Need Help w/ Penguin 200

[SWerner13]

I current have two bio-wheel 200's on a 55 gallon tank. Lately I have been dreading water changes because when I turn off the filter and turn them back on one of them doesn't work. Its only after I pull up the motor and intake tube and put it back in and jiggle and other things that it finally starts to work instead of making a clunky vibration type sound. Anyone know whats wrong and more importantly what I can do to fix it?

 

[SWerner13]

p.s. Once its going I never seem to have a problem its only after turning it off is there a problem.

 

[jim692]

Its only after I pull up the motor and intake tube and put it back in and jiggle and other things that it finally starts to work instead of making a clunky vibration type sound. Anyone know whats wrong and more importantly what I can do to fix it?

Next time you shut it down, get a turkey baster or similar and see if some particles or debris are in the impeller area. It may be causing an imbalance in the spinning impeller until it's tossed out.
Check the impeller and impeller housing for wear patterns. If you see any it could be it needs to be aligned to that spot now to operate smoothly. The fix for that is replace the impeller and/or impeller housing.
Also, clean the intake tube with a brush or similar to see if build up is getting sucked into the impeller area.
These units like to be kept level. That may help too.
good luck.

 

[SWerner13]

I have a feeling what you said about the wear pattern may be the problem. That it ends up having to be properly aligned. Thanks.

 

[jim692]

Try the others too. Hopefully there's just some piece of junk in the impeller cavity.