Ecotech Vortech MP10 ES Dry Side Bearing Replacement Guide by NanoTopia

[NanoTopia]

Ecotech Vortech MP10 ES Dry Side Bearing Replacement Guide

by NanoTopia.

All photographs are copyright 2012 Nanotopia



Many people, me included, have Ecotech Vortech MP10's that have become increasingly noisy over time. This is usually due to the motor bearings wearing out on the dry side of the pump. It sound like a grinding noise and increases in intensity when turned up. It is possible to order a new complete dry side replacement part from Ecotech Parts Store directly for approximately $106.00 USD, or in Canada from J&L Aquatics for approximately $145.00 CDN.

❗️ If your warranty is still valid, I recommend contacting Ecotech directly regarding warranty repair/replacement. Performing this replacement will void your warrantee.

This DIY article is intended for Ecotech Vortech MP10 ES owners with warranties that have expired only. In such a case that your warrantee is no longer valid, you may want to try your hand at replacing the two sets of bearings yourself, for less than half the replacement dry side part cost. The following information is a general guide for this replacement procedure. I take no responsibility for the outcome of your repair, I intend only to guide you as best as I can, taking you through the steps and considerations for performing this bearing change.

❗️You may wish to read through the discussion starting on post #2 via this thread before considering this DIY repair.

I am aware of at least two minor internal design variations on the MP10 dry side. There may be more. At least two different sizes of bearings were used on the motor shaft. The outside housing looks the same so there is no way to know which design was used. This means that you will first have to open the dry side and disassemble the motor assembly to determine the model/size of the bearings used. This adds a major step in the overall procedure (if you need to order replacement bearings) but it does have it's pros and cons as you will discover further down the guide.



Getting started.


NOTE: I recommend you read through the entire guide before
beginning your repair.

❗️If the pump is a vital part of your aquarium and you can not go without it operating for any length of time, you will need to perform the repair in two phases. If it is not a vital part of your aquarium and you can go with out it being operational for an extended period of time, disregard the following paragraph as you can make the repair in one phase.

First, to minimize the down time of your pump, you will need to disassemble the dry side to read the model or part numbers located on the bearing casing itself. You need to do this so you will know which bearing units to purchase or order online. Then you will need to reassemble the unit so it is usable while parts are being purchased or ordered.

Regardless if your repair is going to be in one or two phases you will start with section one.



Section One: Disassembling the Dry Side Housing and Motor Assembly.

• Shut down and unplug the pump unit.
• Carefully remove the wet and dry side simultaneously from the aquarium as you normally would for cleaning maintenance.
• Bring the dry side to a suitable work area.
• Assemble tools: Large Xacto Knife, HEX keys (various sizes), Phillips screw driver, plastic tape or duct tape, magnifying glass.

 

 

The first and most difficult part of the repair is removing the plastic cover plate to assess the motor assembly. This is done carefully and meticulously as you do not want to damage the unit.

Insert a large Xacto Knife in the groove where the plate is glued to the main housing as shown in the picture. I find rocking the knife up and down while applying some pressure works best. You will need to work your way around the housing slowly as you do not want to damage the housing. The plate is glued in place but it is possible to separate the plate by breaking the glue seal.







Once this is done, you will see the motor rotating disk exposed.









Now remove the Ecotech sticker on the opposite end of the housing. This is easily pealed off by getting a knife under the sticker then using your fingers, just peal it off.









You will see three HEX Key screws exposed. These screws hold the motor assembly to the plastic housing. Remove the three screws with a HEX key.





Now slide the motor assembly out of the plastic housing. You will see this:





Now, you need to disassemble the motor unit. The metal rotating disk needs to come off first. Use a HEX Key driver and remove the rotor.

Caution: Everything is magnetic so use extra caution when handling these parts.

 

Now turn the motor over and you will see three screws holding the metal motor housing parts together. Use a phillips screw driver and remove the screws. Take note there are washers that may fall out. You need to note their original location for reassembly later. Pull the end cap off slowly.





You will now see the inner workings of the motor exposed. Carefully pull out the centre shaft, again being careful as it is magnetic. Place it on a soft surface. At this point you will see the two bearing units on either end. Both are the same.








NOTE: If you are performing this repair in one phase, move to Section two now.



Now use a magnifying glass to read the numbers located on the side seal of the bearing unit itself. The numbers are tiny, make sure you record them accurately. These numbers will be used for ordering replacement bearing units.

