Heater Break Check

[elvispacman]

About a year ago i had a heater that by the looks of it was leaking something and kileld all my fish, i bought a rena heater that i used when i bought a 55 gallon tank, however the tank was cracked on one panel so i havent used it in a very long time, and its been sitting in my garage for a year at least.I was wondering if anyone knew how i could test the rena heater to see if itll leak. The heater that leaked was not a rena heater.I need the rena heater because i got a new 55 gallon but i dont want to risk killing all of my fishes that ive spent years growing.
So any way i can test the heater for leaks, breaks or anything of that sort

 

[importracer]

So you what you are saying is:

"you want to use the same heater that might of been leaking a year a go"--->If this is correct, do not do it!!!!!!!!!!Save about $20 and buy a 150W Jebo_jager heater.............

Any heater that is asummed to be "leaking" should not be used....................On the other hand, if you have a heater that you have not used for over year and want to test it, then buy a $3 thermomter from the local fish store.........Fill a bucket up with water and heat it up with the heater at question...........Throw the thermometer inside the bucket and read the temperature after 30 minutes, then two hours................

 

[aaronb]

He said the heater that possibly leaked isn't the one he wants to use. The only thing about using the bucket is if it's not close to what the heater is rated for won't it overheat the water?

 

[bbortko]

He said the heater that possibly leaked isn't the one he wants to use. The only thing about using the bucket is if it's not close to what the heater is rated for won't it overheat the water?

Heaters are either on or off, whether they are on or off depends on the temp of the water and the set temperature. If the heater is set for 80 once it gets a little over 80 it will shut off, the amount of water only determines the time needed to reach the desired temp.

 

[aaronb]

Heaters are either on or off, whether they are on or off depends on the temp of the water and the set temperature. If the heater is set for 80 once it gets a little over 80 it will shut off, the amount of water only determines the time needed to reach the desired temp.

I know that. I just think if you put a 1000 watt heater in a gallon of water by the time the heater had a chance to kick off the heating element would be too warm and the water would heat way above the set point. You do realize that if you have your heater set on 80 the actual heating element gets much hotter. I've burned my fingers trying to move one that was on, so I can attest to that.

 

[bbortko]

The thermostat works the same as the one in your house, once the environment being controlled reaches the set point the heater shuts off. The controlled environment won't go past the shut-off temp, the heating cycle will just be shorter with a larger heater.

 

[skjl47]

Heaters are either on or off, whether they are on or off depends on the temp of the water and the set temperature. If the heater is set for 80 once it gets a little over 80 it will shut off, the amount of water only determines the time needed to reach the desired temp.

Hello; I agree with this test method. Not sure if the heater is the submersible type or the hang on the side type from the first post. If submerged there should be enough water to cover the heater. If the other type, the water level should be above the heating element but not too high. Some of my hang on heaters have a witness mark indicating the max water level.

About the functioning heater burning a finger. The heater elements that I am familiar with have a coil of resistance wire some what like an incadescent light bulb, only thicker, or somewhat like an electric stove burner element, only much thinner. While on the wire does get very hot and the glass tube of the heater will be hot enough to burn your fingers. This is a normal part of their operation. I always unplug a heater for a while before moving or taking one out of the water. The ceramic core and glass tube can hold residual heat for several minutes. I once pulled a heater right after unplugging it and laid it on a plastic bag, it was hot enough to melt the plastic.
My heaters have a thin sheet of what I believe to be mica separating the heater element from the thermostat. My guess is that this is to help the thermostat sample the temperature of the water more than the direct heat from the wire element.

The initial post did not indicate the wattage of the heater in question. A 1000 watt heater seems a bit much for 55 gallons. Even so, if the thermostat functions properly it will shut off the heat element at the desired temp. The problem with a big wattage heater in a tank is when the thermostat gets stuck on, that much power will overheat the water very quickly. On 55 gallon and larger tanks I like to run two more modest heaters so that if one malfunctions the tank will not get too cold or is less likely to be overheated.

 

[aaronb]

With that type of heater though just because the thermostat kicks it off doesn't mean the heating element immediately cools off. It could take up to a minute for the element to cool down all the while the heat is continually absorbed by the water. A higher wattage heater gets warmer and has a larger heating element, so it'd have to cool down for longer from a higher temperature combined with the larger heating element there is more surface area to transfer heat to the water likely making it heat to a higher temperature.

You use a electric stove as an example. If you turn off the burner you can't touch it immediately. I wouldn't even touch one five minutes later. Why don't you put a quart pot on the stove and a gallon one both filled 3/4 full of water. Heat them both on 1/3 heat until they reach 100 degrees. Immediately turn off their burners as soon as they reach 100. Leave them setting on the burners and watch what the temperature of each pot of water does. I guarantee you that even though the heating element is off they'll both get warmer, but the small pot will get a lot warmer.

 

[skjl47]

With that type of heater though just because the thermostat kicks it off doesn't mean the heating element immediately cools off. It could take up to a minute for the element to cool down all the while the heat is continually absorbed by the water. A higher wattage heater gets warmer and has a larger heating element, so it'd have to cool down for longer from a higher temperature combined with the larger heating element there is more surface area to transfer heat to the water likely making it heat to a higher temperature.

You use a electric stove as an example. If you turn off the burner you can't touch it immediately. I wouldn't even touch one five minutes later. Why don't you put a quart pot on the stove and a gallon one both filled 3/4 full of water. Heat them both on 1/3 heat until they reach 100 degrees. Immediately turn off their burners as soon as they reach 100. Leave them setting on the burners and watch what the temperature of each pot of water does. I guarantee you that even though the heating element is off they'll both get warmer, but the small pot will get a lot warmer.

Hello; This sounds correct.

 

[elvispacman]

its a 150 watt
submersible
rena smart heater, its not that i think its leaking i just want to check if it is because i had a diferent heater that leaked and killed the fishes in my 20 gallon, the one i want to use was for the 55 gallon i had. i hacvent used it in a year so im worried if over time it may have degraded