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Experience with Temp Controllers???

STATMATT

STATMATT

Members
I've just set up my second 150 gallon and I've been looking into getting a controller to do the heat.
Reading the article at the bottom of this website.
http://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html

I'm interested in buying two of the controllers with either the 500W or 1000W titanium heaters attached.

In the beginning I was looking at doing 4 separate heaters, for each tank to prevent overheating (when a heater fails and sticks in the ON position), but it seems that the controller may solve my fears about boiling my fish.

Does anyone have experience using a controller?
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
I like controllers. Only have one on my undergravel heater on my planted 45 gallon, but I think they are worth the extra money on normal tanks for two reasons.

First - you have to have two failures (heater and controller) in order to fry your fish.

Second - If you can hook up more than one heater to the controller, the two heaters will actually both be working. I believe that typically with more than one heater, only one is doing the majority of the heavy lifting due to manufacturing tolerances in the thermostats.

If you set the controller to 74 and the heaters to 75, then both will kick on when the controller says so and kick off if the controller screws up and it goes to 75. Otherwise, whichever has a lower (even slightly lower) "temperature on threshold" will do most of the work and possibly even heat the water up above its threshold before the other kicks on at all.

If you get more than one controller, you will most likely encounter the same issue with temp on thresholds.

Does that make sense? Sort of talked in a circle. :wacko:

If I had the funds, I'd have one on all my big tanks. Oh well.
 
STATMATT

STATMATT

Members
That's what I was looking at, I was looking at getting a 500W titanium with controller for one tank and then for the other tank using my existing 300W heaters.

So from http://www.jehmco.com I'm ordering the
ETCI-1R with 2nd recepticle "Electronic Temperature Control w/ Receptacle for up to 1800 watts load"
and the
TSHTCE-500 "500 watt Titanium Heater w/ ETCI Controller"

The 500 watt Heater... (my understanding) does not have a dial on it to set the temperature. So you are relying on the controller to do the work. I'm not that nervous about it b/c the build of the controller is less likely to stay on the 'always ON' position if it breaks b/c of the way it is constructed. I've yet to hear of one of these failing yet the stories of boiling fish using regular heaters are numerous.
 
longstocking

longstocking

Members
There are stories out there... many of my friends have had issues. If they do go bad and stay on your fish are pretty much done if you are not there. But, they don't go bad as much because the controller isn't in the water. FYI calibration is not always right .... just like other heaters. Don't trust the numbers ....
 
STATMATT

STATMATT

Members
Thx longstocking, yes, it has to work sufficently well on a 50 gal rubbermaid tub prior to me using it with fish. and I use real thermometers to check the accuracy. but I appreciate the heads up.
 
E

ezrk

Members
I have them on both of our tanks and they seem pretty reasonable. The temperature they set to doesn't match what our thermometers say, but then none of our thermometers agree with each other either...

I believe the ability to have two heaters on opposite sides of hte tank go on simultaneously is beneficial and there is a bit of added insurance on the failure side. I have the temp controllers set to 78 or so and the heaters themselves at 84-5 so that should prevent cooked fish.
 
STATMATT

STATMATT

Members
Thanks ezrk, that's how I set up my 150 haps tank. with 2 300 W heaters. I let the heaters heat up the tank first so I could adjust the tank temperature. Then once that was slightly out of the comfortable range I added on the temperature controller, and mine does match my thermometer exactly. My 150 mbuna tank I'm setting up a single 500W titanium heater. this does not have an adjustment on it so we'll see which system I like working with the most. I'll probably emulate what works the best for me on the next system.
 
Peacockbass

Peacockbass

New Member
Please note this controller is not wired and will require a little know how. but if you can wiring outlets in your house you will have no problems.
 
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