AVP 50 Losing Power

[jeff@zina.com]

I have an AVP 50 air pump (Ken's Fish) that is losing power. It's about 6 months old and had about 20 air drops running off it with plenty to spare. I've been getting a lower output out of it lately and it's struggling to put out enough air for those drops and I need to add more.

I have a feeling it may be back pressure, the pump runs quite warm and I was using it with a short hose to a manifold. I picked up some PVC so I can run it into 5 feet of 1 1/4" PVC before reducing it to a 3/4" ID vinyl hose to the manifold, does that sound like I should be doing it right? I'm also adding a ball valve to bleed excess air. Any other suggestions? Could the diaphragms have failed?

Thanks,

Jeff

[moik]

Maybe just back pressure causing the problem,,,problably already have damage done to the diaphram..Would be wise to have a backup pump and a new diaphram sent fast from Ken's ASAP to fix the problem..I am in need of a spare air pump myself..Hopefully I do not learn this the hard way.

[jeff@zina.com]

Gotta be the diaphragms, it's down to barely powering a single sponge filter...

Thanks,

Jeff

[kaceyo]

Does it have an air filter that needs regular maintenance? Just a thought.

Kacey

[jeff@zina.com]

I pulled it out, it was clean. Good thought though.

Jeff

[Jhhnn]

It's probably been damaged by too much back pressure.

I'm using a similar diaphragm pump from Jehmco. It's in the cellar, with the water aging barrels. I'm running two huge airstones wide open in the barrels, plus an open valve. The airflow goes upstairs via 3/8" tubing into manifolds, running 6-8 sponge filters, then dumping the excess at that end thru a larger valve into the bioballs in a sump. Using large delivery tubing and having the main bleed at the far end of the system lets me regulate the pressure easily. I use manifolds like this avmp6 at each tank, daisy chained together-

http://www.jehmco.com/html/air_accessories.html

I figured out the setting on the main end bleed valve having everything turned on, wide open, then opened the bleed until the flow in the sponges was just a little stronger than what I wanted, adjusted each sponge filter valve from there. Went back and forth a little bit to arrive at the minimum pressure that would do the job. Hope that makes sense...