# SunSun canister filter died on me



## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

So I was always a big fan of sunsun filters and had my hw-404 (the big bastard) for over a year. I've always considered them a good choice for those on a budget. Well last week mine started making noise like it was sucking in air. I cleaned it out and cleaned and greased the oring. It sounded better but when I woke up the next morning I had a puddle around it. So I took it apart and realized an internal seal must have failed as water got up into the electronics. So I let the electronics dry out and plugged it in outside running with water into a bucket to see if I could get an idea where it was leaking. It ran for about an hour them the motor stopped turning. Taking it apart againg I see that the motor shorted and burned a hole through the impelled housing causing massive failure.

Lucky for me this is on my discus tank that had 2 #5 sponges in it that each are in themselves capable of bio for the 75 gallons. I was actually going to take out the canister as it was doing more harm than good in the tank trapping too much crap where now I can vacuum out the debris during my daily water changes. Still it sucks to toss the whole thing in the trash. Lesson learned.

Just thought I'd toss this out there.

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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Are you implying Sunsun was unreliable, unserviceable or to be aware of motor shorts?


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

I'm not implying anything LOL! I'm stating it failed spectacularly after about 1.5 years of service.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

lipadj46 said:


> I'm not implying anything LOL! I'm stating it failed spectacularly after about 1.5 years of service.


I mean for something that cost less than 100 bucks not a bad deal lol

"People who don't like bacon can't be trusted. - NWA-Planted"


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

Attack of the pimp club/fanboys LOL! 

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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

I hope my current filters last 1.5 years ....


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

I've had motors fail in other name brand canisters but not this final, they could be fixed this cannot 

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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

I have four SunSun HW-303B for two years. Luckily, I haven't had major problems. Minor problems - a basket that's stucked at the bottom of the canister housing, UV lamp goes out after a year, and occasional air coming out of the output tubing.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

On the bright side the UV lamp still worked. Anyone have a 304 or 404 that wants a new impeller? Just found my spare LOL!

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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Wait, did you run the motor dry for an hour? That'll kill it immediately and definitely cause the burning you saw, no water pump is meant to EVER run dry.

I would just buy a new motor top and toss the current one, definitely a lot cheaper than replacing the whole thing. That or hook it up unpowered to another canister filter inline if it won't leak.. That's what I did on my shrimp tank.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

HolyAngel said:


> Wait, did you run the motor dry for an hour? That'll kill it immediately and definitely cause the burning you saw, no water pump is meant to EVER run dry.
> 
> I would just buy a new motor top and toss the current one, definitely a lot cheaper than replacing the whole thing. That or hook it up unpowered to another canister filter inline if it won't leak.. That's what I did on my shrimp tank.


LOL! yeah that's how I test canister filters to look for leaks, dry... No it never ran dry I had it running in the back yard into a 5 gallon bucket of water to test it. As mentioned in the first post the motor melted a hole through the plastic into the impeller housing so there is a physical hole burnt into the filter. Guess I could JB weld it lol, but its a moot point as it went in the trash yesterday.


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## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

lipadj46 said:


> So I was always a big fan of sunsun filters and had my hw-404 (the big bastard) for over a year. I've always considered them a good choice for those on a budget. Well last week mine started making noise like it was sucking in air. I cleaned it out and cleaned and greased the oring. It sounded better but when I woke up the next morning I had a puddle around it. So I took it apart and realized an internal seal must have failed as water got up into the electronics.* So I let things dry out and plugged it in outside to see if I could get an idea where it was leaking. It ran for about an hour them the motor stopped turning.* Taking it apart againg I see that the motor shorted and burned a hole through the impelled housing causing massive failure.
> 
> Lucky for me this is on my discus tank that had 2 #5 sponges in it that each are in themselves capable of bio for the 75 gallons. I was actually going to take out the canister as it was doing more harm than good in the tank trapping too much crap where now I can vacuum out the debris during my daily water changes. Still it sucks to toss the whole thing in the trash. Lesson learned.
> 
> ...


Yep Lesson learned, maybe next time don't run it dry for an hr.
Filter will last you yr depends how you take care of it.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

In.a.Box said:


> Yep Lesson learned, maybe next time don't run it dry for an hr.
> Filter will last you yr depends how you take care of it.


I edited the op for the reading challenged. So please focus and read the entire thread. I did not run it dry. I let the electronics dry out as there was water in the motor compartment then ran it outside into a bucket full of water and it failed. Did not realize people would get so defensive about sunsun LOL!

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## WallaceGrover (Jan 15, 2011)

NWA-Planted said:


> I mean for something that cost less than 100 bucks not a bad deal lol
> 
> "People who don't like bacon can't be trusted. - NWA-Planted"


I'll stick to eheim if that's sunsuns business strategy, lol


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

WallaceGrover said:


> I'll stick to eheim if that's sunsuns business strategy, lol


Yeah next canister will be an eheim or fluval. I bought into the sunsun hype for a while there

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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

I have an Eheim Pro3 not in use anymore because the seal is worn or the clips doesn't have the resistance to hold the motor tight. I had it for at least 4-5 years now. I also have 2 other Eheim, a wet/dry and the classic canister that are unusable for whatever reason, they just stopped working when they were working at one point. It doesn't seem to strong enough to suck the water even with them primed properly...

They were all used before I used them but they all worked for while.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Want to sell any of those?


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## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

lipadj46 said:


> LOL! yeah that's how I test canister filters to look for leaks, dry... No it never ran dry I had it running in the back yard into a 5 gallon bucket of water to test it. As mentioned in the first post the motor melted a hole through the plastic into the impeller housing so there is a physical hole burnt into the filter. Guess I could JB weld it lol, but its a moot point as it went in the trash yesterday.


so the motor melted a hole through the plastics? 
The motor got that hot that it melt through the plastic?
Funny if there was water in there in the first place the motor wouldn't get that hot.
Maybe hot but not hot enough to melt the plastics.

So what your saying make no sense, first you say.. let it dry, run it for a hr now you say. Backyard 5g bucket. Lol 

How many bucket did you use in the first place?
I'm guessing 1?


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

In.a.Box said:


> so the motor melted a hole through the plastics?
> The motor got that hot that it melt through the plastic?
> Funny if there was water in there in the first place the motor wouldn't get that hot.
> Maybe hot but not hot enough to melt the plastics.
> ...



Good god man give it up, go troll someone else's thread please...


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