Watts per gallon or.....

[Aquadiva]

How to test a heater for proper function.

OK, it's 58 degrees in the basement....It was below zero last night. I've got a 300 watt and a 200 watt won heater in the sump normally. Threw in an older ebo jaegar 100 watt last night for good measure. All are indicating "ON".

Gallonage: 75 display in living room....50 gallon sump in basement..30 gallon fuge in basement.....total water about 125...(sump and refuge are not full).

Tank Temp: 77

so...either I need more watts (how many watts does it take to increase 58 degree water to 79 -80 degrees ?) or one of the heaters is not working to capacity. Short of grabbing it, can you test one of these. I put my hand near both, and they seem to be emitting heat.

BTW... I even cleaned them to see if that would help. No


Any help?
Thanks
Linda

 

[wrassefan]

are the sump and fuge covered? With outside temps the way they are and open sump/fuges, heat can be dissipating quickly. Is the sump sitting on concrete?? The cold slab can quickly suck up heat also. Plus if you have the water rushing into the basement...heat will dissipate quick. Maybe throw a tarp on the sump and fuge temporarily?? I would throw in another 300w heater in the tank ....mine were both on last night when I checked and the tank was around 79...usually 81. The room was around 58.

 

[Aquadiva]

are the sump and fuge covered? NO

Is the sump sitting on concrete?? No, its up on 6x6 scrap wood

the water rushing into the basement...heat will dissipate quick. I didn't think of this being a heat loss.

I don't have a tarp clean enough to cover the sump (most are in use covering wood piles and such). Maybe a sheet...I would afraid a blanket would drop "fuzzy stuff" into the sump. Hmmmm...

I would have thought that 600 watts would have been enough.

 

[denvig]

I have a 110 gal display in my living room (room at 68-70 deg) and 33 gal sump in basement (55-60 deg) two 250w heaters are in sump. Temp on heater controler is set to 80 this keeps display at 79 +/- 1/2 deg.