how hot to heaters get?
- Thread starter jacksonpt
- Start date
T
tizzo
Guest
Yes it can touch other equipment. Heck, you can put a lighter flame under a water balloon and you will not damage the balloon. I've done it, it's true. It would only be damaging if it's dry.
windmill
Member
I don't about the lighter on the balloon tizzo. If the exterior was wet, it sounds feasable, but only for a second or two.
Ever NOT followed the direction on a heater package? Like not letting it cool enough before removing it from water? I did that once, lifted the heater out of the water just a few minutes after un-plugging it, noticed heat, and panicking - put it back under water......it basically exploded.
Ever NOT followed the direction on a heater package? Like not letting it cool enough before removing it from water? I did that once, lifted the heater out of the water just a few minutes after un-plugging it, noticed heat, and panicking - put it back under water......it basically exploded.
T
tizzo
Guest
Originally Posted by windmill
I don't about the lighter on the balloon tizzo. If the exterior was wet, it sounds feasable, but only for a second or two.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HOMEEXPTS/FIREBALLOON.html
I don't about the lighter on the balloon tizzo. If the exterior was wet, it sounds feasable, but only for a second or two.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HOMEEXPTS/FIREBALLOON.html
scsinet
Active Member
If a heater touches stuff, it usually doesn't cause problems, but aquarium heaters will destroy themselves if run in the open air because they are designed to be immersed in water.
Ergo, if you allow it contact equipment in such a way that they are not sufficiently cooled, they can distort and/or melt plastic surfaces, etc.
The smaller heaters don't cause as big of a problem because they just don't get as hot... if you are heating a 12g, I assume that the heater is give or take 50w... this should be okay, but I wouldnt press it against a plastic surface that contacts along the entire length of the heating coil area. It's the big boys... 300 watt, 500 watt, etc that really can cause issues.
In other words... touching is probably okay in your case, but laying against I'd try to avoid.
Ergo, if you allow it contact equipment in such a way that they are not sufficiently cooled, they can distort and/or melt plastic surfaces, etc.
The smaller heaters don't cause as big of a problem because they just don't get as hot... if you are heating a 12g, I assume that the heater is give or take 50w... this should be okay, but I wouldnt press it against a plastic surface that contacts along the entire length of the heating coil area. It's the big boys... 300 watt, 500 watt, etc that really can cause issues.
In other words... touching is probably okay in your case, but laying against I'd try to avoid.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by CGRANT
I had one of my cheapo heaters go bad on me and it heated the water to 100' I was lucky enough it was my heater for new batches of water, not the main tank heaters.
It may not make a difference now, but by chance, how much water were you heating with what size heater?
The reason I ask is that I thought I had a bad heater when I would heat new batches of saltwater in 5 gallon buckets with a 350 watt won heater. Then I found the water was getting to 100+ degrees. I set the heater aside (luckily didn't throw it out) and tried a 200w Jager. Same thing happened. I knew I didn't have two bad heaters in a row, plus the Won was brand new. I tried heating a 35 gallon barrel with the same won heater, no problems.
The only conclusion I have reached is that because the heaters were so ridiculously oversized, by the time the thermostat responds to the temperature change, it's already overheated the water... Just a thought... :thinking:
I had one of my cheapo heaters go bad on me and it heated the water to 100' I was lucky enough it was my heater for new batches of water, not the main tank heaters.
It may not make a difference now, but by chance, how much water were you heating with what size heater?
The reason I ask is that I thought I had a bad heater when I would heat new batches of saltwater in 5 gallon buckets with a 350 watt won heater. Then I found the water was getting to 100+ degrees. I set the heater aside (luckily didn't throw it out) and tried a 200w Jager. Same thing happened. I knew I didn't have two bad heaters in a row, plus the Won was brand new. I tried heating a 35 gallon barrel with the same won heater, no problems.
The only conclusion I have reached is that because the heaters were so ridiculously oversized, by the time the thermostat responds to the temperature change, it's already overheated the water... Just a thought... :thinking:
xdave
Active Member
A quick story, I used to be in charge of returns at a distributor. A lfs owner wanted to return a couple cases of 'defective' heaters. the glass was broken on all of them. He told me "the dang things got real hot, but they blowed up as soon as we stuck them in the water". DUH!!!