heaters

Hi all

Happy new year to everybody

I have a heater with an electronic thermostat. Does qany one know if this is still available in the trade because I went to pet shops in cape town but could only find the heaters with bi-metal thermostats. I found that the heaters with electronic thermostats is more accurate

Nick van der Berg

 

Hi
I know of the Tetra HT series but it is VERY expensive,like about R1000.00 for a 200W heater.

 

I thought all heaters nowadays had them. Please explain the difference.

 

Bi-Metal thermostats work with physical switching where electronic thermostats, as the name suggests, use electronic switching.

Bi-Metal thermostats contain a thin metal guage that bends/curves under certain conditions. When the temperature exceeds a certain range, the contact is broken and the heater turns off. As the metal cools, is returns to its original position, reengaging the connection. Its a very crude, old technology but unforunately, very inexpensive to fabricate.

 

Think I have some of those actually Do they look like this?

 

Thats the Bi-Metal contacts yes.

 

Thought these were outdated!? Have about 5 ranging from 25w to 150w. Unfortunately they are clip on heaters.

 

Nope still in use.They just dress them up nicely nowadays.
Most,if not all of the cheapies still use bi-metal plates.

 

So are they reliable? Use 1 every now and then.Nice size for a 1ft tank.

 

They are,up to a point.I prefer to replace mine every two years or so.
The more they "work" i.e. contacts opening and closing, I would say they need to be replaced more often.

 

Why dont you guys just use Jager heaters?

 

I do but only in my show-tank.
I will upgrade all of them(one-by-one),but costs involved is way too much at this stage.
24 x 60cm tanks and 12 x 45cm tanks = FORTUNE.:sick:

 

ok - i was just wondering as you said you replace them every 2 years... i have a box full somewhere in my fishroom....

 

Jagers?

German engineering.
Jager heaters,Mercedes Benz.............................

 

Where in cape town can i get hold of them and what does they cost??

 

All good pet shops should have them. they are much more expensive than the cheapies

 

Hmmm... might just be worth investing in a decent one then. I just thought of something: A bi-metal heater uses mechanical contacts. Say for instance the moment the contact is made, a small arc causes the contacts to stick, how hot can a 300W heater really get? Will I end up with steamed fish?

 

You most certainly will end up with par boiled fish. I had a 150lt tank that this happened in with a 200w heater. Thermostat must have stuck on during the night sometime and the meat was already falling off the bones of the fish by the time I realised what had happened 6 beautiful angel fish perished that day.

 

What? Now I'm worried... I'll hate to boil my new Severum eggs before they hatch!

 

I would be more concerned about the mating pair that produced the eggs