Heater placement question.

gray808 · Jul 11, 2020

I have a question about the placement of my heaters in my system. Due to the relatively short cords for the heater and controller (Finnex YH-s 300W w/ controller), and where the rest of my control boxes and wiring is being placed, the place want to place it is detailed below.

First, how my overflow is designed:

The overflow is mirrored, so each side has the same stuff, just mirrored. The water flows in from (1), into the first overflow chamber (2), passing through 2 acrylic floss cups. It flows under (3) and into the 2nd chamber (4), where it flows up and then cascades over the wall, the 2 sides meeting in the main overflow chamber (5), which houses the main overflow to the sump, the backup, and the return pipe.

What I would like to do is place a heater in each 2nd chamber (4), with the corresponding temp probe in the previous, first overflow chamber (2), or the display tank itself.

If I can do this, then I have enough reach to move the controllers and power supply into the bookcase next to it, where the rest of the controls and PSs will be.

Is there a compelling reason why I shouldn't place it there? I know that it seems most common to have it in the sump, but my return chamber isn't big enough for the heaters, the skimmer/fuge area is already getting crowded, and the first sump chamber, with the overflow coming in, is on the far side of the tank.

Thoughts?

--Gray

Cory · Jul 11, 2020

No reason this wint work

Gablami · Jul 11, 2020

I’m sure some people do what you’re describing. Let’s just say your return pump stopped working and temps started to drop. Chamber 4 could get cooked and kill everything in it because the temp controller was in an unheated compartment. Is anything of consequence in chamber 4?

gray808 · Jul 11, 2020

Gablami said:
I’m sure some people do what you’re describing. Let’s just say your return pump stopped working and temps started to drop. Chamber 4 could get cooked and kill everything in it because the temp controller was in an unheated compartment. Is anything of consequence in chamber 4?

Nope, it's just flow-thru from the initial overflow.

If the return pump stops, that chamber, and only that chamber would get hot. Well... I suppose with no flow, the original overflow chamber (2) would get hot as well, but the rest of the system, sump, DT, and overflow-pipes/return flow chamber would be isolated from it. Very worst case scenario, the return goes out, the heaters cook off all the water in their respective chambers. but only if their auto-shutoff overheat protection failed. So, 2 major systems would have to fail completely, at the same time, and not be noticed in the time it would take to cook off that much water.

I think.

--Gray