Guys,
I saw a thread in this forum posted by Hanin where he linked to a Reef Central DIY thread about replacing the bearings in the dry side of an MP40 Vortech Pump, so I wanted to give him props for posting it. The thread on RC has some good info, but there were a couple areas lacking, so I am posting this DIY to try to address some areas and make it easier to do with less chance of damaging the rotating magnet inside the dry side. But I would encourage you to look a the RC thread as well.
RC thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1901337">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1901337</a>
I believe Hanin will be doing this to one of his units as well, so I invite him (and anyone else) to post his experience in this thread as well.
My MP40wES stared out life as an MP20, and I converted it to an MP40wES a couple months ago. It was after the conversion that that I noticed a slight whine and grinding noise coming from the dry side of the pump, probably made more noticeable by the increased speeds and the variation in RPM's the EcoSmart Mode I was using brought about. For anyone thinking of doing the bearing replacement, please make sure it is actually the dry side. A new dry side from EcoTech costs $220, so that was motivation enough to try. Make sure your pump is not in warranty, as this will probably void your warranty, although in reality my bearing replacement was so clean I doubt anyone could tell it was done.
Replacement bearings. The stock bearings inside an MP40 are stainless steel shielded, pre-lubed ball bearings. Nothing fancy in the bearing world. You need one of each kind: one 607-ZZ and one 698-ZZ. Dimensions are as follows:
607ZZ (7mm X 19mm X 6mm)-The inner bearing hole diameter is 7 mm, the outer bearing diameter is 19 mm, and the width of the bearing is 6 mm.
and
698ZZ (8mm X 19mm X 6mm)-The inner bearing hole diameter is 8 mm, the outer bearing diameter is 19 mm, and the width of the bearing is 6 mm.
There are different qualities of bearings. I think Hanin is replacing his stock with some high-zoot ceramic bearings. I went with a like for like replacement. Here are two sources of mail order bearings you may want to look at:
[IMG]http://bearingsdirect.com">bearingsdirect.com</a>-Standard ball bearings and ceramic can be ordered singly from here. I bought mine from here. They cost about $6 each and shipping. I bought two of each in case I have to change any more out in the future.
[IMG]http://www.vxb.com">www.vxb.com</a>-Good company. Sells the ceramic bearings separately, but standard bearings have to be bought in tubes of 10 each. I think Hanin got his ceramic bearings from here. I have also purchased bearings from here for another hobby.
Let's get started:
1. Here is the MP40wES dry side with attached driver.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
2. Remove the rubber spacer from the dry side.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech1.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
3.Remove the sticker from the back side of the dry side. the RC thread says to use a razor blade, but I got it up with just a fingernail edge. Set it aside for reattachment later.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech2.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
4. Note the straight edge screw slot on the end of the axle on this side. You will place a screwdriver in this slot to hold it while you use a phillips head screwdriver on the other side to remove the magnet from the pump.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech3.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
5. Remove the phillips head screw (right side of pic) holding the magnet on the glass side of the vortech dry side. The straight edge screwdriver (let side of pic) keeps the axle from rotating.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech4.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
6. Turn the dry side over so the side where the sticker was is facing up, and unscrew the three phillips pan head machine screws holding the motor to the outer case. The motor coil will then slide out of the outer case, along with the rubber guide that holds the power cord in place in the outer case.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech5.jpg?t=1290903363://" alt="" />
7. Remove the three phillips flat head machine screws from the motor coil case. This is the side that has the flathead slot on the axle end.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech6.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
8. Next Picture shows the motor cover removed and the magnet/bearing assemply removed. The magnet/bearing asembly pulls right out. Note that there are some plastic or metal spring washers where the bearing presses into the silver motor coil covers, and a large white plastic guard that prevents the copper coils from contacting the silver motor coil covers. Keep these in place so they are as they were when you reassemble. If they fall out, just put them back.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech7.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
The next pic is borrowed from the RC DIY thread. It shows a side view of the magnet/bearng assembly. My magnet has a gray coating, where this one has a black coating. Probably a running product change.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech8.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
