need help on heater placement.

[reefD]

I redesigned a larger sump and hooked her up today. working great! I made an extra chamber to hold my skimmer too. ill post pictured later but first i want to put my heater in this sump too. i was wondering where should i place the temp prob for the heater (its a won bros heater with seperate temp dial from heater) . I was going to put the heater and trhe prob in the sump but will this keep the display at a steady temp? or should i put the temp prob in the display with the heater in the sump? what do ya think? thanks guys!:bounce1:

 

[Lakeside518]

In my setups, I put my temp probe in the display. I was affraid the prob might sense heat from the pumps and the heater itself. I use a 30 gal sump and was affraid that the temp of the water contained there would be warmer then in the display, throwing off the heat controller.

My .02

If any help. My digital Thermometer holds true with my titanium controller. So no probs as of yet.

Kris

 

[reefD]

ok sounds good ill try that. any other oppinions?

 

[Goneracin]

I put my temp probe in the tank as well.
i wanted to make sure the tank was at 78 not the sump.
my sump is only 20 gal. so its a few degrees warmer than the tank is in the winter.

Marty

 

[Lakeside518]

Both my digital Thermometer and heat controller probes are located close together in the center of the tank. Recieving plenty of flow/ current.

 

[Dave ESPI]

Unmentioned viable option: shove it up yer arse > ?



Place it close to the return pump. This way the warmest water will be circulated back through the system with the least amount of temp drop.

hth.

 

[reefD]

thanks dave i just did that and the temp shifting has stopped. thanks all...problem solved!

 

[fishtanker]

I put mine in a higher flow area of the sump since i figured keeping that area the correct temp would ensure the whole tank was evenly heated.

 

[reefD]

i tried putting it in high flow area but it still would heat up higher than the tank water then shut off but pump the warmer water into the display. i didnt explain this but i think daveespi hit it on the head. my sump is baffled off into four sections. i had to place the pump in the return pump section to ensure that the heated water goes into the display immediately thus keeping swings from occuring. the probe is in the display.......when it reads a low temp it triggers the heater and the heater immediately heats the water that is being pumped into the tank. if i put it i any other baffled area other than the last the heater would stay on until water flowed through sump and then entered the display warming it. the problem is (when in other sections)that the heater is on a lot longer cause the probe doesnt read the warmer water due to it still circulating through the sump. thus the heater is on too long and heats the water too much. that was a mouth full! LOL>
in any case i placed it in the return pump baffled section and problem solved! no flux of temp!

 

[xian]

Some info from a disscussion with the manufacturer at MACNA:

Keep the heater itself in an area of exceptional high flow. Keeps the heater from overheating

As mentioned with the probe

 

[reefD]

so i should place the probe in an area of high flow too? right?

 

[xian]

I believe that Dave's suggestion was best but the man. explained that if these heatersget left out of the water or in still water too long they can get red hot.

 

[reefD]

yeah matt thats my worry too. it being in the return baffle means evaporation will occur here. i am pretty good at keeping the level no lower than half way so i just cant forget about that!. at least the heater is below the pump so water would still be over it but it would get very very hot in there!

 

[heartbreak7]

I keep my heater in my overflow, seems to work well as this is where all of the tank water goes through.

 

[Dave ESPI]

Heartbreak,

You should keep the temp sensor in a close area to the water in the overflow to the sump/ near heater or else if it senses too low a temp, it can over cook UNLESS it is protected from such by having a minimum water level when the water drops on many overflows, the tank sensor is left high and dry, OR not giving the heater accurate temp, and the overflow water ends up boiling. if the evaporation is too high and the siphon is stopped for some reason.

Just a warning from experience