funny how things seem to fail in groups...

[Magnum Man]

I had 2 heaters fail, a day apart from each other... I only keep one spare... funny thing, is both are on cool water tanks, that I could easily run, with no heater... kind of makes me wonder, if they are designed around the normal use of tropical temperatures, and end up more short lived running hard, or in my case really not at all... I mostly use them on these 2 cool water tanks to monitor the temp...one was beeping, and said the tank was over 90 degrees, though the heater was at zero output... a touch of the glass told me the tank was cool, and temp was not accurate... I just un plugged both, as room temp is fine... I'll replace them, just so I have control of it, both were different brands of heater...

 

[Back in the fold]

Murphy’s Law .

 

[BigDog]

Murphy’s Law can stink at times

Do bad we can not change Murphy’s Law

Or can we ?

 

[anewbie]

Murphy’s Law .

Why does Murphy get to make all the laws ?

 

[BigDog]

No one has yet to figure out his powers

So us humans can figure it out in our own time

He thinks when it’s the right time

We well all know the information to the planted

 

[jaylach]

Why does Murphy get to make all the laws ?

Murphy does NOT make all the laws. Riley also has one that just states that Murphy is an optimist.

 

[MaloK]

As a human, I some times wake-up in the morning with a real urge. To push it to it's limit until it blows.

It probably is the principal cause of our, somewhat thirst for destruction.

In applied physical dynamics, it rules to the point you kinda get use to it.

Since anything tried has chance to fail... Murph's makes sure that if it's dumb enough. Will lead toward ain't trying that again or having good enough hints that you're going too far...

I take it as... It's like a universal protection, as you evolve gaining more power and knowledge... And try to apply it..That, makes sure that you understand what you are trying to do before being able to create a black hole or a big bang...

And succeed doing it.

 

[gwand]

Magnum’s post prompted me to order a second spare Fluval heater. Murphy loves my house.

 

[MaloK]

I have 3 hanging on my "Aquaria Clothesline" ready to go. But I think I might have to do something about that before they become too filled of dust.

But a good old "Break-in" reveals the weak fast. I submit every new contender to a pretty harsh one.

Repetitive really cold to really warm "exercise" prove the ability of thermostat to be able to cope with extremes.

And in my last test an unknown Chinese company and eheim jager are cutting it.

The beautiful Fluval T50 lasted 3 cold dips. and stopped working. But didn't stick on.

 

[anewbie]

Magnum’s post prompted me to order a second spare Fluval heater. Murphy loves my house.

Look there is a cheaper solution; don't let Murphy into your home.

 

[MaloK]

There's no escape...Murphy's in the fabric of things.

Only luck can get around it. And once you can reproduce "luck" at will. You're in deepening s***.

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm an old man "boy scout" prepared for most anything conceivable... I have heaters for my outside tanks, that are not in use, and I can "MacGyver" most anything most often times Murphy preys on those who are not prepared

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Murphy has visited me twice in a week, and I'm not happy about it.

 

[anewbie]

I'm an old man "boy scout" prepared for most anything conceivable... I have heater for my outside tanks, that are not in use, and I can "Macgiver" most anything most often times Murphy prey on those who are not prepared

But do you have a source of backup power if hte power goes out for a month ?

 

[jaylach]

I'm an old man "boy scout" prepared for most anything conceivable... I have heater for my outside tanks, that are not in use, and I can "Macgiver" most anything most often times Murphy prey on those who are not prepared

I totally agree. While, as a concept, there IS a Murphy, usually, Murphy is us. The mishaps are usually caused by rushing into something without thinking it through. When I worked as a machinist there was always a phrase that was important; : "Measure twice, cut once.".

As to heaters I don't have a backup but really don't think I need one as fish will be fine even if the tank water drops a couple of degrees overnight unless the fish are super exotic and extremely sensitive to change. I figure I can just run to the local Petco and get a new one within a day. A precaution I DO take with a heater is to not over work the thing. I only have room for a 20 gallon tank and a 50 watt heater would be enough to do the job but I use one that is 100 watt. Hindsight would say that I'd be better with 2 50 watt heaters where, if one went out, the other would pick up the load but not about to toss the 100 watt unless it fails which, eventually, it will. I also mount my heater horizontal to cause a wider area of heat convection taking the heated water away from the heater quicker than if mounted vertical. The issue I see with vertical mounting is that the heated water goes straight up the the heater to the thermostat causing many more on/off cycles which will wear out the heater faster. When mounted horizontal the thermostat is a bit outside of the heat convection which means that it is reacting to a more whole tank temperature rather than just the heated water causing the on/off cycles.