooth brush right after you pull it from the vinegar soak (also seeing how much calcium build up there us there you might want to use st least 50/50 vinegar to water). But a skimmer thats been treated the way that one has is likely to be brittle in places and your powe cord is going to be super stiff. DO NOT try to unbend the powercord just leave it stiff trying to unbend it may crack the insulation and ruin the pump. 

 

P

Wow, thanks so much! That was incredibly helpful! And it's the thought that counts--I appreciate the idea of you willing to help in person:)

[jason the filter freak]

@Still_human have you gotten anywhere on this yet? I feel like someone waiting for the next episode of a show to come out. 

[Still_human]

8 hours ago, jason the filter freak said:

@Still_human have you gotten anywhere on this yet? I feel like someone waiting for the next episode of a show to come out. 

Hahahahaha no, I haven't yet, other than scraping out a bunch of the tube worms to put in my tank. I think the next step I have to take it apart which has kinda put me off for the moment, but just for u I'll get working on it tonight, and look into the missing parts and getting new ones:)

[jason the filter freak]

Soak it in the vinegar bath before taking it apart. Otherwise you risk breaking stuff you know should come apart but are jammed/fused because of build up. Also pro tip: youll definitely want to pop the volute off that pump and clean the inside of the volute and impeller area BUT 1. Even the very highest quality of pumps unless theyre dissabled and cleaned every few months end up with a stuck on volute that a pain to get off (a second bath of warm vinegar mix can help) which leads to 2. When you finally pop that volute off you might accidentally pop the impeller and or impeller shaft with it. Some pumps use a ceramic impeller shaft which is EXTREMELY fragile and annoyingly expensive to replace. The ceramic magnet of the impeller can be fairly fragile as well so dont hit it on anything. Lastly when cleaning the pump parts dont use a lot of pressure as the impeller teeth tend to get brittle over time and will snap off (also annoying expensive to clean). 

 

If you dont already own one you NEED one of these https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1?q=double+ended+dog+toothbrush&client=ms-android-verizon&bih=766&biw=412&hl=en&tbs=vw:l,ss:44&prds=num:1,of:1,epd:9868948003388706543,paur:ClkAsKraX1kxSWLi_4TrE3tb_ZRAx-lLTURrSblCH-oUYo85Fl8wmnRlq5XSKBAeF-Pl7EhBMCduScXKQ6GWJBNaUpF5u0hZ2kZufB9LhFIGiV3vfyY2do5VExIZAFPVH73M55V3HbcsPFFowgmi5sWhTv-g3w,prmr:1,pid:9868948003388706543,cs:1

 

Any brand will do as long as its double ended with stiff bristles and one small head and one large head. I use mine at least once a month an 100% of the time when i service my pumps, skimmers, power heads, reactors, H-E-double hockey sticks i even used it to get salt creep out of my radion fan blades. 

[Still_human]

How much vinegar/water? I cleaned off all the significant tube worms tubes I could the other night, so I guess it's bath time, now.

[jason the filter freak]

For super bad build up on smaller parts (needle wheel, volute, Venturi etc.) I'll do 100% vinegar, general soaking for poor maintenance (my own fault or someone else's) a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio, general bi-yearly service 1:4 or 1:5 ratio. There's really no science to back this up just more of "it worked in the past so why not". You're really not going to hurt anything aside from rubber or other very fragile parts. I usually don't soak for more than 48 hours and always set out to do the cleaning right after I take it out of the cleaning bath, don't let it dry/reharden. Then a good rinse, H-E-double hockey sticks honestly in tap water but then I let it dry out completely or dry it off with a non-linting rag if I'm going to put it right back in service. 

 

Typically even just a few hours soak will do 6-8 unless it's really bad but I'll use warm or hot water to mix up the cleaning mixture and throw an old power head in there to circulate the bath. All my stuff to soak goes in an old 7 gallon bucket that some salt mixture came in, with like a 15 year old maxi-jet power head

[Still_human]

18 hours ago, jason the filter freak said:

For super bad build up on smaller parts (needle wheel, volute, Venturi etc.) I'll do 100% vinegar, general soaking for poor maintenance (my own fault or someone else's) a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio, general bi-yearly service 1:4 or 1:5 ratio. There's really no science to back this up just more of "it worked in the past so why not". You're really not going to hurt anything aside from rubber or other very fragile parts. I usually don't soak for more than 48 hours and always set out to do the cleaning right after I take it out of the cleaning bath, don't let it dry/reharden. Then a good rinse, H-E-double hockey sticks honestly in tap water but then I let it dry out completely or dry it off with a non-linting rag if I'm going to put it right back in service. 

 

Typically even just a few hours soak will do 6-8 unless it's really bad but I'll use warm or hot water to mix up the cleaning mixture and throw an old power head in there to circulate the bath. All my stuff to soak goes in an old 7 gallon bucket that some salt mixture came in, with like a 15 year old maxi-jet power head

Awesome, thanks for the help:)

[jason the filter freak]

@Still_human Hows this project coming?

[Still_human]

On 5/13/2019 at 11:09 AM, jason the filter freak said:

@Still_human Hows this project coming?

I'm sorry, Ive had some personal issues come up and haven't really been focused on things like that, but I'll try to get to the grocery store real soon, to pick up some vinegar, and de-crudify it.

[jason the filter freak]

@Still_human

Hope things got better for you. How are you making out on the skimmer?