Needle wheels for Turboflotor 1000

[Joey P]

Hello...about 2 years ago I purchased a Turboflotor skimmer. It has
worked fine but lately it is not producing enough bubbles. I ordered
a new RIO 2100 pump from Champion and I installed it today. It really
hasn't made a difference. Is there a chance I need a new needle
wheel? It doesn't look like they can wear out.

I know some people use other pumps without the needle wheels and the
paddle wheels work fine. I prefer to stick with my RIO (I know they
aren't really highly regarded).

[Henry Etteldorf]

I have been running a TurboFlotor 1000 for several years. I am still
running the original needle wheel. I have never seen any damage to mine.
There has never been any significant buildup on it. So check yours but it is
probably fine. My air intake plugs up with salt buildup every week or so.
If you allow it to get very plugged it can be a dickens of a time cleaning
out. I use a syringe from Fleet Farm to force water through it at least
once a week. The syringe fits on the end of the air line perfectly. I such
water into the syringe through the air line then expel it back out through
the air line. Fron the time it takes the syringe to fill with water I can
judge how plugged the air intake is.

Bubble action can become almost non-existant with the airline plugged.
Since staring this bi weekly maintenance I have not had to clean the salt
out of the "venturi".

Henry
"Joey P" > wrote in message
om...
> Hello...about 2 years ago I purchased a Turboflotor skimmer. It has
> worked fine but lately it is not producing enough bubbles. I ordered
> a new RIO 2100 pump from Champion and I installed it today. It really
> hasn't made a difference. Is there a chance I need a new needle
> wheel? It doesn't look like they can wear out.
>
> I know some people use other pumps without the needle wheels and the
> paddle wheels work fine. I prefer to stick with my RIO (I know they
> aren't really highly regarded).