NOTE: Do Not Remove the bearing units from the shaft if you are doing this
repair in two phases.

Now you can reassemble the motor exactly as it was, noting the washer placements. Make sure you also insert the centre shaft the same way as well. Finish reassembling the motor unit carefully. This may take some time, but it will be easier the second time around at a later date.

Now reassemble the motor unit to the plastic housing with the three HEX Key screws. You can replace the Ecotech sticker but it is not necessary as you will need to remove it again at a later date.

Place the plastic cover plate you removed with the Xacto knife and place it into position. Now tape it securely into place as shown. Do not glue it back on, as you will need to remove it again at a later date. The tape will hold it securely in place temporarily.





Now you can test the motor with the power supply before placing the unit to the tank. If you assembled it correctly, congatulations. Next time this part of the procedure will go much faster as you are now familiar with the procedure.



Section Two: Ordering replacement bearings for your MP10.



The numbers you recorded earlier or that are found on the bearing unit themselves are universal part numbers that coincide with dimensions of the bearing units themselves.

The number you are interested in look like this: 696ZZ or 687ZZ or possibly other similar set of numbers. The first three numbers indicate a universal sizing. The "ZZ" indicates sealed bearings (which you must have).

For example only:

• 696ZZ = Bearings with the measurements of 6x15x5 sealed.
• 687ZZ = Bearings with the measurements of 7x14x5 sealed.

There may be a "S" in front of the three numbers like S696ZZ, it stands for Stainless, this does not effect the sizing and my not appear at all. You have a choice of quality when it comes to bearings, I suggest getting the best ones you can afford, Ceramic Stainless Steel Shielded Dry Premium ABEC-5 Miniature Ball Bearings are what I went with for my repair and are good quality.

Edit, 4 DEC 2013:

❗️From our discussion thread, most people who have performed the replacement found the cheaper stainless steel bearings run quieter than the ceramic bearings. The SS bearings may not last as long but one of the the goals here is to make the dry side as quiet as possible.The decision is yours.

Remember: You need two bearing units.


NOTE: The numbers on your bearings may be different from the ones shown here.

 

You can order bearings online from VXB Bearings vxb.com or another online store you prefer. I had very good service from VXB Bearings. I leave it to you. Bearings do not come lubricated, in the case of my ceramic bearings, they needed a special bearing lubricant to make them run next to silent. You may want to inquire at time of order what you need.


Please read regarding ceramic bearing lubrication.




Section Three: Removing old bearings from centre motor shaft.



Note: If you are performing this repair in two phases, you will need to repeat
Section One first after receiving your replacement bearings.


Place the centre motor shaft in the freezer for 30 minutes. Take care not to damage this part and the magnet. After 30 minutes remove the centre shaft from the freezer and immediately, using your hands only (DO NOT USE TOOLS), pull the bearing units off the shaft one at a time. You need to pull quite hard but they should come off without too much effort.

It will be easier to insert the NEW bearings at this time as well if possible. Make sure they are fully inserted into place before moving to the next step.










Section Four: Reassembly and Testing of the MP10 Dry Side.


Reminder: If a bearing lubricant needs to be applied to the bearing units,
this needs to be done before assembly.


After inserting the new bearings onto the centre shaft as described in section three, you can now reassemble the motor unit taking special care to replace all washers and screws in their original places. Take your time with this step.

Once the motor assembly is fully reassembled you can test the motor to see if it is functioning properly. Do this before screwing it into the plastic housing, as if there is a problem it is easier to trouble shoot now.



Warning: Take care when plugging in and testing the motor unit, there are
moving parts and electricity exposed, keep away from water.



If the motor is running smooth then proceed to the next step of assembly.

Screw the motor unit to the plastic housing and replace the Ecotech sticker. Now you need to glue the plastic cover back on to the main housing. I recommend using a small amount of plastic glue for this. Take care not to get glue in the motor areas. I would then secure the plastic cover to the housing with tape until the glue dries.





NOTE: You can remove the tape in a day, after the glue has set.





Now you can attach the pump dry side/wet side to the aquarium as recommended by the Ecotech manual.






Congratulations, your done. Now enjoy your quiet running Ecotech Vortech MP10 ES for years to come.


NanoTopia, Ecotech, and Nano-Reef.com take NO responsibility for the outcome of your repair. This guide was written by a non-professional to help guide others who may not be able to replace the dry side with a new factory part. None of the above mentioned are in any way affiliated with Ecotech Marine, VXB Bearings, or J&L Aquatics Canada. All photographs are copyright 2012 NanoTopia and may not be copied or reproduced in any manor either in whole or part.


