General Care Discussion :: Heater - watts and volts

[Deon]

I have just bought a heater from a fish/flower market in shanghai. It came in a box but there was no plastic so i dont know how new/reliable it is. However, it is the only one i could find in Shanghai (it was the only reptile shop as far as i kow and it does not look reputable)

My question is - how high should the voltage and wattage be? it says 300w and 220v-240v on the box. My tank has around 15 gallons of water or more - so is it too high?

Also, the heater is metal. I have seen many heaters and they all seem to be encased in plastic or glass. Will metal be alright?

I know its quite a lot but im afraid it will electrocute my turtle if i get the information wrong.
Thanks!

[chrisinva]

The main thing to look is that it's safe for use in water... I know you said it had no plastic but I would be worried it was't meant to be submerged...
I have a 100 watt heater in my 10 gallon but it has a setting that turns it off when it reaches the proper temp...I don't think the wattage really matters as long as the right temp is met...I have had good results from it...Hope this helps some

[Deon]

yeah my heater sorts of stops heating once the temp is right. im sure its meant to be submerged. it said so on the box. i guess this means the wattage isn't a problem.
Im still worried about the heater itself though. I not sure how well made it is and whether it'll leak out electricity. (shouldnt it be made out of plastic or glass?) Also, is the heater itself meant to feel pretty hot - will it burn my turtle?

[steve]

You only need roughly 3 to 5 watts per gallon of water. Most heaters are made of hardened glass. Tronic makes a stainless steel heater while Visitherm Stealth is made of black thermal plastic. If it was not from a major manufacturer, I would be hesitant to use it.