heater when doing water changes?

[myfriendpeter]

the box says to remove the heater before putting my hands in, though i have for a sec and i didnt get electrocuted... but i was wondering if i really have to do this? i need to do a cleaning and im gonig to use my gravel vaccuum, but i dont wanna go to the trouble of turning off the heater, leaving it for half an hour, then taking it out. and i dont wanna mess up the settings or anything.
so is it safe so long as i just dont knock the whole thing into the tank?
its always kinda scared me with the whole electricity really near water aspect.

thanksss

 

[bartender_in_ny]

i just UNPLUG mine when i do a water chg. then its the samwe when u plug it back in i never frig with the set tings

 

[endparenthesis]

That's so some moron doesn't sue them on the off chance that something does go wrong.

 

[Lateral Line]

I've had my hand in tanks with live heaters pretty much every day for 40 years. Never got a shock.

Another issue though, is that heaters should always have water around them. If you are dropping the water level enough such the heater is exposed, then yes, you should turn it off and let it cool for a while before dropping the water. Same is true of powerheads by the way.

 

[canarsie11]

I've had my hand in tanks with live heaters pretty much every day for 40 years. Never got a shock.

Another issue though, is that heaters should always have water around them. If you are dropping the water level enough such the heater is exposed, then yes, you should turn it off and let it cool for a while before dropping the water. Same is true of powerheads by the way.

Exactly, as long as the heater remains submerged while you remover water, it is fine.

Thats why I set up my heaters close to the bottom of the tank about inch or 2 above the gravel. This way when I do water changes no need to worry about heater being exposed.

 

[myfriendpeter]

mine hangs off the top but will be about half exposed...i suppose thats still not good enough *
well i think i may just have to unplug it and let it cool, so it doesnt explode into my poor fishies. darn i guess this will be a bigger ordeal than i thought.
oh well better safe than sorry
thanks guys.

*if that is alright, as long as about half is still in the water, and its unplugged reply pleeease so i dont have to take it all out...

 

[MasterDrummer]

I never take it out for wter changes. and im fine.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi myfriendpeter

I do water changes with a hang on back heater all the time, so it can be done safely. The important thing is not to take out too much water and to replace it as soon as you can.

While the water level is down past the fill line, the thermostat will we reading the room temperature rather than the water temperature and, if that is cooler, it will continue to run. If your water changes are small, just do them quickly. For larger jobs just unplug the heater and let it stay on the back of the tank. (But don't forget to plug it back in when you are finished.)

Whatever you do, do not let the part with the coils be exposed to the air while it is running. I know for sure that this will make them crack! )

 

[myfriendpeter]

thank you all very very much, i guess theres no way going around it, and since this heater is borrowed...ill just have to let it cool and take it out, so that theres no cracking involved!

 

[Dwarfs]

If it was constantly electrocuting the water your fish would be floating belly up!

 

[Narayan]

I know someone whos heater cracked because he left it exposed and still connected and when he added the cold water to the tank.... well you can guess the rest. Tch! Fool!