Is My Heater Broken?

[idlefingers]

Okay, this sounds like a odd question, but I'm unsure if my heater's broken or I just have two dodgy thermometers...

First off, I'm aiming for a water temp of 25c. I have the Jager (150w) heater which came with my new tank set at 23.5 because the glass thermometer I have says 26! I keep slowly lowering the temp of the heater, but my tank stays at 26 (well, according to the thermometers).

Last night, thinking it might be the thermometer that's dodgy (because the heater is only 1 week old) so I went out and bought a battery powered one (one which sits outside the tank with the lead inside) which also has an alarm for high/low temps. Set that up and it says 26, too!

So I'm guessing my heater is either broken or the gauge is out of place. It has a re-calibration button to set where the temp is, but I'm not sure if I should do that as I'm not entirely sure which thing is broken and after just one week, it really shouldn't need it.

I have a 150w unused heater from my old tank.. I'm thinking I might just switch them around..

What do you reckon? Should I switch them and take the heater back to the shop? Try to re-calibrate?

 

[mlawson]

The heater just needs re-calibrating.

 

[idlefingers]

that's what I was thinking, but the fact I've dropped it down from 24 to 22 over a space of two days and the thermometers not changing is what's throwing suspicion into my mind. I would've thought that even if the numbers are off whack, the temp would still lower?

(I just noticed in my first post that I said it's currently on 23.5, when it's actually on 22.5)

 

[AndreaC]

Could also be the fact your room temp is warm. There are times my heater doesnt come on as its not needed unless its freezing (literaly) Infact when I had goldfish in same room I had the problem of keeping low temps for them as the tank water was at 26 (no heater)

 

[Rooster]

Unplug the heater, take it out of the water and turn the "set temp" knob backwards and forwards... you should hear the tick of the thermostat turning ON/OFF - maybe even see it moving through the tube ? if thats happening, put it back into the water, plug in and turn up the temp (no need for numbers... just UP will do !) then hold the thing in your hand... you should feel a warming, you will NOT get burned or get a shock. Unplug again.
If this IS happening, then its ok... now just turn the thermostat down until it clicks OFF - now it will be set at the same temp as the water in the tank... take a reading from your thermometer and set the heater/stat calibration thing to the same temp, now you can set the actual temp you need, plug in and away you go.
Good luck

 

[idlefingers]

Thanks for the help everyone I've re-calibrated it and all seems well so far!