0morrokh

What do I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help I'm freaking out my tank went from 76 to 81 overnight and my heater wouldn't turn off when I turned it way down so I had to unplug it all my fish seem fine but I am still freaking out what do I do?

0morrokh

Update: I got the thing to turn off. I set the temp at the normal place and plugged it in. Then I turned it way up and then turned it way down really fast. It turned off!!!!!!! I then turned it down to where it normally is again. Hopefully by the time the tank reaches 76 or so it will start flickering a bit, but now the tank is at 78. Fortunately all my fishies seem fine.

0morrokh

Another update: the dumb thing's responding better, but I can't get it to go below 78. I fiddled with the adjustments a little, and then finally did the same thing as before--turned it up and then down again, this time farther down. It turned off, which hopefully means it is set for a lower temp.
Why is this happening?? Help anyone?

moon317

Hey there,
Most simple heaters have a bi-metallic metal strip,coiled like a spring.The end of this metal coil touches a relay, which completes a circuit, turning a heater on. As the temp of the water increases, the metal coil will heat up and the coil will expand/unwind. Eventually, the metal coil will expand/unwind enough and it will lose contact with a relay, thus opening up a circuit so that no electricity can flow, which in turn turns a heater off. As the water cools, the metal coil contracts, until the metal coil once again touches the relay, completing a circuit, allowing electricity to once again flow to the heating element. Blah Blah Blah boring boring boring........

Cycling the heater set point as you did, moves the relay contact point closer and farther away from the coil/spring. I would keep the heater at the lower band, if the problem was it was heating too much. ( This means the coil wont have to unwind as much to turn the heater off.)
What I really would do would be to bag it, and go spend $12 on a new heater. Typically, these things dont get better.

As a side note.... My wife just stuck her head in and said i'm officially becoming a Dork, as I am on a fish website talking about electical circuits. I have to go do something cool now to redeem myself....I think I'll go make her a Martini..I'll show her Dork...Geeeessshhh!!! heeheeheehee

bullhorsetook

I always keep a spare heater around. I would suggest getting another.

Butterfly

I agree with bullhorsetook another heater is in order. I don't know how old it is but you don't want it to get stuck in the on position during the night or when you are away

Its ok moon317 we like dorks
Carol

Gunnie

Dorks? Yes we love dorks. I am proud to say that I am one also!

0morrokh,
You need to get a new heater. You will never be able to trust it again, and it's not worth it to keep using it when you could come home and all your fish are boiled because the tank is 95 degrees. I know we are all not made of money, but an unreliable heater is one of those things you don't play with.

moon317

Heehee.. Only the truly un-dorky can admit their dorky-ness.

0morrokh

Well...it's working again, as if nothing happened. I just have to turn it up a little because it is a little too low now.
The thing is that the heater is like brand new. Anyway it's not more than half a year old. And it's the best heater I could get (besides maybe one that costs 50 bucks for the smallest model :P). All the other heaters I tried didn't work at all. So then I tried the one I have now (Tetra Whisper 5-15 gallon), and it actually heated the water up. However, I actually had to delay getting fish because I couldn't get it set right. It kept going too hot or too cold. So now that I have it working right, I'm scared to get a new one, and have to go through the whole ordeal of getting the temp perfect, while there are fish in there. I'm sure the fluctuating temperatures would hurt the fish even more.
sigh I just don't know what to do

chickadee

Purchase Marineland Visi-Therm heaters (either the Deluxe or the Stealth) they run $15 - $35 and have lifetime warranties so keep your sales ticket. I buy two and if I need a new one I just turn one in for a free new one as it is under warranty forever. While I wait for a new spare I have the second one on hand to use. They are excellent and I have never had to replace one, this is only my plan. But I do have a back up for each tank just in case I need to launch my plan. It is a good way never to have to buy another heater.

Rose

0morrokh

I'll keep that brand in mind if I ever have problems again. The heater is working fine again, and I am actually having to turn it up since my room is so cold at night. I'll replace it if I have problems again.

BristolBulldog

Besides that heater sounding totally knackered, it sounds like it isnt a high enough wattage for the tank.i.e. the tank temp goes down at night when your heating os off. the heater should be keeping it within 1>2 degress. Not worth messing with, chuck it and get a new one.

Your temps could also be varying due to what water flow you haveinthe tank, and where you are taking your temps from?

0morrokh

Oh I got it solved a while ago, but thanks anyway. I now use Marineland Stealth heaters on all my tanks.

I believe the one I was freaking out about before ended up crashing again so I chucked it. All the fishies were fine. That was like a year ago though