Your comments and suggestions for this guide are welcome.

[racer_X_123]

Thanks, I am going to have to do this if all goes well in the next 3 days!

[ecajoe]

Zz means dual steal guard's and 1560 is the size the 696 is a bearing option number if it helps I work in industrial service

[NanoTopia]

Thanks, I am going to have to do this if all goes well in the next 3 days!

Did you perform the repair, if so, how did it go?

 

Zz means dual steal guard's and 1560 is the size the 696 is a bearing option number if it helps I work in industrial service

Thanks for the clarification, the bearings on my Ecotech Vortech motor did indicate a R-1560ZZ as well as the 696 but I did not find suppliers using the R-1560 number in my search for bearings. It may come in useful when searching for bearings with some suppliers however.

[ecajoe]

Yea the 1560 produces a ton of hits but thell option you the zz being that's just steel shielded both sides one z one side lol oh and and drop the r will get more hits

[NanoTopia]

Yea the 1560 produces a ton of hits but thell option you the zz being that's just steel shielded both sides one z one side lol oh and and drop the r will get more hits

Good to know, thanks

[racer_X_123]

No, I lost the auction on ebay and it went for like $65 so after I pieced together a whole set it was going to cost me more than a brand new one would have

[Lawnman]

How about a sticky in the do it yourself mods?

[ajmckay]

Most excellent write up. I don't have a Vortech but I was curious as to what was inside.

 

This will undoubtedly help out many people since the MP10 is so popular. It isn't going to help their insane resale value though...

[NanoTopia]

How about a sticky in the do it yourself mods?

I think that is a good idea

 

Most excellent write up. I don't have a Vortech but I was curious as to what was inside. This will undoubtedly help out many people since the MP10 is so popular. It isn't going to help their insane resale value though...

Thanks, I hope it helps, especially international customers who really don't have much support from Ecotech on this matter.

[jedimasterben]

After replacing my second set of bearings in an MP10 yesterday, I'm two for two with what I'd consider failures. The dry side is still incredibly loud, but the noise is simply a different tone than it was on the old bearings.

 

The microphone on my phone didn't pick everything up 100%, especially on the 'after' video, but the results were about the same, just no grinding.

Before

 

 

After

 

 

The first MP10 I replaced the bearings on last year ended up with the same results. No grinding, but still loud as hell. Both times I used the same bearings - SMR147C-YZZ ABEC 5 ceramic hybrid (housing is stainless steel, balls are ceramic) radial bearings from Boca Bearings. http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing-inventory/Radial-Bearings/8214/7x14x5-SMR147CYZZ5NB2

And after reading through the thread on RC, redfishblewfish sums up the MP10 bearing change failures and successes (see here) in that ceramic hybrids don't seem to reduce the noise, just change the tone.

 

It seems that sealed (not shielded like most bearings), stainless or chrome ABEC 1 bearings are the best to use for this application. I will be ordering some different ones and will report back with my findings.

[NanoTopia]

After replacing my second set of bearings in an MP10 yesterday, I'm two for two with what I'd consider failures. The dry side is still incredibly loud, but the noise is simply a different tone than it was on the old bearings.

 

The microphone on my phone didn't pick everything up 100%, especially on the 'after' video, but the results were about the same, just no grinding.

Before

 

 

After

 

 

The first MP10 I replaced the bearings on last year ended up with the same results. No grinding, but still loud as hell. Both times I used the same bearings - SMR147C-YZZ ABEC 5 ceramic hybrid (housing is stainless steel, balls are ceramic) radial bearings from Boca Bearings. http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing-inventory/Radial-Bearings/8214/7x14x5-SMR147CYZZ5NB2

 

And after reading through the thread on RC, redfishblewfish sums up the MP10 bearing change failures and successes (see here) in that ceramic hybrids don't seem to reduce the noise, just change the tone.

 

It seems that sealed (not shielded like most bearings), stainless or chrome ABEC 1 bearings are the best to use for this application. I will be ordering some different ones and will report back with my findings.

 

 

 

Jedi, did you use a bearing grease? Ceramics need them too. After my change, the dry side is remarkably quite, even a year later.