9. Bearing removal/replacement. This is the hardest part of this DIY. Easy with the proper equipment. I didn't have a bearing press so I improvised. The RC DIY tells of people using screwdrivers, vices and vice grips to hold the old bearings in place, then tapping the axle out thru them, but they are pressed on there tight. In the pic below you will see a piece of 1/4" plywood with two holes drilled in it, one just wider than the magnet and one a bit larger than the axle. You will also see a thin piece of metal shaped like a "U" (axle collar). This is a part of a plaster spreading blade I cut off, then Dremeled out a channel just bit wider than the axle of the magnet/bearing assembly. This slides between the magnet and the bearings when you remove the old ones, and holds the assembly in place as you place it in the hole in the plywood. Put a piece of wood under each side of the plywood so there is room enough for the magnet/bearing assembly to pass through. You can then tap the axle through the old bearing and off the axle. Switch the collar and remove the bearing on the other side. Use something less wide than the axle to tap the axle through the old bearing, like the head of the nail or the screwdriver bit holder pictured in the lower middle/left part of the picture. You will also see a socket wrench fitting in the top of the picture. This will be used to press the new bearings onto the shaft in the next step. I used a socket fitting that was close to the same diameter as the bearing (19mm), but it is important that the axle be able to go inside the socket as the bearing is pressed onto the axle on each side.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech9.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
I did not have a bearing press, but I do have a cheapo press I used in this DIY (pic below). This previous step (number 8) is for those that don't have a press of any type for bearing removal.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech10.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
9. Install the new bearings. Take the magnet/axle assembly (now minus the old bearings) and you will see that one side of the axle is wider that the other (8mm vs 7mm), hence the use of two different bearings. They only fit one way, so this part cannot be goofed up. Place one side of the axle in the hole in the board, and place the correct bearing on the top of the axle, and using the socket fitting on top of the bearing, lightly tap it onto the axle with a hammer until it stops. You should not have to hit hard. Once it is on the axle, you can turn it over and tap the other side of the axle to move the bearing until it stops close to the magnet. Repeat for the second bearing.
I used a press to push the new bearing onto the axle. Either way will work. The press just makes it a bit easier. Picture below.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech11.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
10. The magnet/bearing assembly should look like the one you removed. Reassemble the dry side in reverse order and you are good to go. My VorTech Pump is now silent, whereas before I could hear it from 25 feet away.
Please feel free to post in this thread or PM me if you have any questions or have a way to improve or make the DIY any easier.
Dave
I saw a thread in this forum posted by Hanin where he linked to a Reef Central DIY thread about replacing the bearings in the dry side of an MP40 Vortech Pump, so I wanted to give him props for posting it. The thread on RC has some good info, but there were a couple areas lacking, so I am posting this DIY to try to address some areas and make it easier to do with less chance of damaging the rotating magnet inside the dry side. But I would encourage you to look a the RC thread as well.
RC thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1901337">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1901337</a>
I believe Hanin will be doing this to one of his units as well, so I invite him (and anyone else) to post his experience in this thread as well.
My MP40wES stared out life as an MP20, and I converted it to an MP40wES a couple months ago. It was after the conversion that that I noticed a slight whine and grinding noise coming from the dry side of the pump, probably made more noticeable by the increased speeds and the variation in RPM's the EcoSmart Mode I was using brought about. For anyone thinking of doing the bearing replacement, please make sure it is actually the dry side. A new dry side from EcoTech costs $220, so that was motivation enough to try. Make sure your pump is not in warranty, as this will probably void your warranty, although in reality my bearing replacement was so clean I doubt anyone could tell it was done.
Replacement bearings. The stock bearings inside an MP40 are stainless steel shielded, pre-lubed ball bearings. Nothing fancy in the bearing world. You need one of each kind: one 607-ZZ and one 698-ZZ. Dimensions are as follows:
607ZZ (7mm X 19mm X 6mm)-The inner bearing hole diameter is 7 mm, the outer bearing diameter is 19 mm, and the width of the bearing is 6 mm.
and
698ZZ (8mm X 19mm X 6mm)-The inner bearing hole diameter is 8 mm, the outer bearing diameter is 19 mm, and the width of the bearing is 6 mm.
There are different qualities of bearings. I think Hanin is replacing his stock with some high-zoot ceramic bearings. I went with a like for like replacement. Here are two sources of mail order bearings you may want to look at:
[IMG]http://bearingsdirect.com">bearingsdirect.com</a>-Standard ball bearings and ceramic can be ordered singly from here. I bought mine from here. They cost about $6 each and shipping. I bought two of each in case I have to change any more out in the future.
