Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions vertex rebuild

Can someone give me a hand? My vertex 1/4hp pondlyfe 1 compressor seemed to need an overhaul. The boil is getting wimpy and the sound coming from the case seemed louder last fall when I shut it down. I ordered the rebuild kit and finally got around to attempting the rebuild.

This was my first attempt and I followed the instructions and pictures very carefully. It seemed fairly simple. The parts were separated into different plastic bags which helped. But yet there were some times in the process where the parts I had on my unit didn't seem to match what was in the pictures. The description of the parts was not exactly clear.

I took it apart and checked and reassembled with new parts at least 5-6 times. Yet when I turn it on I must have done something wrong. The unit is much louder now than when I started and on one occasion I could not get the motor to turn over. I can get it to turn over freely by rotating the motor by hand.

I'm sure someone has done this before? Maybe I can PM them and use a video conference call or a phone call to inspect what I did and see if I did something wrong.

Where are the tricky parts of this rebuild?

Thanks in advance

I was able to get help from the Vertex service department. The instructions they send along do not have appropriately labeled parts, no exact description of where the parts go and the pictures of the important steps are missing or hard to see in the pictures.

Sean was able to walk me through it over the phone. I gave some suggestions on how they could improve the instructions including having better step by step, better labels and better pictures and he said that was one of his projects he was working on.

I will say if anyone needs help I'm happy to help them to save them the troubles I had. I was afraid the unit was shot and I had to pony up for a new compressor!

Fortunately I was able to get the tiny parts all where they go. The upgrade rebuild kit is better in that the new piston housing is truly Teflon coated and the wear surface that protects the piston edge from the housing it rides in is now a true Teflon cupped disk. The old setup was not properly setup to prevent sticking of the piston against the housing and it sort of self destructed on the wear surfaces.

I would highly recommend anyone with a vertex system who has the old non-Teflon wear surfaces consider getting the upgrade kit and attempting it. Sean said on most of their accounts they just schedule it and do it every 2 years under normal use. I only run my diffuser at night and only in the hot summer months (maybe 2-3 months of night time run time) I noticed less boil, less PSI and a louder clatter from the unit so decided to do it at the 5 year mark.

I'm told this should last as long as the first, but to keep an eye on noise, boil and PSI. Variables that affect life of the components is heat (ventilation is key) and moisture. Check air filter too of course.

I'm going to lengthen my power cord and air hose and move the compressor box more into the shaded woods on the edge of the pond. I'm mounting it on a platform (cut off 55 gallon drum about 24" high filled with foam) and then put the cabinet on top of a Styrofoam sheet to prevent vibrations/walking away) that should float during any future pond overflow events. If time, I may add a enclosure that would put it in a more protected hutch or box, but with good air flow around it and it being in the shade all the time I'm not sure what else a hutch or enclosure adds except shedding rain.

If anyone needs help let me know.