My Opinion on All in One Electronic Thermostat Heaters

[kris2341]

Simply put, get that junk outta here...

As technology get more advanced we want to use it to do more things with precision and accuracy, take our heaters for example...

But before the elaboration, here's a nub's explanation of heater history:

In some age before I was born, apparently there were no such things as thermostat heaters and then people had to plug and unplug them to keep their fish warm. Sounds awful...

Eventually thermostat heaters came around that used something like a simple bimetal thermostat to keep water at a constant temperature and things just got better from there...

Then, very recently, we started to see electronic temperature controllers being used in many domestic and industrial applications, naturally eventually winding up in aquaculture and aquariums, mostly as an external unit with a probe and a connection to a heating element. Overall, very good stuff!

THEN, at some point, some guy, or group of guys had a BRILLIANT idea to replace the tried and true bimetal thermostat of the tube heater with an electronic thermostat. And EVERYONE jumped on the idea and many people made a killing and the users were very happy with their razor sharp temperature controls, at the beginning anyways... Certainly the idea looks great on paper, until you consider just how harsh of an environment the aquarium ACTUALLY IS. The natural enemy of electronics are heat and water, you are essentially sticking a sensitive electronic controller in a tube environment that is constantly under water pressure, prone to leaks and condensation as well as a very large amount of heat from the element below it.

Since these heaters have plenty of air volume in them, when it gets warm, naturally more pressure will build and when it cools, it subsides. This is a frequent cycle and the bodies of the heaters have knobs and buttons etc. that are watertight but NOT airtight. Minute amounts of air can escape eventually creating a slight vacuum or lower pressure area where water can pass through if there is enough pressure difference in the tube to defeat the seals on the heater. Water will eventually enter the tube due to these temperature fluctuations. I tend to call it condensation, but that is a bit inaccurate.

Simply put, once the water gets in, its over! At least for electronic heaters, but this happens ALL THE TIME.

Thermostat heaters have more time because the thermostat elements need to actually corrode first. As long as there isnt a direct water connection to the interior, there is no risk of shock. The heater can potentially run in this state for YEARS depending on how resistant the innards are.

If you want an electronic thermostat, get an external discrete thermostat and probe and be done with it!

[sdrexler078]

So if you needed to run multiple heaters in a tank what would you use. And I have to disagree with this because I've had a controller for along time and will be getting more when I get more tanks

[kris2341]

So if you needed to run multiple heaters in a tank what would you use. And I have to disagree with this because I've had a controller for along time and will be getting more when I get more tanks

An external heater controller of course! I would make sure to install it in a place FAR from the elements and have a probe in the water to sense the temperature. The controller would then be connected to normal thermostat heaters calibrated for 2 degrees above my controller setting.

Looking at what you are saying, you probably didn't read this thoroughly at all since you brought up controlling multiple heaters. I personally like external temperature controllers, what I DON'T like are designs that put the delicate temperature controller INSIDE the aquarium heater body where it is submerged, exposed to heat, pressure, and inevitably, leaks. Think designs like Fluval Es, Cobalt Neotherms, Finnex HPS, etc. Keep the sensitive controller outside of the water where it can do the job best!

[Tankster]

So if you needed to run multiple heaters in a tank what would you use. And I have to disagree with this because I've had a controller for along time and will be getting more when I get more tanks

I am using the ETCI-1R20A with 2 titanium heaters (no internal controller). You can run 2 heaters off of this controler.
Jehmco ETCI-1R20A

[sdrexler078]

I am using the ETCI-1R20A with 2 titanium heaters (no internal controller). You can run 2 heaters off of this controler.
Jehmco ETCI-1R20A

That's actually the same one I use

[kris2341]

I am using the ETCI-1R20A with 2 titanium heaters (no internal controller). You can run 2 heaters off of this controler.
Jehmco ETCI-1R20A

Nice controller, I have their ETCI-IR model, no 20A plugs here

[sdrexler078]

I am using the ETCI-1R20A with 2 titanium heaters (no internal controller). You can run 2 heaters off of this controler.
Jehmco ETCI-1R20A

That's actually the same one I use. And kris I did read it but it was too early to comprehend lol. I thought you were talking about all electronic thermostats

[YSS]

External heater controller is the best way to eliminate heater disaster. But I suppose heater controller could fail, too...

[kris2341]

External heater controller is the best way to eliminate heater disaster. But I suppose heater controller could fail, too...

This is why I always recommend Jagers with external controllers. You got 2 controllers in 1 sleek package! 1 backs up the other. And finally the external controller is right where it should be, outside the water.