[jedimasterben]

These bearings were pre-greased, and my grandpa put a little more on them. The bearings I have on the way now are stainless steel and are rubber sealed, so no grease needed for the life of the bearing (as long as they do not get too hot). I'm very surprised that your bearings are quiet with as loud as the ceramic hybrids are for me and many others.

[NanoTopia]

These bearings were pre-greased, and my grandpa put a little more on them. The bearings I have on the way now are stainless steel and are rubber sealed, so no grease needed for the life of the bearing (as long as they do not get too hot). I'm very surprised that your bearings are quiet with as loud as the ceramic hybrids are for me and many others.

Not sure why mine are so quiet but they cost $60 for two, is this about what you paid. How long have they been running, I know mine were louder for a couple of days but got quiet after that.

 

S696ZZ Bearing 6x15x5 Ceramic Stainless Steel Shielded Dry Premium ABEC-5 Miniature Ball Bearings

[jedimasterben]

$30 each is a crapload of money for ceramic hybrids. They should be around $12-15 each for 687 size. The ones you had pictured above are normal ceramic hybrids, stainless steel shields and ceramic balls. Full ceramic are around $60 each.

 

I let it run overnight at 100% and it sounded identical to how it did as soon as they were changed out. (I say overnight, but I literally slept 12 hours, in addition to the 6 hours it was already running for after I changed them)

[NanoTopia]

$30 each is a crapload of money for ceramic hybrids. They should be around $12-15 each for 687 size. The ones you had pictured above are normal ceramic hybrids, stainless steel shields and ceramic balls. Full ceramic are around $60 each.

 

I let it run overnight at 100% and it sounded identical to how it did as soon as they were changed out. (I say overnight, but I literally slept 12 hours, in addition to the 6 hours it was already running for after I changed them)

I ordered them from VXB bearings. I understand there are different ratings for the hybrids, these are the ones I went with :

 

S696ZZ Bearing 6x15x5 Ceramic Stainless Steel Shielded Dry Premium ABEC-5 Miniature Ball Bearings

 

ABEC-5 are the better ones...?

 

Couldn't find any in Canada so I ordered from USA. Well I am happy with them so I don't feel too bad if I paid too much.

 

I would give them a few days and see if they smooth out.

[jedimasterben]

The ABEC rating is how tightly they are within their tolerances, with higher numbers being tighter (up to ABEC 7). ABEC 5 and above are almost exclusively ceramic hybrids, and AFAIK all full ceramics are ABEC 7.

 

Also, the bearings on mine are 7x14x5, strange that they would change them on the same pump. The last one I changed, though, were 6x15x5.

 

I'm surprised they worked well for you, but hey, maybe you got lucky

[NanoTopia]

Where did you order yours from?

[jedimasterben]

Boca Bearings.

[CrazyEyes]

I was suprised how easy it was to replace the bearings in these things. I ordered mine from a local bearing supplier. I've heard people say they use that size well, the 7x14's in rc cars/trucks and in fishing reels. I know nothing about bearings myself but, I was told the ceramics although smoother and more efficient are noiser than regular stainless bearings, not sure how true that is.

[CrazyEyes]

That first video you posted Jedi sounded like some shit out of a horrow movie, that thing sounded terrible. I know things need replacing but I've always wondered why ecotech hasn't put higher quality bearings in their pumps from the factory.

[NanoTopia]

That first video you posted Jedi sounded like some shit out of a horrow movie, that thing sounded terrible. I know things need replacing but I've always wondered why ecotech hasn't put higher quality bearings in their pumps from the factory.

Everything comes from China these days. I was surprised as well with the quality, a bit disappointing really. I think Ecotech is having almost everything made in China now, along with the rest of the world. Apple products now say "Designed in the USA". I live in Canada, and all our Maple Syrup comes from China now LOL.

[CrazyEyes]

I just realized, this is the thread that gave me the confidence to do this on my own. Great write man.

[jedimasterben]

I was suprised how easy it was to replace the bearings in these things. I ordered mine from a local bearing supplier. I've heard people say they use that size well, the 7x14's in rc cars/trucks and in fishing reels. I know nothing about bearings myself but, I was told the ceramics although smoother and more efficient are noiser than regular stainless bearings, not sure how true that is.

They are definitely noisier, at least the hybrids are.

[jedimasterben]

Finally got my rubber sealed chrome bearings from VXB installed.

 

 

New phone used to take this video than the last two, mic picks up more noise - but I can't hear it spinning unless I put my ear up to it.

 

Winnar winnar chickan dinnar.