Heater question

[jabberwock]

I have a 25 gallon lagoon running an inkbird controller and a single BRS 100 watt titanium heater. It has run fine for 9 months (and it is hot weather now), but the tank consistently runs hot to 79+ degrees. Shouldn't the inkbird shut down the heater??? Confirmed temp with an analog mercury thermometer.

I am cooling with a fan and a frozen water bottle when needed. House thermostat is at 77 degrees.

I am contemplating purchasing two 50 or 75 watt eheim jaegers to run on the inkbird. The 50s may be undergunned, but the 75s will have a hard time fitting in my short tank.

Any suggestions?

 

[Uncle99]

I have a 25 gallon lagoon running an inkbird controller and a single BRS 100 watt titanium heater. It has run fine for 9 months (and it is hot weather now), but the tank consistently runs hot to 79+ degrees. Shouldn't the inkbird shut down the heater??? Confirmed temp with an analog mercury thermometer.

I am cooling with a fan and a frozen water bottle when needed. House thermostat is at 77 degrees.

I am contemplating purchasing two 50 or 75 watt eheim jaegers to run on the inkbird. The 50s may be undergunned, but the 75s will have a hard time fitting in my short tank.

Any suggestions?

If you set Inkbird to stop at a lower temp, would that help?
That’s what I do with mine when seasons change.

 

[Reefering1]

Which inkbird? Where is the probe relative to the heater? What temp is it set to turn on and off? Have you verified that the heater is actually turning off? What controls the fan?

 

[jabberwock]

If you set Inkbird to stop at a lower temp, would that help?
That’s what I do with mine when seasons change.

I set it down to 77, no dice.

 

[Peace River]

Would plugging a light into the inkbird help to troubleshoot (in place of the heater)?

 

[Reefering1]

What temp are you targeting? If ambient is 77, and 79 is high, sounds like you either a) don't need to run the heater, b) have a dirty pump running hot, or c) have excessively high ambient humidity inhibiting evaporative cooling

 

[jabberwock]

Which inkbird? Where is the probe relative to the heater? What temp is it set to turn on and off? Have you verified that the heater is actually turning off? What controls the fan?

ITC-306A. Heater is in the back chamber, probes are in the display tank on opposite ends. Low temp is 77, high temp is 78. I have not verified that the heater shuts down. Not sure how to do this.​

I control the fan.. Turn it on in the mornings, charge it over night.

 

[jabberwock]

What temp are you targeting? If ambient is 77, and 79 is high, sounds like you either a) don't need to run the heater, b) have a dirty pump running hot, or c) have excessively high ambient humidity inhibiting evaporative cooling

Pump is dirty...

 

[jabberwock]

Would plugging a light into the inkbird help to troubleshoot (in place of the heater)?

Not sure how to do this, but the return pump is very dirty.

 

[Reefering1]

ITC-306A. Heater is in the back chamber, probes are in the display tank on opposite ends. Low temp is 77, high temp is 78. I have not verified that the heater shuts down. Not sure how to do this.​

I control the fan.. Turn it on in the mornings, charge it over night.

Try unplugging it entirely and see if temps correct themselves. Or as mentioned, plug a light in with it to have visual indication of when the heater outlet is powered

 

[jabberwock]

I will overhaul the return pump tomorrow. I have been procrastinating.

 

[Peace River]

Not sure how to do this, but the return pump is very dirty.

Cleaning the return pump could keep it from running so hard and it would possibly put out less heat.

If you keep the inkbird temperature sensor in the water, but have a light plugged into the inkbird socket then it should turn on and off as the "heater" is activate (in this case the light is functioning a visual indicator, where the heater would normally be powered or not powered). If I remember correctly, some inkbird temp controllers have a range (that can be adjusted) so it has to drop a certain about (for example two degrees) so the heater isn't quickly turning on and off. I encourage you to confirm the model and look at the details for the temp controller. Good luck!

 

[Reefering1]

You can use one of these..

Given the temps I would probably unplug the heater and plug a light in to see when the controller is providing power. Doesn't sound like you need it at all right now.

 

[jabberwock]

Good help ya'll!

 

[jabberwock]

Pump was a hot mess. Warm to the touch when I pulled it out. I cleaned it up and we are doing better. Inkbird set low temp at 77.5, running 77.8 6 hours later with no fan. We will see what the morning brings.

 

[Peace River]

That is why I upgraded to a Sicce DC return pump about a year and a half ago because it puts out almost no heat in comparison to the pump in replaced. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction!