View Full Version : HELP! Are heaters submergible?
Finzzup
12-03-2002, 12:51 PM
I have a Whisper 50 watt, 8 inch heater. It says to make sure the water is ABOVE the 'water level' line on the heater, but it doesn't say how much of the heater to keep out of the water!!!
On the top, it has a dial -- I put it to 78 degrees and stuck in it the water using the suction cups. Can the whole thing go under the water?? It doesn't say on the box or in the directions.
HELP!
ArkyLady
12-03-2002, 12:54 PM
Not all heaters are fully submergible. If it doesn't say so on the box, then it probably isn't.
Lucky you finding a heater you can set to a specific temp at Wal-Mart! Wish mine had them :)
slipknottin
12-03-2002, 12:56 PM
hmm.... if the heater is designed to clip on the top of the tank, its not fully submersible.
if they just gave you two suction cups then it should be fully submersible.
TnCgal
12-03-2002, 1:04 PM
Thanks Slip, I was just about to say the same thing. :)
In some cases there is a clip at the top and you hang the heater over the top of the tank so that it dangles down into the water only up to a point... and then other times there are suction cups that allow you to submerse the entire unit down into the water.
Anton Wernher
12-03-2002, 1:27 PM
It is important to note that while a heater may be submersable(sp?) that does mean it can be operated in a possition other than vertical. I have a nice little story involving a cheap heater placed vertically. Needless to say it involves dead fish.
As far as I know, Whisper heaters are submersible. I have been using a 150W Whisper fully submerged for the last year with no problems.
Rook Bartley
12-03-2002, 2:42 PM
Anton, what happened to your cheap heater? I have a submersible heater and one of my fears is that it will spring a leak!
Finzzup
12-03-2002, 3:17 PM
The heater has two suction cups that hold it inside the tank. It's got a black, sleek-looking top and it has a dial at the top that starts at 68 degrees and then goes up. You can adjust the temp with a little turny-thing at the very top.
Looking more closely at the box, the pic on the box is slightly different from the one IN the box. There is also a bright red and white sticker that says "New and Improved - includes Adjustable Electronic Thermostat"
The website for this is at http://www.tetra-fish.com/home.html but I cannot get it to load in!!! And I'm on a super-speedy connection at work.
(Oh, and I meant to say: submersible - I think?) :rolleyes:
Ananda
12-03-2002, 3:19 PM
I've got a couple of those heaters. They need to stay vertical, and I've submersed mine completely. Usually, however, mine have a half-inch or so out of the water due to tank size and evaporation...
BTW, I don't recommend those heaters to anyone. They have a black film-type stuff on the outside of the heater, and the stuff flakes off!
O-man21
12-03-2002, 3:32 PM
Yes it is submersible.
Cichlid Woman
12-03-2002, 9:04 PM
Here's an easy way to tell: look toward the top of the tube on the heater to see if there's a line that says "Water Level." If there is, do NOT submerge the heater. It's designed to clip on the tank over the top and hang in the water. Just be sure your tank water level stays somewhere close to that line.
Isn't it true that submerging a non-submergible water heater can result in serious electric shock?!
-- Pat
I once made the mistake of taking the word of an lfs guy, without reading the box myself... anyway, i had gone into the store to buy a new submersible heater. He instantly grabbed one and I was on my way. I had this heater working, submersed and horizontal, for close to 8 months --no problems so far!
Then, one day I was reading the box, and I noticed that the heater had a "water line". So, I quickly pulled the heater out of the tank (after it cooled down), and i set it up vertically, with the water line, level with the water.
The **** thing has not worked properly since I moved it. I now can only rely on it when it isn't plugged in. I tried for weeks to get it to work properly -- no luck!
I'll be sure to inspect the box and the heater very carefully next time...
slipknottin
12-03-2002, 10:55 PM
Decz, what brand heater is that?
morleyz
12-04-2002, 6:53 AM
I don't want to encourage anyone to not read the box or do anything unsafe, but having a waterline doesn't necessarily mean it's not fully submersible. I have a rena cal 300W top light that is fully submersible and it still has a water line. The line is there simply to make sure you don't have it plugged in with water below that line as the heater may overheat and cause damage.
