Visi-Therm Stealth 'sploded!

[Tony]

So got home from work yesterday, went downstairs to feed the fish and saw a weird cap sitting in the middle of the 75 gallon tank.....

So what is this you ask? Welp, check this out....

So yeah. Heater was a Visi-Therm Stealth Pro (with the light), less that two months old... plugged it in the week before the ACA in the end of July.

Blew up mid-day, when the water was full. Any ideas? Ever seen one do this before?

I vacuumed out the bottom of the tank last night because there were little flecks of metal here and there (small glitter-sized particles). No idea if or how much of this the fish ingested before I got home, but not happy.

This tank contains some really nice oddball haps. Will be a tad cheesed off if they get sick.

Any ideas?

 

[SubMariner]

That really Sucks Tony!

I'm really surprised, those heaters are supposedly good, especially the new one's with the green light.

Must of been a bad one. I would contact the manufacturer and address the situation with them immediately.

Let them know that you are affiliated with the Capital Cichlid Association in the Washington DC Metropolitan area and I'm sure they'll be all ears.

Good Luck,


Richard

 

[cabinetmkr39]

Tony your not the first to have one explode, I've heard of 3 you being the forth.
Ben from our club had one blow up on him.
You should contact manufacture.

 

[msjinkzd]

if you do a google search, you will see this is hapening to LOTS of folks. I had it happen and it killed my tank of l46 (overheated first to a balmy temp of 120)

 

[fischfan13]

if you do a google search, you will see this is hapening to LOTS of folks. I had it happen and it killed my tank of l46 (overheated first to a balmy temp of 120)

As Rachel said, there is a definite history.
http://www.google.com/search?client...=visi+therm+heater+explode&btnG=Google+Search

 

[F8LBITE]

great! I just put one in one of my tanks 2 weeks ago!!!!

 

[bschuhart]

 

[bschuhart]

I'm starting to have second thought about the Stealth Pros, I'm ready to try the new Jagers. Loved the old green ones, still have one that's 25 years old.

I had one explode, one that stopped heating after 1 week, one that melted when a 20H bottom cracked and all the water leaked out (thought they were supposed to shut off out of water)


Send the heater back and they will send you anew one, takes about 3 weeks.

Send your broken heater, name, address, phone number and note explaining whats wrong (I said "the heater melted") to:

United Pet Group
Att. Warrantee
3001 Commerce Street
Blacksburg, VA 24060

Cutomer service 88-322-1266 M-F 7:30-5:30 EST

 

[Andrew]

Just call the phone number on the label on the chord.

I have to say that I never liked Stealth heaters. I had the fewest defective returns from Aqueon heaters when I had the store. For a bit more cash you won't go wrong with a Jager.

You already know this, but for everyone else reading: don't save money on heaters! It's the one component of your system that can kill everything quickly!

 

[dogofwar]

Stealth "Pro" must stand for "propulsion"...

I'd call the manufacturer.

Andrew's right: heaters aren't an area to skimp (or buy used).

I heat the room. Not that space heaters are invincible

Matt

 

[toddnbecka]

At least space heaters aren't likely to overheat and cook your fish or explode...

 

[danger_chicken]

Andrew's right: heaters aren't an area to skimp (or buy used).
Matt

I was going to say that about used but you beat me too it I learned the hard way about used heaters, just not worth the savings. This past spring I bought new heaters for all of my tanks just to be done with it.

 

[dogofwar]

Speaking of space heaters (not to derail): anyone have any experience with the quartz ones? They cost more but are supposed to be really good...

Matt

 

[MonteSS]

Remind me of the 78 Buick Century my parents had. The back window would blow up from using the defroster. Scared the $%&* out of us. It was later a recall.

I used the Old Jager heaters and never had a prob. I now only use the new Jager ones and they work excellent. Not expensive either. I just got another 100w from Ken's Fish this week.

...Bill

...Bill

 

[Spine]

I've got a box with about 15 stealth heaters that are worthless (including several that didn't even last a month). I didn't even bother to send them back because either the same thing is just going to continue to happen or I put myself at risk. I got in the habit of unplugging any stealth before I put my hands in the tank because I didn't trust them(yet another hassle).

I'm Jager all the way now. I've got some old green ones,some used ones and new ones and not one single failure.

I wish I had all the money that I wasted back to buy more Jager's I'd be set for a LONG LONG time!

 

[Tony]

You already know this, but for everyone else reading: don't save money on heaters! It's the one component of your system that can kill everything quickly!

I wouldn't really consider Visi-Therms to cheapo heaters... they're about the same price as the Ebos. I've had a couple of Ebos before (the blue ones) and one of them crapped out on me after a couple of months. I bought the Stealth Pros because I thought they were reliable heaters.

Anyway, I contacted Marineland just now and they were really nice. The lady I talked to told me that they had had an issue over a year ago involving a bad batch and had actually issued a recall. I'm not sure if this was just old stock (got it from a very reputable dealer that does a lot of volume, so I sort of doubt this) or that the issue was more widespread than she let on.

Either way, I am sending back all three of my heaters (this one and two more purchased at the same time) for replacements. She said I could opt for the standard glass Visi-therm if I preferred, but not to worry about the stealths as the problem has been corrected. Will opt for the old standard glass versions.

Added carbon and as of yesterday after work, all the fish are doing fine.


I thought about it and when I got home, the red indicator light was on.. not sure if I could have gotten electrocuted at that point, but it seems likely. If this heater were hidden behind rockwork/plants as most are in non "bare" tanks, I wouldn't have spotted it and the situation may have ended badly...

 

[F8LBITE]

Tony do you need a receipt to return them?

 

[RIFT_LAKES_RULE]

I've used Jager heaters ever since I got in the hobby. I don't have any complaints with the new ones vs the old Ebo's. I also like the titanium heaters with external controllers.

Glad to hear there were no losses

 

[emartin]

I've used Jager heaters ever since I got in the hobby. I don't have any complaints with the new ones vs the old Ebo's. I also like the titanium heaters with external controllers.

Glad to hear there were no losses

+1 on the ViaAqua titanium (and steel, they make steel shaft ones too) heaters. I never used one, but I've only heard raves about them. I plan on getting one at some point since they are cheaper I believe than Jager's and Stealth's.

Same then with the new Eheim Jagers with the blue top and pull-knob calibration (not the original eheim version with the extra turn-wheel for calibration). I've used them alongside original Visitherm and Marineland Stealths with no problems and I actually think they are better quality than the marineland (actually switch off when out of water, are calibratable (and my stealths I've had some go as much as 10F off what it is set at)).

By now it's come to whichever is on sale and locally available (The Jagers and Stealths). With the Stealth Pro, before I use the sole 250watt new one I have I am waited to hear back from Marineland since it has the recalled lot number on it.

 

[golsama]

This makes me glad that the heat lamps from my reptile tanks keep my room warm enough that I don't need heaters. All of my tanks stay around 80*F without heaters. I aim a fan at myself when needed, lol.