Habitat - Indoor :: WAter heater popped!

[Gordon89]

My water heater popped unexpectably. It happened when I try to fill up the water before it depletes. I added the water to the water heater and it popped. The glass came off and my turtle was near it =[ Nothing happens, just a big chunk of glass came off. So this thirty eight dollars equipment just broke in within a month.

REMINDER NEVER LEAVE YOUR WATER HEATER ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL!!! HEAT RAISES AND GAS WON'T BE ABLE TO GIVE OFF except on the glass. WILL CAUSE IT TO POP

P.S. the water heater manual say it have a automatic shut down system before the heat cause the glass to shatter. It is BSing. I'm telling you, it doesn't work, and the brand is Tronic for (15 gallons)

[marisa]

I've used Tronics and have never had a problem with them shattering.

How low was the water level? How cold was the water you added, and, if I'm understanding you correctly, by "adding the water to the water heater," do you mean that you poured the water right oo the heater?

You're absolutely right about not letting the water level drop too low. (How low was it?) Assuming the heater wasn't defective, I'm wondering if a temp difference beween the heater and the water that was added didn't play a part...

[Andrew7769]

lol happend 2 me i left it on when i changed the water melted a plant then when i tryed putting in the water it shattered

[Gordon89]

My formal water heater was lying horizontal while half of its body was exposed. I should had pressed the power button to closed electric line to let it cool off before using it.

The water I pour on the water heater was very cold. Right from the tap =]

P.S. They said they have a system intergrated which automatically shuts itself it the temperature reaches way to high. Never work for me, and I wonder what does that "automatic shut down mechanic intergrated system" meant to do. Nothing!

[steve]

Keep a heater unplugged at least 10 minutes BEFORE and AFTER it is in the water. I had a glass Visitherm crack after I accidentally left it on when doing a water change. I've had an Ebo jager survive after being left on out of water. Either way, this is another reason why I like the plastic coated Stealth heaters.

[Gordon89]

What does the plastic coated stealth does?

Hey guys, I had it on a automatic power switch. So each time before i change my water i go and shut down the power first. so yeah!

[cam722]

Well first off it's not made of glass so therefore the breakage factor is gone. Those are the only kind of heaters I use for my fish and turtles. They have an excellent accuracy rate. I've not touched the heater setting on my turtles tank in 2 yrs.. and it's maintained a constant 75 degrees. It also has an auto shut off if the water level gets too low.

[Gordon89]

"It also has an auto shut off if the water level gets too low."

My formal Tronic heater have that system intergrated, but it didn't work. I wish I can do something about it, o well, two weeks already, i threw it out ages ago =]

[cam722]

Well I believe the difference between the Tronic and the Stealth is that even if the auto shutoff doesn't work it won't shatter because it's not made of glass..

[steve]

The auto shut off is a safety feature, it should still be unplugged before it's taken out of the water. Who knows, it can easily fail like Gordon's Tronic or might not work again after the auto shut off.

The thermal plastic could still melt, which is almost as bad as glass cracking. Though from what I've noticed, the plastic does not get as hot as the glass in the water.

[marisa]

And the black coating wears off...

[industrial_girl_2000]

REMINDER NEVER LEAVE YOUR WATER HEATER ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL!!! HEAT RAISES AND GAS WON'T BE ABLE TO GIVE OFF except on the glass. WILL CAUSE IT TO POP

P.S. the water heater manual say it have a automatic shut down system before the heat cause the glass to shatter. It is BSing. I'm telling you, it doesn't work, and the brand is Tronic for (15 gallons)

LOL, yes, I have had MANY of these submersible heaters. I've had one that actually was giving off some electric current underwater (!). I reached into the water to get my turtle out because she kept rubbing her eyes (I wanted to check out what was wrong with her), and I felt a prickling sensation (like pins & needles) on my skin when I put my hand in the water. I couldn't figure out what was going on, I looked at the heater & it was flickering. I grabbed my turtle out of the tank & unplugged the heater & the prickling feeling stopped. It was my underwater heater malfunctioning! Of course I threw it away immediately & got a new one. Yeesh.

[steve]

And the black coating wears off...

Has this happened to your Stealth or did you mean leaving it out of the water while on will wear off the coating?

[marisa]

This is happening to one of them in the area where the suction cups are taken off. I don't take them off very much (only an occasional cleaning), which is why I'm kind of surprised to see some wear.

[steve]

I didn't want to start a new topic.... so I'll add to this one. I had a spontaneous urge to do a tank cleaning today and I forgot to unplug my stealth heater. It was probably out of the water for 10 minutes before I unplugged. After the tank was refilled, the heater worked as it did before. Whew!