jinx Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 looks like my 2nd one in 3 years is on the blink, only comes on when i turn it up to its highest setting, am using a 300w tronic, so what is an ave life span. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Varies greatly. It is recommended they be changed every few years. I have a couple here still going after 10 years. Should get more than you are getting out of them though. Are you using a big enough one for the tank? Is it being overworked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 With heaters its typical that the themistat goes long before the heater. As it has a 'moving part'. The way it works is that a piece of metal heats and 'clicks' to turn the heater on, the 'clicks' back to turn it off. Its like when you push the side of a coke can in and it pops out. Eventually the coke can fatigues and no longer 'clicks'. The best way to prolong the life of the heater is to reduce the wear on the thermistat. The most common mistake made is that people buy 300W heaters for small tanks cause they are only another $1-2 different - WOW its twice as big for only $1 more... Use a heater that is going to stay on more consistantly, therefore reducing the thermistat useage. Power consumption remains the same and typically water temprature remains more consistant... Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 You said you had a Tronic heater, in that case these work differently to most other heaters. They are actually electronically controlled and don't use bi-metallic strip technology. Instead they use a thermal sensor that sits on the inside glass and monitors the water temperature. This feeds back to the electronics which regulates the flow of electricity to the heating coils. Theorectically, because they're electronically controlled, they should be less likely to fail as there's no bi-metallic strip to stick in the on or off position. The thermal sensor also shuts the heater off if it is lefted out of the water and the temperature of the glass rises rapidly, thus reducing the likelihood that the heater will shatter if you remove it from the tank while switched on. I've had one of these heaters for a couple of years and have had no problems with it. If it is on the blink you may have some sort of electronic problem? What temperature is the tank? are you sure that the heater is not coming on until it is turned up simply because the temperature of the water it is submersed in is high? What happens if you leave it in the tank for a long period of time, does it control the water temperature reasonably close to its set point? If not it may just be drift in the original calibration of the thermal sensor (all temperature sensors have a tendency to drift like this). If it has drifted you only have to really worry when the temperature you want has drifted outside the range of set points available on the dial. Just keep an eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 i olny ever had one heater die and that was a tronic too i got some heaters i been told from the 1970 and they sill work but not using them at the mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 The only elements I have had fail were Tronics, one after 5 months and its replacment after 2 weeks, never purchased another Tronic again. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryO Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 I can recommend Jager brand heaters. As part of my work, I clip a Jager heater into a tub and leave it running overnight, the next day it is removed and placed on the bench. The same heater has done the job for 5yrs, roughly in and out 1500 times. If thats not abuse I don't know what is. I've always kept a backup heater in my cupboard, where it also sat for 5yrs, until recently when I setup my first aquarium and used it with confidence in that. I think they are electronic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 thats good i been told the wost thing for a heater is truning it on and off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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