Heater Light Flickering

[Just_Another_One]

I was wondering if anyone has any expeirence with a heater when its light is flickering on and off in a strange pattern. Sometimes it will be fine and next time i look at it it will be flickering. It is an Elite 25W heater that ive had for about 3 years now for my bettas 6 gallon.

I noticed yesterday the heat had dropped from its usual 80 to around 72. I turned it up a notch and its moved up to about 76-78 now...

Since ive had it for 3 years now its probably time to get a new one but i was just wondering if anyone had any input on weather its fine to keep it going even though its flickering or if i should get a new one asap...


Thanks

 

[dcarmor927]

i dont have any exp with this, but after 3 years i'd say its safe to get a new one...

The thermometer inside the heater may be fried...which causes it to turn on and off? lol idk but if its not giving you the heat you want at a given setting anymore id opt for a new one.

 

[Mikaila31]

Most of my heaters flicker, but the box says that is normal. I recently bought a new one that advertised "non-flickering". So it really all depends, is it suppose to flicker or not. I have 3 heater in my room that flicker, I always watch them when I go to sleep . They are all different brands, so they all kinda flicker differently. Some have like seizures other are really mellow......

 

[shelaghfishface]

i had an elite heater that boiled all my community tank, i didnt see a flickering light tho, but for the sake of £15 i would just sling it and get a new one, just to be on the safe side, i would also go with another brand such as Hydor

 

[WoodenChair]

How its mounted could have alot to do with that.

When a heater is mounted vertically (expecially if your tank is high flow and your heater is tall) the thermostat sits at one level where as the heating element sits at another, when the water temperature saying no, no thanks, but still has a yessy aftertaste... it might blink. Or the whole thing is shot and your a day away from fishsticks.


As shelagh said, reach into the piggy bank, get a new one unless you are really hungry.


-Chairman Wood

 

[Netty]

i had an elite heater that boiled all my community tank, i didnt see a flickering light tho, but for the sake of £15 i would just sling it and get a new one, just to be on the safe side, i would also go with another brand such as Hydor

Funny you should say that Shelagh.....we just had the same thing happen a couple of days ago, and guess what......it was an elite heater too!!!!! Thermostat went overnight and came down to a tank of cooked fish in the morning.

 

[Just_Another_One]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I was planning a trip to the LFS anyways today or tomarrow for a bunch of other stuff so I will make sure I add this to my list.

Which brand heater is the best and should I get another 25W or a 50W??..... it is for a 6 gallon acylic eclipse tank

Thanks

 

[bronzecat]

Hi

A 25w should do the trick We have, and are still using heaters made by Fluval and Hydor.

 

[shelaghfishface]

i had an elite heater that boiled all my community tank, i didnt see a flickering light tho, but for the sake of £15 i would just sling it and get a new one, just to be on the safe side, i would also go with another brand such as Hydor

Funny you should say that Shelagh.....we just had the same thing happen a couple of days ago, and guess what......it was an elite heater too!!!!! Thermostat went overnight and came down to a tank of cooked fish in the morning.

ooohh sorry netty.. i know how i felt when it happened to me

 

[Netty]

I know.....the thought of those poor girls getting hotter and hotter makes me feel sick We'd only had the heater a year, so it wasn't that old and if it had happened during the day time we would of noticed.

 

[WoodenChair]

My solution to the fear of cooked fish was a digital thermometer that stays in the water all the time, with an alarm function. a really, really loud alarm function that tells me if my water parameters are too low or high. did i mention it was LOUD?

Only cost me 12USD at a petco ::shudders::

You might want to invest in one if you can find one

 

[Netty]

Great idea.....but it would have to be REALLY REALLY loud as I have to wear ear plugs at night to muffle Bronzecat's snoring

 

[Mikaila31]

My solution to the fear of cooked fish was a digital thermometer that stays in the water all the time, with an alarm function. a really, really loud alarm function that tells me if my water parameters are too low or high. did i mention it was LOUD?

Only cost me 12USD at a petco ::shudders::

You might want to invest in one if you can find one

I will have to look into one of those, they sound like something that would come in handy.