Perspiration inside of Eheim Jager heater

[Salty.Reefer]

Hey Everyone!
I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. My Eheim heater has some perspiration inside of it. While it does not have enough water to collect at the bottom, it is still concerning.
Little back ground. For the last 3 months everything in this hammy down tank has been looking excellent. In the past week all of my Lobos/symphylea have been shrunken up but nothing too too concerning. Yesterday one of my sticks started to show STN. I tested CA, ALK, MAG, NO3, salinity. all of which came back fine.
Last night I decided to search the sump for creatures with my flashlight. I saw a shadow from heat waves coming from the heater. Hard to describe but hard to see with your eye with out the light and impossible to photograph. It is like a thin line waving up to the surface.
This morning I took out the heater to clean it and inspect. The only thing off is the perspiration inside of the glass tube.
Anyone have the same issue? Should I took the heater? Is this normal for an Eheim and I am being paranoid?

 

[cromag27]

heaters are vacuum sealed. once the seal is breached, water can get inside. replace it asap.

 

[Billldg]

Agreed, once the seal has leaked it will eventually short causing other issues, replace asap!!!

 

[Salty.Reefer]

BTW this is one of two 2oow heaters. The other does not have any perspiration.

Thanks for the responses. I think I am going to buy neotherm heaters next.

This there any belief out there that this could release silica into the water? diatoms have popped up in the last month.

 

[Billldg]

BTW this is one of two 2oow heaters. The other does not have any perspiration.

Thanks for the responses. I think I am going to buy neotherm heaters next.

This there any belief out there that this could release silica into the water? diatoms have popped up in the last month.

Probably not yet, but it will eventually realise other toxins along with stray voltage and eventually full on short out in your water. Great catch!!!

 

[cromag27]

a stray voltage from this heater could be causing the issues with your corals. no way to be sure though.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

Probably not yet, but it will eventually realise other toxins along with stray voltage and eventually full on short out in your water. Great catch!!!

Thank you!
I guess this is a reminder to always check your equipment! (Or equipmunk if you are a fan of The League haha)

 

[Salty.Reefer]

a stray voltage from this heater could be causing the issues with your corals. no way to be sure though.

Would putting my hand in the tank ground me? I have not felt any electricity.

 

[Captain Quint]

Good catch Salty.Reefer.

~15 years ago I had one of the infamous Stealth heaters blow up in the middle of the night while I was asleep killing almost everything in a 120g I was running.

 

[Billldg]

Would putting my hand in the tank ground me? I have not felt any electricity.

Not always with stray voltage, it wouldn't be the full 120 v, may only be a couple of volts at first.

 

[SeaJay]

I’m fairly new to the hobby, but from what I can see eheim might be one of those companies who is known for making innovative, rock solid reliable products. Then lands a contract with someone like PetSmart and suddenly the priority of mass production and making quotas supercedes other aspects that were once more important. It happens all the time. Hustler mowers and Weathertech floor mats are two brands that come to mind most recently experiencing this.

I love the Finnex titanium, but it’s only a few months old. Time will tell.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

So I just called Eheim and they claim that everything is OK. They claim this is from the lubricant they use to seal the heater and if there was a break in the seal, I would see a collection of water in the bottom (which is not happening as fo right for me). I thought I had the answers but now not so much.

 

[cromag27]

that answer scares me, tbh.

 

[jschultzbass]

So I just called Eheim and they claim that everything is OK. They claim this is from the lubricant they use to seal the heater and if there was a break in the seal, I would see a collection of water in the bottom (which is not happening as fo right for me). I thought I had the answers but now not so much.

That would make sense too....If there was a leak the whole heater should fill up eventually. I've had a few of mine get the condensation but can't tell you if it ever caused any problems. I replace my heaters every year though. They're cheap and will eventually fail so why not.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hey Everyone!
I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. My Eheim heater has some perspiration inside of it. While it does not have enough water to collect at the bottom, it is still concerning.
Little back ground. For the last 3 months everything in this hammy down tank has been looking excellent. In the past week all of my Lobos/symphylea have been shrunken up but nothing too too concerning. Yesterday one of my sticks started to show STN. I tested CA, ALK, MAG, NO3, salinity. all of which came back fine.
Last night I decided to search the sump for creatures with my flashlight. I saw a shadow from heat waves coming from the heater. Hard to describe but hard to see with your eye with out the light and impossible to photograph. It is like a thin line waving up to the surface.
This morning I took out the heater to clean it and inspect. The only thing off is the perspiration inside of the glass tube.
Anyone have the same issue? Should I took the heater? Is this normal for an Eheim and I am being paranoid?

Same here, no issues yet. If I see rust inside, I'll replace

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

So I just called Eheim and they claim that everything is OK. They claim this is from the lubricant they use to seal the heater and if there was a break in the seal, I would see a collection of water in the bottom (which is not happening as fo right for me). I thought I had the answers but now not so much.

I think they don't do the last step in a hermetically sealed environment to finish assembly of heater

 

[cromag27]

how can lubricant cause condensation? condensation is caused by moisture and differences in temperature. i doubt there would be enough moisture in the little amount of lu ricardian they use, to cause all this condensation. sounds like lip service to me.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

that answer scares me, tbh.

Same! He said that it is condensation not perspiration and it is caused by atmospheric pressure. So the weather is going to effect the condesration in my heater that’s under water? Interesting explanation.

Same here, no issues yet. If I see rust inside, I'll replace

Isn’t the heating element titanium?

how can lubricant cause condensation? condensation is caused by moisture and differences in temperature. i doubt there would be enough moisture in the little amount of lu ricardian they use, to cause all this condensation. sounds like lip service to me.

Yeah I’m afraid it might just be lip service. Idk though. See above for his exlplination.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Same! He said that it is condensation not perspiration and it is caused by atmospheric pressure. So the weather is going to effect the condesration in my heater that’s under water? Interesting explanation.

Isn’t the heating element titanium?


Yeah I’m afraid it might just be lip service. Idk though. See above for his exlplination.

If they use cheap SS We'll see rust

 

[rossco]

I have the same thing in mine, did an internet search for “condensation Eheim heater” and found other forums with the same answer so I didn’t worry about it.