Drinkwell Avalon Ceramic Dog & Cat Fountain, 70-oz

For best performance, the fountain pump needs to be cleaned every two weeks. When cleaning the pump, we recommend cleaning the fountain and changing the filter as well. Multi-pet households may need to be cleaned more frequently.

How do I clean the fountain?

• Unplug the fountain, dump the water and disassemble the fountain.
• The fountain is dishwasher safe except for the motor and cord. Either wash in the top rack of your dishwasher or hand-wash these parts. If your dishwasher runs too hot, we recommend hand-washing. When hand-washing, use a bottle brush, aquarium brush, soft sponge, or brushes included in the Fountain Cleaning Kit and dish soap. (Please note: if you have the Avalon or Pagoda fountains, the filter housing is hand wash only. It is not dishwasher safe.)
• Remove the motor from the fountain.
• Lift the impeller (looks like a small white propeller) out of the motor. There may be a face plate cover over the impeller than can be pulled up with a coin or fingernail. Wash the impeller in soapy water, removing hair and other gunk that has collected around it.
• Pour soapy water inside the motor cavity and clean with a small round brush like the one found in the Fountain Cleaning Kit. A cotton swab or small toothbrush might work too, or anything that can reach all the way inside of the cavity.
• Rinse all parts well before returning to the fountain.
• Re-assemble fountain, replacing the filter and pre-filter as needed.
• Place the fountain where desired. Fill with water. Re-plug in fountain.

The pump is not working or the water is not flowing as much as it used to.

• Never let the water in the bowl get below the minimum fill level. This can cause the pump to overheat and stop functioning. When refilling the bowl, make sure to add water before turning the fountain on.
• Lack of regular cleaning may result in the pump becoming clogged with pet hair and food debris. The pump must be cleaned every 2 weeks to ensure proper function.
• Fill the fountain with water up to the max fill line.
• Ensure that the fountain is cleaned on a regular basis.

The fountain is too loud.

• A low humming noise is normal, but it should not be loud. Check the water level. If water level is too low then the pump will have to work harder causing it to be louder than normal.
• Unplug the fountain for 15 seconds. If the noise stops when plugged back in, it’s possible that some debris is caught on the impeller. Remove the pump and clean the impeller. Try rubbing a small amount of vegetable oil onto the magnetic pin with a Q-tip to lubricate the impeller.

There are black particles in the bowl. This is loose granulated carbon dust from the filter and is completely harmless for your pet to drink. Rinse the filter in cold water before placing it in the fountain to prevent this.

The fountain feels slimy.

• If you have multiple pets or dogs use the fountain, the slimy feeling may be caused by your pet’s saliva. Change the water and clean your fountain more frequently to prevent this.
• Make sure the fountain parts are rinsed thoroughly after cleaning the fountain. Soap residue may cause the sliminess.

The adaptor is warm to the touch. Unplug the fountain and plug it into a surge protector.

The fountain is leaking.

• Make sure the rubber cap is inserted correctly into the raised post. This rubber seal secures the electrical power cord to the inside of the bowl and prevents leaking.
• Sometimes water around the fountain is caused by pets drinking. Some pets are prone to spilling. Watch your pet when he drinks to see if this is the cause. If it is, you can purchase a fountain mat or other water-resistant mat to place under the fountain.

The fountain seems dirty even after cleaning. If there is a white chalky substance in the fountain, your fountain may have a mineral deposit build-up from hard water. To remove these deposits, clean the fountain parts with an 80% water, 20% vinegar solution. Rinse all parts thoroughly afterwards. Use filtered or purified water instead of hard tap water to prevent this.