I messed up. My heater exploded (started smoking). Did I get the plug wet?

SonRK · 11/03/2014, 09:56 PM

Hey all

I was finished up with my 'every 1.5 week' water change and I was connecting all the electronic plugs back in their spot.

NOTE, I DO NOT have them connected to a GFCI outlet. I will 100% be doing it this week since this scared the living snot out of me.

Once I connected it all, the heater like instantly started smoking. I unplugged it all as quick as I could. Probably not the safest thing, but I did remove it from the tank first.

http://i.imgur.com/7GpT0ts.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dGe1iVA.jpg

I have extra heaters so my fish won't be cold. Same brand, but lower wattages that I use for my change water. I'm just gonna connect the main powerhead, the return pump for my built in sump (IM Nuvo Fusion 30L), and just the heater on tonight. I usually had all my plugs on something that looks like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/images/p..._2000x2000.jpg

Hopefully my fish don't die overnight, yikes, since it smoked under water, where the heater exploded. Maybe that carbon will be useful

I'm still a SUPER novice reefer. This is like the most disastrous thing that's probably happened in any of my hobbies and I'm like afraid everything is going to explode on me now due to some neglect@_@

Edit - I am using the 150W Neo-Therm Submersible Heater, since the picture isn't obvious with the size. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2376715 I found this thread so perhaps this happened to me? STILL, I will still update my outlets to GFCI. All it takes is catalyst for me to value safety no matter what.

mbemount · 11/03/2014, 10:35 PM

If you search the forums you'll see those Neotherms have some issues, at least some of the older ones. There's a big thread about it.

Edit -
Actually looks like you found the thread, may be what happened to yours

m0nkie · 11/03/2014, 11:29 PM

I use Eheim. Used it for my turtles for over 10 years. Very reliable heater.. My turtles bite through every set, but Eheim..

and since this one blew, I recommend getting 2 Eheim Jager 75 watt heaters! always safer to have 2 smaller ones than 1 big heater.

you should also consider doing a large water change in case your heater leaked chemicals out. Run some carbon for now

SonRK · 11/03/2014, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m0nkie

I use Eheim. Used it for my turtles for over 10 years. Very reliable heater.. My turtles bite through every set, but Eheim..

and since this one blew, I recommend getting 2 Eheim Jager 75 watt heaters! always safer to have 2 smaller ones than 1 big heater.

you should also consider doing a large water change in case your heater leaked chemicals out. Run some carbon for now

Yea, I just got done with the water change, and of course boom.

I'll mix some more tonight and do another change tomorrow. What a mess.

Lagoon monkey · 11/04/2014, 12:21 AM

Definately get a gfci to protect yourself and your livestock its 17$ at home depot. most fish cost more. easy to install too

Sk8r · 11/04/2014, 01:41 AM

VEry good it didn't happen when you weren't able to catch it. Get the best heater available, for safety's sake.

peasofme · 11/04/2014, 08:19 AM

i had a cheap heater that said don't get water above the line. since i never had problems with heaters getting wet, i got this one wet and it died.

Crooked Reef · 11/04/2014, 09:38 AM

I plugged a heater in when I was a kid while it was still sitting outside of the tank. It started smoking and the only thing I could think tondo was get it into the tank. It exploded. Glass shot across the tank and the water got a blackish hue for two days or so. It didn't harm that tank, but it was not saltwater, it was an African cichlid tank. You may pull through without any losses. I would recommend getting some polyfilter floss and running that as well to trap any metals and get them out of your tank water just in case.

fifthtoe · 11/04/2014, 10:04 AM

Just be glad that you were home to catch it. It happened to me and thank goodness I was home too. Others were not as lucky.

11/03/2014, 09:56 PM	#1
SonRK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 107	I messed up. My heater exploded (started smoking). Did I get the plug wet? Hey all I was finished up with my 'every 1.5 week' water change and I was connecting all the electronic plugs back in their spot. NOTE, I DO NOT have them connected to a GFCI outlet. I will 100% be doing it this week since this scared the living snot out of me. Once I connected it all, the heater like instantly started smoking. I unplugged it all as quick as I could. Probably not the safest thing, but I did remove it from the tank first. http://i.imgur.com/7GpT0ts.jpg http://i.imgur.com/dGe1iVA.jpg I have extra heaters so my fish won't be cold. Same brand, but lower wattages that I use for my change water. I'm just gonna connect the main powerhead, the return pump for my built in sump (IM Nuvo Fusion 30L), and just the heater on tonight. I usually had all my plugs on something that looks like this: http://www.northerntool.com/images/p..._2000x2000.jpg Hopefully my fish don't die overnight, yikes, since it smoked under water, where the heater exploded. Maybe that carbon will be useful I'm still a SUPER novice reefer. This is like the most disastrous thing that's probably happened in any of my hobbies and I'm like afraid everything is going to explode on me now due to some neglect@_@ Edit - I am using the 150W Neo-Therm Submersible Heater, since the picture isn't obvious with the size. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2376715 I found this thread so perhaps this happened to me? STILL, I will still update my outlets to GFCI. All it takes is catalyst for me to value safety no matter what. Last edited by SonRK; 11/03/2014 at 10:32 PM.

11/03/2014, 11:29 PM	#3
m0nkie Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LA Posts: 6,264	I use Eheim. Used it for my turtles for over 10 years. Very reliable heater.. My turtles bite through every set, but Eheim.. and since this one blew, I recommend getting 2 Eheim Jager 75 watt heaters! always safer to have 2 smaller ones than 1 big heater. you should also consider doing a large water change in case your heater leaked chemicals out. Run some carbon for now __________________ 560gal in the making

11/04/2014, 01:41 AM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	VEry good it didn't happen when you weren't able to catch it. Get the best heater available, for safety's sake. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/04/2014, 09:38 AM	#8
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	I plugged a heater in when I was a kid while it was still sitting outside of the tank. It started smoking and the only thing I could think tondo was get it into the tank. It exploded. Glass shot across the tank and the water got a blackish hue for two days or so. It didn't harm that tank, but it was not saltwater, it was an African cichlid tank. You may pull through without any losses. I would recommend getting some polyfilter floss and running that as well to trap any metals and get them out of your tank water just in case. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

11/03/2014, 10:35 PM	#2
mbemount Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Urbana, IL Posts: 114	If you search the forums you'll see those Neotherms have some issues, at least some of the older ones. There's a big thread about it. Edit - Actually looks like you found the thread, may be what happened to yours

11/04/2014, 12:21 AM	#5
Lagoon monkey Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 29	Definately get a gfci to protect yourself and your livestock its 17$ at home depot. most fish cost more. easy to install too

11/04/2014, 08:19 AM	#7
peasofme Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: usa Posts: 1,405	i had a cheap heater that said don't get water above the line. since i never had problems with heaters getting wet, i got this one wet and it died.

11/04/2014, 10:04 AM	#9
fifthtoe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 274	Just be glad that you were home to catch it. It happened to me and thank goodness I was home too. Others were not as lucky.