my air pump is acting weird...

[donica_anne]

I've got one of those little whisper filters -not sure the exact name but it takes the small bio bag cartridges...and well the air pump, regardless of what I do with it, just gradually looses power as its plugged in.
After being unplugged for maybe thirty minutes it seems to go back to full strength, but soon the water just stops flowing. With or without a filter cartridge in there. Is it just a chincy filter set up, or did I get a dud?

 

[BigJim]

If it's a HOB filter, check the impeller. You may have some crud built up in there that stops the impeller after it gets warmed up.

 

[donica_anne]

No, its just an air pump....on the bottom it says "super mini air pump". It only pumps air so there's no way for anything to get inside it.....

 

[fort384]

There are cheap diaphragms on some of those pump that stretch and lose their ability to pump air. If it is just the air pump that is losing pressure I would bet that is the problem.

 

[Chriznat20]

Im confused.

 

[donica_anne]

Im confused.

What's confusing? :-S

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Im confused.

The diaphragm is a little bit of rubber that moves backward and forwards and sucks air in, then pushes it out of the pump. When they wear out the suction is lost so they cant move air anymore. For more expensive pumps it's worth while getting a replacement but with cheep ones it's better just to buy a new one.