# AC20 stopped working. Help help ASAP!



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

So the AC20 was powering the water a little on the slow flow side so I unplugged it while I cleaned the pre-filter as that was gunked up. After I cleaned the pre-filter I put the intake tube back on the AC20 then plugged the power back in. Odd, the pump did not start sucking water in.

I did not hear it chugging so I thought why not pour some water in to prime it like I normally do and maybe the motor would kick up. I poured water into the intake area and still the motor did not kick up. Now I'm curious WTF is wrong with it.

Never had this issue before. I checked my media basket and the floss was at ~20% filled up so it was still good with water flow. 

Any ideas on what to check/test? I thought maybe the pump overheated because of the more effort needed to pump the water in from the clogged up pre-filter. Right now I used a garlic mesh bag to put the basket media in and soaking it inside the 10gal right now. Thankfully I have the trusty and hard to fail DIY sponge filter which I turned up the air on to compensate for the downed power filter.

Thakns in advance.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

WTF!? It automagically came back alive when I was not there. I was just going to check on the plant condition as I dosed 1mL in there today and the AC20 was running. 

I took the media pack out of the water and into a tray then turned the AC20 off. I took the media basket and put it into the AC20 and plugged it into the power plug and bam the unit was alive again. 

Odd... I was thinking it could have been the over heating due to the clogged prefilter that heated up the motor and probably kicked in a thermo protection circuit and a set time delay/temp before the circuit would open the motor to work again. I was using a scrub pad to keep the AC20 semi level with the 10gal as I was told the leveling tab or something was missing when I got the tank.

I'll be keeping the ad in the buy and sell for a week just to make sure this is ok first then move it to the expired if this works.


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## crxmaniac (Nov 19, 2008)

it's possible a little piece of something got clogged in the actual impeller. Next time its being cleaned or stops working take the intake off, pull the basket and pull up the little grey cover and pull the impeller out and give it a good clean.


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

I've got one that needs to be jump started each time. Kind of annoying but it works. All you have to do is get a skinny screw driver and tap the impellar to get it going. Try it next time.


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## kaegunim (Jan 15, 2010)

gucci17 said:


> I've got one that needs to be jump started each time. Kind of annoying but it works. All you have to do is get a skinny screw driver and tap the impellar to get it going. Try it next time.


+1

It has only happed once (due to gunk buildup admittedly) but flicking the impeller will get it going.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Hmm.. jsut curious but what solution can I run the AC20 in stand alone that will eventually kill off all the gunk in there? Obviously I'll be taking out the media when I do this to preserve the cultures in there. I was thinking probably a small bucket with bleach and run it for a week but want some feedback on that idea.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

use a cotton swab and wipe the inside of the chamber and a toothbrush to clean the impeller. Rinse.


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