Finzzup
12-04-2002, 8:30 AM
This one does have a water level line and the directions say to make the the water is ABOVE this level. Putting it above the level makes about 1/2 of the top go into the water -- no other way about it.
It also is meant to be INSIDE the tank as it has two suction cups that hold it in place inside the tank. The picture (such as it is) on the directions shows the heater totally in the tank.
I think I've gotten it where I can at least keep the adjustable knob above the water, but if I were to put my hand in the tank, it will definitely be at risk for going under completely.
I'm starting to doubt everything I've gotten from Walmart! haha! Sure is strange that I cannot find any info on the products they carry... they have a "Galaxy" aquarium that is 5 gallons and about identical to the Eclipse. Has the Bio-wheel. But when I search for info on it, there is NOTHING. Same with this heater -- I finally got into the website through a remote way and this heater is not listed.
I'm going to keep an eye out for a new one that will give me peace of mind, I think!
Hey Finnz,
If you are going to get a heater, get the best, an Ebo Jager. Ebo's are the only aquarium equipment that I absolutely swear by, and you don't have to spend more for them. They are fully submersible and work both horizontally and vertically, plus they come with nice long cords...
Val
Originally posted by slipknottin
Decz, what brand heater is that?
Slip, it's a Proquatics Hyrdomatic Heater. 100 watts.
Originally posted by morleyz
I don't want to encourage anyone to not read the box or do anything unsafe, but having a waterline doesn't necessarily mean it's not fully submersible. I have a rena cal 300W top light that is fully submersible and it still has a water line. The line is there simply to make sure you don't have it plugged in with water below that line as the heater may overheat and cause damage.
yeah, i thought about that... so i searched online, and have only read that the kind I use can only be used vertically, and can't be submersed... feel like such a dork! lol.... :)
(Proquatics Hydromatic Heater)
Originally posted by val
If you are going to get a heater, get the best, an Ebo Jager... They are fully submersible and work both horizontally and vertically...
hi Val,
Are you sure the Ebos can be submerged horizontally?
I dared not try so when I read "Do not immerse beyond water level" below the control knob. :confused:
TnCgal
12-06-2002, 1:33 AM
Finzz,
I'm going to move this thread over to the General FW forum since this is not directly a beginner's question ! :)
125gJoe
12-06-2002, 4:34 AM
Originally posted by MMX
hi Val,
Are you sure the Ebos can be submerged horizontally?
I dared not try so when I read "Do not immerse beyond water level" below the control knob. :confused:
Are all Ebo Jagers like that??
online2
12-06-2002, 8:06 AM
I'm using Tetra Acura Aquarium Heaters, had 1 for about 2 years and other one is only couple of months never had any problems both are fully submersible, with a double-insulated power cord and I have mine with several inchs of cord in the water never had any problems doing this. I alway thought the water line meant to never let the water level go below this because the heater would overheat and break.
I have an Ebo Jager completely submerged. I don't recall if the directions said anything regarding this, I'd just seen it done many times before. I think from a product liabilty standpoint there is a bit of hesitation to come out and say Submerge The Heater.
kveeti
12-06-2002, 9:42 AM
TIMO, apart from the instructions, how about your Ebo heater itself? As stated by MMX, my 2 new ones have it clearly printed on the heater itself in yellow: "Do not immerse below water level."
On the old forums there was a thread about this, too, and people were saying that yes, they could be submerged anyway, it was just a liability thing.
Is this is something on old vs. new models? Or are there 2 different types?
Basically I don't mind mine upright with the dial out of the water - except for the fact that they are so gosh-darn TALL, they almost don't fit!
It's all just my conjecture. I doubt the Ebo folks have done anything other than improve their new models. But in this sue happy culture we have it's all about CYA as far as labeling.
Archer
12-06-2002, 12:33 PM
My Ebo Jager heater that I bought 2 years ago
has a label that says "Min. water level".
I take that as the water level can go above that level,
and make it submersible.
I'd say it depends on the type of heater you have.
And hopefully, you don't have any big aggressive fish
who likes to chew on heater power chords. :)
As far as Ebos go, they've made only two models over the past 6 years or so, and these are both fully submersible (I think these are the TL and TC monikers). I think the min water means that these heaters must be in the water, otherwise they'd overheat.
Val