long shot - aquamist forum members here?

[GreenV8S]

I'm trying to get help via the Aquamist support forum accessible from their home page http://www.aquamist.co.uk/ but I just get a php error page telling me "SQL Error : 145 Table './aquadb/phpbb_sessions' is marked as crashed and should be repaired". Which sounds pretty fundamental to me.

But I hear third hand that the forum is still up and active.

Is there anyone here who uses that forum who could tell me whether you can access it at the moment?

[stevieturbo]

no worky

[leorest]

http://www.aquamist.co.uk/ said:

phpBB : Critical Error

Error creating new session

DEBUG MODE

SQL Error : 145 Table './aquadb/phpbb_sessions' is marked as crashed and should be repaired

INSERT INTO phpbb_sessions (session_id, session_user_id, session_start, session_time, session_ip, session_page, session_logged_in, session_admin) VALUES ('e4df164510b5fcffcbe6c3a5392b9fdb', -1, 1229096095, 1229096095, '5604b4d7', 0, 0, 0)

Line : 187
File : sessions.php

That's what I see...

[GreenV8S]

Thanks for trying it. Hopefully somebody will be calling me later so I'll let them know I'm not the only one with the problem. Cheers.

PS Anyone any good at fixing Aquamist pumps? Mine is broken.

[leorest]

If it draws a normal or slightly high current it may just be jammed.
If it's blowing fuses or not drawing any current at all then suspect wiring or open/short windings. Depending on the fuse ratings a jam could pop fuses.

I know it doesn't sound very technical but have you tried tapping it with a rubber mallet? The shock might be enough to temporarily free it off which would give you a clue to what the problem is. Also assuming it is a DC motor (fairly safe assumption given the application) you could reverse the power which would reverse the rotation and aid freeing off.

HTH

[GreenV8S]

It's not a DC motor. To be honest I'm not sure quite what it is. The mechanical parts of the pump are contained in a tube which has no external mechanical or electrical connections. Wrapped around the outside of it is what appears to be a big coil, and a small electronic module that drives the coil. The pump produces a constant very harsh hum, and I think the coil is producing an alternating magnetic field which is making the piston oscillate. This plus a couple of one way valves would be enough to produce a simple pump.

It sounds very muffled now and produces a flow which is only about 10% of what it should be and after a minute or so gradually fades away to nothing. Switch it off for a few hours and it works again for a minute or so ...

To my mind this feels like an electronic breakdown in the output stage of the driver.

[chrispitman]

If the electronics are breaking down dose the unit start to get hotter than normal.

[GreenV8S]

chrispitman said:

If the electronics are breaking down dose the unit start to get hotter than normal.

Not obviously, but it's got quite a bulky heatsink around it and it would have to be quite a substantial increase to be noticeable. It does get a bit warm, but not hot.

[leorest]

GreenV8S said:

chrispitman said:

If the electronics are breaking down dose the unit start to get hotter than normal.

Not obviously, but it's got quite a bulky heatsink around it and it would have to be quite a substantial increase to be noticeable. It does get a bit warm, but not hot.

The fact that water is not moving through probably means it is getting hotter than normal as the water would take some of the heat with it?