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Pump won't start, please help

Z

Zildjian26

n00b
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Messages
8
I've already searched here and other forums, so don't flame. I just setup my new all swiftech watercooling system last night. The only problem I have is that the MCP650 pump doesn't always start-up when I turn on the power. It justs makes a weird noise, and literally vibrates and moves around at the bottom of my case (I haven't secured it, yet). To get it to start-up, I have to turn the power off, and then quickly turn it back on again. If I turn the power off for just a second or two, and then back on, the pump does the same thing. Sometimes it will come on as soon as the power is turned on, maybe every 5-10 tries. Do I have a bad pump? Anyone else ever had this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Sounds like it's not getting enough power during startup. Startup time is when any electicral component draws the most power. One reason might be that your PSU is at its max operating load for your system. Another might be that there are to many other components on the same power lead (to many splitters). Try running the pump off a power line of it's own if possible, that will tell you if it's getting the correct startup power. You can also try disconnecting some extra components from your PSU, like CCL lights, extra drives and so on. If the pump then starts up correctly, you have either a weak or overloaded PSU.

Swiftech says that the pump draws this much power, make sure your PSU can take the load.
Nominal power (@ 12 V) 24 W

Nominal current (@ 12 V) 2 amps
 
Did your pump come with a molex adapter on the end already? My Danger Den D4, which is the same pump, came with bare leads and I had to wire it up to a molex connector. Make sure you have the positive lead in the right hole on the connector. If it isn't, then you may not be supplying it with enough power.
 
Is the watercooling loop fully filled and blead.
If you have an air lock then all the pump may be doing is cavitating hence the vibrations and noise.
By stopping and starting it quickly you may be getting water past the lock and once it starts flowing then the system runs ok.

Luck........... :D
u=Tigerbiten.gif
 
Thanks for the input, specific responses are below. Also a little update: after I made the original post this morning, I tried turning the pump off and on a few times, leaving it off for several seconds. It did come back on with one try, but it still "stuttered" for a split second before it kicked in.

Bio-Hazard said:
Sounds like it's not getting enough power during startup. Startup time is when any electicral component draws the most power. One reason might be that your PSU is at its max operating load for your system. Another might be that there are to many other components on the same power lead (to many splitters). Try running the pump off a power line of it's own if possible, that will tell you if it's getting the correct startup power. You can also try disconnecting some extra components from your PSU, like CCL lights, extra drives and so on. If the pump then starts up correctly, you have either a weak or overloaded PSU.

Swiftech says that the pump draws this much power, make sure your PSU can take the load.
Nominal power (@ 12 V) 24 W

Nominal current (@ 12 V) 2 amps
Click to expand...

I''m running an Antec Neo 480W PSU, and the only things connected to it are the pump, four fans, and two CCL's. I figured that should not be overloading the PSU, but I didn't consider having multiple items on the same lead. I'll try putting the pump on a dedicated lead, it's easy to do with the Neo being a modular PSU.

cnealjr said:
Did your pump come with a molex adapter on the end already? My Danger Den D4, which is the same pump, came with bare leads and I had to wire it up to a molex connector. Make sure you have the positive lead in the right hole on the connector. If it isn't, then you may not be supplying it with enough power.
Click to expand...

Yes, it has the molex built in.

Tigerbiten said:
Is the watercooling loop fully filled and blead.
If you have an air lock then all the pump may be doing is cavitating hence the vibrations and noise.
By stopping and starting it quickly you may be getting water past the lock and once it starts flowing then the system runs ok.

Luck........... :D
u=Tigerbiten.gif
Click to expand...

Yes, the loop is filled and bled, at least I think it is. The pump ran all night with fluid flowing freely through the loop, and sloshing around in my res like mad. Can someone please define "cavitating"? There are tiny air bubbles that build up in the larger 1/2" ID line feeding the pump, but I don't think that would cause a problem, at least not the problem I'm experiencing.
 
Zildjian26 said:
*snip*

Yes, the loop is filled and bled, at least I think it is. The pump ran all night with fluid flowing freely through the loop, and sloshing around in my res like mad. Can someone please define "cavitating"? There are tiny air bubbles that build up in the larger 1/2" ID line feeding the pump, but I don't think that would cause a problem, at least not the problem I'm experiencing.
Click to expand...


Any buildup of air is going to cause cavitation and you simply cannot have that in a system which starts and stops; Cavitation in a dead-stopped system causes the pump to 'pump' air, and that will kill it a lot faster than pumping water. Bleed it properly and that may solve your problem.
 
Maybe the res is the problem. IF its not filled enough or if the outlet line is just too near the surface level of the water you can be getting air going into the lines no matter how much you bleed it.
 
MikeP said:
Maybe the res is the problem. IF its not filled enough or if the outlet line is just too near the surface level of the water you can be getting air going into the lines no matter how much you bleed it.
Click to expand...

i think that's happening to mine...cuz no matter how long i bleed it (24 hours) there are like tons of bubbles, mostly hanging around my GPU block inlet...how do i get rid of these? i tried pinching the tubing and that moves them, but they just come back...
 
A friend of mine has a plexi bay res and his water level was low enough that you could actually see the outlet tube above the water every so often when it was turbulent. Obviously he was getting lots of air into his system this way. We fixed it by putting very small pvc pipe into the fill hole that was about 3" long. Sealed it at the bottom of the pipe and added a cap at the top. When he refilled the system he filled the pipe up right up to near the top. Added water as it bled and ended up with the pipe filled almost up to the top with water. Not only is there no air in the tubes. Theres no air in the res at all. This only works if you have room to put in a pipe of course. Took a hella long time to bleed tho.
 
to trap air bubbles you can use some of that open cell foam that comes with some pumps....just stick it in the res and the bubbles will cling to it.......at least that's been my experience with it. :D
 
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