Heater Controller

[jandb]

Hello. I'm having trouble with my Ranco HTC and am looking for a replacement. I hardwired this one and this time around I'd like an easy plug and play option. I run 3, 300 watt heaters. I'm concerned about picking one that I can easily get replacement probes when necessary
too. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[Rocksor]

Hello. I'm having trouble with my Ranco HTC and am looking for a replacement. I hardwired this one and this time around I'd like an easy plug and play option. I run 3, 300 watt heaters. I'm concerned about picking one that I can easily get replacement probes when necessary
too. Does anyone have suggestions?

I'm assuming your looking for one that can support all 3 heaters on one controller, and don't plan on spending over $200, so why not just get a ETC ranco that is pre-wired to a power strip?

http://www.rancoetc.com/ranco-etc-111000-000-prewired-digital-temperature-controller

 

[TheWolfman]

I have use a ink bird heater controller, it’s rated to 1000 watts. Plug and play programmable and you can calabrate it. There’s also low and high alarms. Best of all it was cheap. They do sell replacement probes but I haven’t needed to replace mine.

 

[esoxlucius]

Every past thread you look through regarding heater or temperature controller recommendations always throws up one common theme. That is, whatever one person says is great, another will say they've had nothing but bad luck with. I've never read a thread yet where everyone says that one specific heater or temperature controller is king and 100% problem free.

I've got a bee in my bonnet with the inkbirds at the minute. I've been let down by two inkbirds in as many months and yet I have an inkbird on another tank that is fine.....for now, though I have no confidence with it. Will I advise you not to use them on your tanks? Not for one minute, it's your call.

As far as i'm concerned at the minute heaters and temperature controllers are a pita. But I suppose my real frustration should be taken out on the dozens of manufacturers who can't get their sh#t together an manufacture a reliable product!!!

Rant over.

 

[squint]

Every past thread you look through regarding heater or temperature controller recommendations always throws up one common theme. That is, whatever one person says is great, another will say they've had nothing but bad luck with. I've never read a thread yet where everyone says that one specific heater or temperature controller is king and 100% problem free.

I opted not to get Inkbirds after reading a few too many complaints.

Thought about Rancos but I just keep buying Fluval Es. I think electronic heaters will fail off. I had a Tronic that did that years ago.

 

[monkeybike]

I think a lot of the issues are from probe failures, they really need to be coated or sleeved

 

[fishdance]

Living in Australia, I am more concerned with heaters sticking on and over heating than not coming on. It would take several days for temperatures to significantly drop for me.

So I use two heat controllers in series to reduce the chance of a heater staying on.

 

[jandb]

Living in Australia, I am more concerned with heaters sticking on and over heating than not coming on. It would take several days for temperatures to significantly drop for me.

So I use two heat controllers in series to reduce the chance of a heater staying on.

All good points. I set my heaters at 81 so if the controller fails they won't stay on at a higher temp than that. Does that make sense?

 

[esoxlucius]

All good points. I set my heaters at 81 so if the controller fails they won't stay on at a higher temp than that. Does that make sense?

Either i've misread your post or you have misunderstood how heaters are meant to work. If you set your heater at 81 and your heater does it's job properly it will switch itself on and off intermittently so your water is hovering around the 81 mark. If your heater fails and stays ON it won't keep your water at 81 just because you've set it at 81, it will go way beyond that and cook your fish.

 

[esoxlucius]

Edit above. My apologies, you are on about controller failure, NOT heater failure. So if your controller was to fail then you'd hope that your heaters would kick in and rescue you. I'm not sure though on this because if your controller fails but yet it's controlling your heaters then your heaters might not operate properly because they're being controlled by a faulty piece of equipment. Hmmm, can anyone else clarify this?