someone explain heaters to me

DarrylR

DarrylR

AC Members
Sep 17, 2007
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Either I been having bad luck with heaters or I am having worse luck. The tank is a 29 gallon tank, it has had plenty of 100W heaters time after time. No, they do not break seeing the light is always on. But the problem is the temp never goes up, and I have a digital reader to tell me the temp and the water is cold. I am setting the heaters to 75 Watts and my Digi thermometer reads 63.

I thought that they could have been tampered with and returned after long use. But all the heaters look spotless and brand new. Than one member posted about the internal chamber cyclinder coils weren't tightly wound up anymore thus the light is on but no heat.

I now have bought another 100 W heater, this one is inside of plastic so no one could have used it and sealed it back up. This is a Marineland Stealth Shatter Proof Heater and set to 75. It has been about 2-3 hours now and from 63 ever since I took out the other heater, it has lowered to 61.

All my other tanks heaters are fine and working, but this 29 gallon is very much cursed :/.
 
that is a demon tank LOL after the heaters have been running a while have you put your hand in the water and touched the heater and feel if they were warm to the touch so you know they are actually working ? just cause the light might be on i still now and then check the temp and feel the heater if i suspect it is defective i had a few the light came on but they didnt heat.
 
I have actually had this happen on stealths.

they are on and heating but not able to keep up with heatloss.

the heater should be warm to very warm when you touch it.

in my case the heaters were not.
I was able to adjust them and they worked but leaves me not trusting the heater so I ordered new.
one heater is less than 6 month old..I contacted marineland and they said they would replace the bad heaters. after I send them to them.
which is why I ordered new or I'd be without heaters.
 
Was scheduling for classes so I was able to get back to this thread, I will try out if I can feel warmth. I also stuck in another heater, light on but still around 61 last time I checked.

And this thermometer is only for that tank, I will also move it to another tank and try it out.

brb
 
Okay the digi thermeter orignally in the tank seems to be malfunctions seeing it stays around 62, I added a secondary (same brand) and is slow rising around 67. Both heaters set at 75.

Heater one with light on, is warm, I had to hold onto the heater just to make sure :/. Not my hand hovering around it.

Heater 2 is the new heater, no light so can't tell if the heater is on. I also held on to feel warmth. I also adjusted the new heater and heard a click at 77, and I guess that started up the heater to heat it up.

Never knew I would have so much basic problems with a heater lol. I will look at the tank in an hour and check temperature. And if it is around 75ish, I will take out the old heater. Wait another hour and check if the new heater is actually working.
 
Depending on the room temp, you may have to set the heater higher to get the temp you want. You may have to set it to 80 to get the tank upto 75 for example.
 
Hmmm...my first thought is to ask if there is an air duct near the tank. the movement of air over the tank will speed up any heat loss. Additionally, if it is near a poorly insulated window it will also lose heat since it is in a cold spot.
Additionally, what type of thermometer are you using, you said digital, but that doesn't say much. The best type IME are the glass ones that have a suction cup that stick on to the side of the tank.
Finally, depending on the placement of the thermometer and the circulation in the tank you could be getting an erroneous reading. I find it odd that multiple heaters would not work properly.
If you were closer, I'd offer you the stealth that I have that won't turn off, that'd solve the problem, but probably be too much the other direction :P
 
Well I left the new heater plugged in and the old heater plugged out. The digi temperature read 68. There is a window ledge that hits the right side of the tank but is upstairs and about 10 feet away. The front door hits the front of the tank but it is only 2 square window panes above the front door and is about 13 feet or so. No AC/heater duct is above or under the tank.
 
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