[IMG]http://www.vxb.com">www.vxb.com</a>-Good company. Sells the ceramic bearings separately, but standard bearings have to be bought in tubes of 10 each. I think Hanin got his ceramic bearings from here. I have also purchased bearings from here for another hobby.
Let's get started:
1. Here is the MP40wES dry side with attached driver.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
2. Remove the rubber spacer from the dry side.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech1.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
3.Remove the sticker from the back side of the dry side. the RC thread says to use a razor blade, but I got it up with just a fingernail edge. Set it aside for reattachment later.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech2.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
4. Note the straight edge screw slot on the end of the axle on this side. You will place a screwdriver in this slot to hold it while you use a phillips head screwdriver on the other side to remove the magnet from the pump.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech3.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
5. Remove the phillips head screw (right side of pic) holding the magnet on the glass side of the vortech dry side. The straight edge screwdriver (let side of pic) keeps the axle from rotating.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech4.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
6. Turn the dry side over so the side where the sticker was is facing up, and unscrew the three phillips pan head machine screws holding the motor to the outer case. The motor coil will then slide out of the outer case, along with the rubber guide that holds the power cord in place in the outer case.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech5.jpg?t=1290903363://" alt="" />
7. Remove the three phillips flat head machine screws from the motor coil case. This is the side that has the flathead slot on the axle end.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech6.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
8. Next Picture shows the motor cover removed and the magnet/bearing assemply removed. The magnet/bearing asembly pulls right out. Note that there are some plastic or metal spring washers where the bearing presses into the silver motor coil covers, and a large white plastic guard that prevents the copper coils from contacting the silver motor coil covers. Keep these in place so they are as they were when you reassemble. If they fall out, just put them back.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech7.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
The next pic is borrowed from the RC DIY thread. It shows a side view of the magnet/bearng assembly. My magnet has a gray coating, where this one has a black coating. Probably a running product change.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech8.jpg?t=1290903363" alt="" />
9. Bearing removal/replacement. This is the hardest part of this DIY. Easy with the proper equipment. I didn't have a bearing press so I improvised. The RC DIY tells of people using screwdrivers, vices and vice grips to hold the old bearings in place, then tapping the axle out thru them, but they are pressed on there tight. In the pic below you will see a piece of 1/4" plywood with two holes drilled in it, one just wider than the magnet and one a bit larger than the axle. You will also see a thin piece of metal shaped like a "U" (axle collar). This is a part of a plaster spreading blade I cut off, then Dremeled out a channel just bit wider than the axle of the magnet/bearing assembly. This slides between the magnet and the bearings when you remove the old ones, and holds the assembly in place as you place it in the hole in the plywood. Put a piece of wood under each side of the plywood so there is room enough for the magnet/bearing assembly to pass through. You can then tap the axle through the old bearing and off the axle. Switch the collar and remove the bearing on the other side. Use something less wide than the axle to tap the axle through the old bearing, like the head of the nail or the screwdriver bit holder pictured in the lower middle/left part of the picture. You will also see a socket wrench fitting in the top of the picture. This will be used to press the new bearings onto the shaft in the next step. I used a socket fitting that was close to the same diameter as the bearing (19mm), but it is important that the axle be able to go inside the socket as the bearing is pressed onto the axle on each side.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech9.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
I did not have a bearing press, but I do have a cheapo press I used in this DIY (pic below). This previous step (number 8) is for those that don't have a press of any type for bearing removal.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech10.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
9. Install the new bearings. Take the magnet/axle assembly (now minus the old bearings) and you will see that one side of the axle is wider that the other (8mm vs 7mm), hence the use of two different bearings. They only fit one way, so this part cannot be goofed up. Place one side of the axle in the hole in the board, and place the correct bearing on the top of the axle, and using the socket fitting on top of the bearing, lightly tap it onto the axle with a hammer until it stops. You should not have to hit hard. Once it is on the axle, you can turn it over and tap the other side of the axle to move the bearing until it stops close to the magnet. Repeat for the second bearing.
I used a press to push the new bearing onto the axle. Either way will work. The press just makes it a bit easier. Picture below.
[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g409/discusdave1/vtech11.jpg?t=1290904048" alt="" />
10. The magnet/bearing assembly should look like the one you removed. Reassemble the dry side in reverse order and you are good to go. My VorTech Pump is now silent, whereas before I could hear it from 25 feet away.
Please feel free to post in this thread or PM me if you have any questions or have a way to improve or make the DIY any easier.
Dave
