Consistent/Accurate heater

[capthutch]

What heater do you have and like that maintains a consistent temp? What brand are you partial to?

 

[jef4y]

Any brand HOOKED TO A CONTROLLER!

Seriously. A controller is the best way at having accurate temperature in a tank.

 

[grouper therapy]

IMO any brand hooked to a Ranco temp controller.

 

[capthutch]

Yes I'm waiting on a deal on an Apex. Figured as soon as I bought 1 retail someone would have 1 for sale the next day! Other than a controller, what's the next best thing/brand?

Edit:

grouper therapy;883410 wrote: IMO any brand hooked to a Ranco temp controller.

Grouper, give me some details on the Ranco. What I'm finding is HVAC temp controllers

 

[capthutch]

Barrettrhoades;883458 wrote: Ehiem Jager heaters are the best and most reliable. If you don't have an apex, the Ranco temp controllers are the next best thing.

Is this Ranco aquarium based or HVAC equipment?

 

[ichthyoid]

Barrettrhoades;883458 wrote: Ehiem Jager heaters are the best and most reliable. If you don't have an apex, the Ranco temp controllers are the next best thing.

+1

Redundancy is a very good thing in a reef tank. A 'controller' that can turn the heater off if it senses an over-temp, is like buying insurance!

 

[skriz]

Ebo Jager hands down.

 

[grouper therapy]

The ranco controller has been used for years in the h vac/refrigerate industry and are extremely reliable. It is not aquarium based as it is much better IME. The solid state relays used in the "aquarium controllers IMO are not heavy enough to handle the on and off of a heater/chiller. The first thing most do is set the heater to turn on/off with a temp difference of 1/2 degree for some unkown reason and that just adds to the odds of the relay failing or the heater element failing because of the constant cycling. I have used heater controller combos from Jehmco.com in a commercial and hobby setting with much success. If you use an Aquarium style controller I would back it up with a Ranco.
For goodness sake don't fall for the 2 degree temp swing wiping out you system. It simply is not so. Remember as well that all electric heaters need to be replaced sooner or later as they can not last forever. Just like the ones on a range or water heater, For some reason some think they should never wear out although they are used much more often than the others mentioned.

 

[johniii]

grouper therapy;883644 wrote: The ranco controller has been used for years in the h vac/refrigerate industry and are extremely reliable. It is not aquarium based as it is much better IME. The solid state relays used in the "aquarium controllers IMO are not heavy enough to handle the on and off of a heater/chiller. The first thing most do is set the heater to turn on/off with a temp difference of 1/2 degree for some unkown reason and that just adds to the odds of the relay failing or the heater element failing because of the constant cycling. I have used heater controller combos from Jehmco.com in a commercial and hobby setting with much success. If you use an Aquarium style controller I would back it up with a Ranco.
For goodness sake don't fall for the 2 degree temp swing wiping out you system. It simply is not so. Remember as well that all electric heaters need to be replaced sooner or later as they can not last forever. Just like the ones on a range or water heater, For some reason some think they should never wear out although they are used much more often than the others mentioned.

Being a refrigeration tech. I would say there are much better thermostats than the ranco. The johnson controls unit that is comparable has a lot lower fail rate. We have two grocery chains that say if a ranco goes bad put in a johnson controls or a cpc controller.

I do agree however when switching a load more then abouf 250-300 watts you will NOT want to use a solid state relay if it is switching often.

 

[grouper therapy]

JohnIII;883670 wrote: Being a refrigeration tech. I would say there are much better thermostats than the ranco. The johnson controls unit that is comparable has a lot lower fail rate. We have two grocery chains that say if a ranco goes bad put in a johnson controls or a cpc controller.

I do agree however when switching a load more then abouf 250-300 watts you will NOT want to use a solid state relay if it is switching often.

Not familiar with the Johnson control unit except some I used in a institutional water chiller system.
I have no experience using them in your field of expertise , I was just referencing their most common use I suppose. I would follow your advice in replacing them with better units except I have never had one fail in the last 7 years when used in my aquarium systems . If they do however fail how are the others priced in comparison?

 

[nickg]

Hey John,

I am hitch hiking Hutch's thread. I want to know how much, how water compatible, and where?

Thanks
Nick

 

[grouper therapy]

JohnIII;883670 wrote: Being a refrigeration tech. I would say there are much better thermostats than the ranco. The johnson controls unit that is comparable has a lot lower fail rate. We have two grocery chains that say if a ranco goes bad put in a johnson controls or a cpc controller.

I do agree however when switching a load more then abouf 250-300 watts you will NOT want to use a solid state relay if it is switching often.

How much better would say they are in your experience? Ranco fail rate to Johnson control fail rate?

 

[wannabeeareefkeeper]

Ebo Jager hands down.[/QUOTE

^^^^^^ + 1 on what he said. Jager is the one. I placed a similar post about a year ago here at ARC related to high quality heaters. The majority of responses stated Jager. I've been using them ever since and haven't looked back.

Jager is the only brand that I'll purchase [hands down --- Skriz]. I agree "hands down!"


Wannabee

 

[mrflameangel]

I also use jäger attached to an apex. Love it and have had no problems. But I used a jäger in my 60cube and bumped it once and the next day my tank was fried. That taught me to never trust a heater no matter what brand it is. If its man made its gonna fail sooner or later. I just helped speed mine up. Lol

 

[johniii]

 

[johniii]

grouper therapy;883689 wrote: How much better would say they are in your experience? Ranco fail rate to Johnson control fail rate?

Only replaced 2 bad johnson controls units in 13 years. Maybe 100 rancos. This is IME.

 

[grouper therapy]

Only replaced 2 bad johnson controls units in 13 years. Maybe 100 rancos. This is IME.[/QUOTE
13 years!! you started young in your field, was it a family business?:up:
Replaced 100 new Rancos or old Rancos? Sooner or later they all will be replaced. Like I said never used them in a refrigeration scenario but have never replaced one elsewhere. I do know they have been around a longggggg time. But based on your claims and especially that price I will try the Johnson control unit if I ever have a Ranco quit on me.

 

[johniii]

I started doing refrigeration straight out of high school at 18 years old.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[grouper therapy]

JohnIII;883728 wrote: I started doing refrigeration straight out of high school at 18 years old.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

I'm with you there. Started in the woodworking industry the same way right out of high school in 1982.:up:

 

[johniii]

Grouper the problem with the rancos is they use a cheap thermocouple. If it is reading e1 that's what it is. E2 is bad memory

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